Costa Rica - Part V : the hummingbirds

 

Coppery-headed Emerald - Cinchona Colibri Cafe. January, 2020.

The final word on our fantastic Costa Rica Birding & Nature Tour would have to go to the hummingbirds. We found no less than 27 species, 11 being regional endemics and one a National endemic. We found hummingbirds daily in a wide range of habitats from the lush, manicured gardens of the Hotel Bougainvillia and the Savgere Hotel & Spa to the wilder upland sites at Paraiso Quetzal and Rancho Naturalista. While a handful of species were seen rather fleetingly we generally had excellent views of all of them right down to the last morning of the tour where the Cinchona Colibri Cafe served up point blank views of the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald on the way to the Juan Santamaria International Airport!

Snowcap (male) - Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba. January 9th, 2020.

White-necked Jacobin (male) - Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba. January 9th, 2020.

White-bellied Mountain-gem. Cinchona Colibri Cafe. January, 2020.

White-throated Mountain-gem. Savegre Valley. January 7th, 2020.

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird. Savegre Valley. January 7th, 2020.

Green Thorntail (male) - Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba. January 9th, 2020.

Green Thorntail (male) - Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba. January 9th, 2020.

Easy birding from the balcony at Rancho Naturalista. January 9th, 2020.

Crowned Woodnymph (male) - Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba. January 9th, 2020.

Lesser Violetears - Paraiso Quetzal. January 6th, 2020.

Paraiso Quetzal. January 6th, 2020.

Green-crowned Brilliant - Cinchona Colibri Cafe. January 12th, 2020.

Purple-throated Mountain-gem - Cinchona Colibri Cafe. January 12th, 2020.

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird - Sarapiqui. January 11th, 2020.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Santa Domingo. January 5th, 2020.

Fiery-throated (left) and Talamanca Hummingbirds - Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Talamanca Mountains. January 6th, 2020.

Our hummingbird list, January 5th - 12th, 2020: (RE) = Regional endemic,  (E) = National endemic; 

White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora

Green Hermit Phaethornis guy

Long-billed Hermit Phaethornis longirostris

Stripe-throated Hermit Phaethornis striigularis

Green-fronted Lancebill Doryfera ludovicae  

Lesser Violetear Colibri cyanotus

Green-fronted Lancebill Doryfera ludovicae  

Lesser Violetear Colibri cyanotus

Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii

Green-crowned Brilliant Heliodoxa jacula

Green Thorntail Discosura conversii

Talamanca Hummingbird Eugenes spectabilis (RE)

Fiery-throated Hummingbird Panterpe insignis (RE)

White-bellied Mountain-gem Lampornis hemileucus (RE)

Purple-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis calolaemus (RE)

White-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis castaneoventris (RE)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Volcano Hummingbird Selasphorus flammula (RE)

Scintillant Hummingbird Selasphorus scintilla (RE)

Garden Emerald Chlorosilbon assimilis (RE)  

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird Phaeochroa cuvierii

Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus

Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer Chalybura urochrysia

Crowned Woodnymph Thalurania colombica

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird Eupherusa eximia (RE)

Coppery-headed Emerald Elvira cupreiceps (E)

Snowcap Microchera albocoronata (RE)

Blue-vented Hummingbird Amazilia hoffmanni (sometimes considered conspecific with Steely-vented Hummingbird Amazilia saucerottei)

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl

Violet Saberwing - Cinchona Colibri Cafe. January, 2020.

Volcano Hummingbird. Talamanca Mountains. January 6th, 2020.

Montane Forest, Talamanca Mountains. January 6th, 2020.

Home to regional endemics such as Volcano and Talamanca Hummingbirds.