Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: – 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 in Costa Rica, there is certainly lots to enjoy! With 12 of the world’s 18 life zones, its diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas, provide habitat for a wide range of iconic birds A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
COLLARED PLOVER – (Species Account Blog #59)
TAXONOMIC TREE:
- ORDER: Charadriiformes,
- FAMILY: Charadriidae,
- BINOMIAL NAME: Anarhynchus collaris
Collared Plover is a common tropical and subtropical shorebird distributed broadly from Mexico south into the northern half of South America. Though it is found along the coasts and estuaries, Collared Plover is abundant on the sandy shores of large rivers inland. This is a small plover, pale brown above and white below, with a black and white preocular area, chestnut crown and nape, black breastband, and yellow legs. (from Birds of the World)
SIMILAR SPECIES
The similar Snowy Plover (Anarhynchus nivosus) is paler, lacks a complete breastband, and has dark legs.
DISTRIBUTION
PERSONAL OBSERVATION ANECDOTES
My personal “Lifer” was of two birds seen along the Tárcoles River, upstream from the estuary at the Gulf of Nicoya.
PHOTO GALLERY
RECENT BLOG POSTS
View the five 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
Reflections of the Natural World 
Leave a comment