BIRDWATCHING TOUR

More than 350 species of birds have been identified at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge, located just 2 km from Paradise Breezes. This is mostly due to the wide diversity of habitats found on the 330-hectare (815-acre) reserve. These include: primary rainforest, secondary rainforest, swamp forest, mangrove forest, riverbank, wetlands, seashore, old cacao plantations, and open pastures. The primary rainforest is found in the highlands and all the rest are in the lowland portions of the Hacienda. There are many other prime bird-watching locations in and around Dominical. If you are passionate about bird watching, Paradise Breezes is a fantastic base for your explorations.

Lowland Bird Watching Hike in Costa Rica

The Lowland Bird Watching Hike begins early when the birds are just beginning to wake up. First on the agenda is a visit to a tower located on top of a knoll. The upper deck puts you in the tree tops at eye level with the birds. This is an ideal location for spotting tanagers, honeycreepers, toucans, saltators, vireos and others. From there you will hike through secondary forest with your sharp-eyed guide until you arrive at La Casona, the old Hacienda Barú home where you will enjoy a delicious breakfast of typical Costa Rican food.

From the Casona, it is on to the river for your chance to observe water birds. Petrels, jaegers, gulls, and others are likely to be found there, and, with a little luck, an osprey might make an appearance. From there it's on to the rookery where, during the wet season, you will observe egrets, herons, ibis and other water birds from a platform built over the water of the mangrove estuary.

The final leg of the tour includes secondary forest and the beach, your best opportunities to observe shore birds such as whimbrels, plovers, phalaropes, sandpipers and sanderlings, pelicans and frigatebirds. From the beach it is a short walk back to the Guide Center, where you began.

There are 2 options of the Lowland Tour:

Highland Rainforest Bird Watching Hike Tour in Costa Rica

The Rainforest Bird Watching Hike begins before daybreak. Your expert guide will take you through old cacao plantations and up into the rainforest. After about an hour of hiking and experiencing the early morning jungle, you will arrive at the campsite where you may observe birds at your leisure while your guide fixes coffee and sweet rolls, granola and milk. After breakfast you will hike through primary forest in search for the birds that forage in this particular habitat.

The dense forest provides unlimited hiding places, and birding here is definitely hard work. With a little luck, you will be rewarded with sightings of some of the more illusive birds such as: trogons, motmots, antshrikes, manakins, tinamous, curasows and others.

What to Bring on your BIRDWATCHING TOUR

• Strap sandals, tennis or hiking shoes (NO FLIP FLOPS)
• Light weight clothing
• Sun Glasses (optional)
• Camera optional)
• Sun block
• Insect repellent
• Bottle of Water

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