Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: (Species Blog #7) – 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: Great Curassow

The Great Curassow (Crax rubra) inhabits undisturbed humid evergreen forests, as well as some seasonally dry forests and mangroves. Reports suggest that it can tolerate limited disturbance and may utilize secondary forests in areas where hunting is absent. This large, pheasant-like bird is distributed from eastern Mexico through Central America to western Colombia and northwest Ecuador, but it is rarely found except in protected parks or remote areas.

OBSERVATION ANECDOTES

While visiting the Calakmul Archeological zone in Campeche, México, we spotted a very distant flock of these crossing the road. When at the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala, Rich and I saw a trio of females skulking behind the pond at the entrance. However, at Arenal Volcano, we were very up close and personal with many Great Curassow, both male and females. The female Great Curassows come in three color morphs: barred, rufous, and dark:
– Barred morph: Has barred neck, mantle, wings, and tail
– Rufous morph: Has reddish brown plumage and a barred tail
– Dark morph: Has blackish neck, mantle, and tail, and some barring to the wings

PHOTO GALLERY

View the three most recent Birds & Birding in Costa Rica blog series 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