Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: (Species Blog #4) – Costa Rica’s national motto and tourism slogan, “La Pura Vida” loosely translates to Live Life or Enjoy Life. With over 900 bird species recorded here, there is certainly lots to enjoy! Join with me as I guide you through the scenic wonderland that is Costa Rica. From the slow-moving waters of the Coastal Mangrove Wetlands to the heights of the Talamanca Páramo, over 300 species of birds will be featured in this blog series. **Some of this Blog Series photos (all taken by me) may have been taken in other nearby countries.

A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain

BIRDS & BIRDING IN COSTA RICA WEBSITE LINK: Plain Chachalaca

The Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) is a large bird in the chachalaca, guan, and curassow family Cracidae. In Central America, this species occurs in the Pacific lowlands from Chiapas, Mexico, to northern Nicaragua and as a separate population in Costa Rica, where its range is separated by a short distance, forming a disjunct population. The Plain Chachalaca frequents dry and moist forests, especially where interspersed with scrub and savanna.

OBSERVATION ANECDOTES

While as yet unseen, I include this species in my Costa Rica blog posts because I am confident that we will see it when we visit the northern part of Costa Rica near Caño Negro north of La Fortuna. It is a very common ground-dwelling member of the Cracidae family and quite common in northern parts of Central America all the way to the Rio Grande River in Texas.

PHOTO GALLERY

View the three most recent Birds and Birding in Costa Rica series blog posts below.

• A Streak-headed Woodcreeper Feeds its Offspring Near the Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica
• PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• HOFFMANN’S WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding