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Hummingbirds of Costa Rica
Many people travel to Costa Rica for hiking, scuba diving, photography, and ... hummingbirds!
About Costa Rica
 Map showing the location of Costa Rica in Central America |
The Republic of Costa Rica is located in Central America, north of Panama and south of Nicaragua. The country borders the Caribbean Sea on the East, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The population of the country is over 5,000,000 residents. Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces (see map below), which in turn are divided into 82 cantons.
Costa Rica is characterized by a tropical climate year-round. There are two seasons: the dry season, from December to April, and the rainy season from May to November. March and April are the hottest months in the country, while December and January are the coldest.
A pioneer of ecotourism, Costa Rica is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in all of Latin America. Costa Rica draws many tourists to its extensive series of national parks and other protected areas. It supports a large variety of wildlife, due in large part to its geographic position between North and South America, its neotropical climate, and its wide variety of habitats.
One national park, the Corcovado National Park, is internationally known for its biodiversity, a place where visitors can view an abundance of wildlife, including hummingbirds.
Map of Costa Rica, Provinces and Major Cities
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| Map courtesy of www.FreeWorldMaps.net |
The Family of Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are found only in the Western Hemisphere, with almost half the species living in the "equatorial belt" between 10 degrees north and south of the equator. Many are found in Costa Rica, which is located just north of Panama. The hummingbird family is very large, with 366 species and 112 genera, mostly south of the United States.
Hummingbirds comprise the family Trochilidae, among the smallest of birds, with most species measuring in the 3"-5" range.
Over 940 bird species have been recorded in Costa Rica (including Cocos Island). More than 600 of the Costa Rican species are permanent residents, and about 200 are migrants, spending parts of the year in North America.
Hummingbird Species in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is home to about 54 species of hummingbirds, listed below. The Mangrove Hummingbird is endemic to Costa Rica, and specializes in feeding from the tea mangrove plant. Several other species are considered rare, accidental or endangered.
Most hummingbirds in Costa Rica do not migrate. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird does migrate north into the United States and Canada from February through October.
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Photo Highlights of Hummingbirds Found in Costa Rica
Fiery-throated |
Purple-crowned Fairy |
Purple-throated Mountain Gem |
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Green-breasted Mango |
Green Violet-ear |
Rivoli's |
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Ruby-throated |
Coppery-headed Emerald |
Cinnamon |
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White-necked Jacobin |
Green-crowned Brilliant |
Plain-capped Starthroat |
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White-bellied Mountain Gem |
Scintillant Hummiingbird |
Magenta-throated |
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Violet Sabrewing |
Rufous-tailed |
Long-billed Starthroat |
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| Special thanks go out to the great nature photographers Alan Schmierer and Rolf Riethof for sharing many of their beautiful public-domain photographs of hummingbirds on this website via Flickr. | |||
 Rain forest in Costa Rica (Staff Photo) |
Hummingbird Resources Related to Costa Rica
- Discover the Colorful Hummingbirds of Costa Rica (Birds & Blooms)
- Central American Hummingbirds: Gems of the Region
- Hummingbird Species of Central America (Wikipedia)
Costa Rica Travel Resources
- Costa Rica Travel Guide at TripAdvisor
- Visit Costa Rica: Official Tourism Website
- Costa Rica at Lonely Planet
- Costa Rica at Expedia
- Costa Rica at Conde Naste Traveler