Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: (Species Blog #10) – 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: Band-tailed Pigeon

The Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) is a year-round resident of Central America and parts of South America, extending southward to Argentina. It is locally common but decreasing in Colombia and Venezuela, and it is now a rare visitor to Trinidad (with no records in Tobago). In the United States and British Columbia, the Pacific Coast race of Band-tailed Pigeon is well-studied, inhabiting mountain ranges along the Pacific Coast and showing stable trends in abundance. The Interior population in the western United States has experienced a long-term decline in abundance, while the Pacific Coast population remains relatively stable.

OBSERVATION ANECDOTES

Widespread across the Western US down to northern South America, the Band-tailed Pigeon is often see in Costa Rica, but usually at a distance at the tops of trees. We spotted a single bird, way at the top of a tree at the top of a hill in the highlands near Copay de Dota. This species should be expected across many habitats here.

PHOTO GALLERY

View the three most recent Birds & 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