Birding in Costa Rica #8: Arenal Volcano Area

A Laughing Falcon in the jungle

Our route

Then, we turned northeast, traveling through beautiful country, with rolling hills, green fields and lots of dairy farms (those Quakers were right). We skirted the west side of Costa Rica's largest lake, Arenal, and then drove south down the eastern side of the lake where we would be staying for the next two nights. 

Arenal

Beautiful countryside

The area we birded was (I think) around (and in) Arenal Volcano National Park. When I look at the map, it appears that we drove up and down along the lakeshore several times.

I have to admit that, only five days into the tour, I was rapidly losing perspective on exactly where we were. 

We birded some side roads, often at the edge of parks and reserves, so I have only a general idea. Plus, because we stopped to bird often, a one-hour drive could take three. So, let's just agree that we were in the vicinity of Arenal National Park, which encompasses the Arenal Volcano, the most active in the country. 

National Park entrance

Arenal Volcano was long believed to be dormant until – surprise! – it erupted in 1968. It is now often cited by scientists as being in the top 20 of the world's most active volcanoes. It was calm when we were there. 

Arenal Volcano

The Park also contains a second volcano, 3,740-foot Cerro Chato, which first erupted 38,000 years ago and last erupted 3,500 years ago; it is now considered dormant (but, what do they know?). 

Lake Arenal

Nearby Lake Arenal covers 33 square miles and varies in depth from 100-200 feet seasonally (remember, Costa Rica has two seasons – dry and rainy). 

When Arenal Dam was constructed at the southeastern end of the lake in 1979, the town of Arenal was relocated to higher ground. 

The old towns of Arenal and Tronadora now lie abandoned at the bottom of the lake. The dam, a driving force behind Costa Rica's green energy policy, generates almost 20 percent of the country's power. 

Near the dam, we stopped for a big treat: another Potoo. But, this was a Great Potoo. Where the Common is about 18 inches tall, the Great is 24 inches tall. 

 

Great Potoo in a tree

And, a lot of that is its huge head.

A very peculiar bird

The one we saw was high, high up in a crook in a tall tree.

A beautiful tree it was

Apparently, this is a common perch and it could have even been sitting on eggs or young. Potoos don't have nests, they just lay eggs on a branch or in a crook. 

A long, long tail, too

They are nocturnal, so this one was sleeping – and preening a bit (after all, it had an audience). 

Great Potoos are known for a unique moaning growl that they make throughout the night. eBird called it a "terrifying call, a harsh descending scream." 

Another article said that it created an "unsettling atmosphere." 

In my opinion, lots of bugs, birds and animals create an "unsettling atmosphere" at night in the jungle. 

There was a coconut stand in a parking area across from the Potoo tree and we saw a band of White-nosed Coatis playing with discarded coconuts. I think their main goal was to beg for treats from tourists, but we didn't indulge them. 

White-nosed Coati playing with a coconut

We were right beside Lake Arenal when we stopped. It was pretty empty when we were there, maybe one or two boats and a kayaker.

From November through April, strong, dependable winds attract windsurfers and kite surfers to the lake's western end; many consider Lake Arenal one of the world's foremost windsurfing and kite surfing areas. In addition to boaters, it is also popular for wakeboarding, stand-up paddling, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding and birding.

 

Lake Arenal

The Arenal area has about 2,000 species of plants, including lots of beautiful trees, bromeliads and flowers ...

It's like a giant garden

Costa Rica has more than 900 species of birds and most can be found in and around the Arenal area. 

Laughing Falcon 

We birded multiple places and I honestly am not sure exactly where we were when we came upon my absolute favorite bird of the entire trip: the Laughing Falcon. 

One of the coolest birds I have ever seen

This striking bird has a white body, brown back, barred wings and tail and a lone-ranger mask. 

I was thrilled that not only did we get to see one (and, actually, later on we saw another), but this one was close, in glorious sunlight and not particularly interested in going anywhere. It just sat and watched us as we slowly crept closer and closer, clicking away the whole time.

This bird posed better than any other we saw

Also called the Snake Hawk (erroneously because it is a Falcon, not a Hawk), the Laughing Falcon is a specialist snake-eater. 

Its correct name refers to its distinctive voice, which sounds like human cries, each one often rising sharply in pitch in the middle and sometimes falling sharply at the very end, changing from a "joyful" to a "sad" sound. Sometimes its call sounds like maniacal laughter (see what I mean about "unsettling atmosphere?"), particularly when the bird is startled. Sometimes two birds call together at different pitches and tempos, producing an off-beat effect. 

Curious?

A medium-sized Falcon, it is 18 to 22 inches long with a 31- to 37-inch wingspan. As usual among raptors, females are bigger, weighing about 20 percent more. 

Laughing Falcons are generally solitary birds. They are active at dusk and dawn and defend their territories. They fly slowly, with quick, shallow wingbeats interspersed with glides; they rarely, if ever, soar. Upon landing, they jerk the tail forcefully. 

They frequently and often conspicuously stay on a perch for hours, sitting upright and observing the ground alertly, sometimes flicking the tail, nodding or moving around with slow, cautious little steps. Fortunately, this is the behavior we encountered.

Primarily a snake-eater

Laughing Falcons catch mainly snakes, including venomous ones such as Coral Snakes. They also eat lizards and, to a lesser extent, small rodents, bats and centipedes. They pounce on prey from flight, often with an audible thud, and then bite it just behind the head, sometimes removing the head in the process. They carry the food to a perch to eat. A Laughing Falcon may carry a small snake in its bill and swallow it tail-first; big snakes may be carried head-forward in its claws, as an Osprey carries a fish, and then torn to pieces. 

They are generally peaceful and, unlike other Falcons, will not harm smaller birds. 

It's amazing how many interesting raptors exist in the world

The Ch'ol Maya of Chiapas, Mexico, believe that the Laughing Falcon can kill poisonous snakes because the birds are healers that can cure themselves if they are bitten. Tzotzil healers imitate the call of a Laughing Falcon in order to cure a snake bite. 

Lots of Birds

After the fun of the Laughing Falcon, we encountered lots of other birds, many of which hid in the deep thickets along the road. 

A Central American Whiptail by the road

I won't list all we saw, because I don't want to re-live the frustration of birds too fast or too hidden to photograph. But I did successfully capture a number, including a Long-tailed Tyrant with its spectacular forked tail twice as long as its body ...

Long-tailed Tyrant (is it really tyrannical?)

... a quick glimpse of a Cinnamon Becard ...

I saw this one long enough for one photo

... a Rufous-tailed Jacamar (the same bird I saw, but couldn't photograph, at Alvaro's) ...

These long, slim birds are most closely related to Puffbirds

... Yellow-throated Toucans, which were starting to reach "oh, you again, status" ...

An iconic tropical bird

... Southern Rough-winged Swallows ...

We saw many, but they are usually soaring

... a Tawny-chested Flycatcher ...

A pretty little bird

... Variable Seedeaters (called "variable" because they have several color morphs) ... 

Left, male; Right, female; These are of the Caribbean sub-group

Plus, we spent a while watching a pair of Yellow-throated Euphonias fly in ...

A male sitting in the nest

... and out of their nest ... 

A female flying out

It appeared that they were still prepping it because the female was bringing in mosses ... 

Nest-building

We also encountered many hedges of a purple flower called vervain that attracts Hummingbirds and I was able to get some great photos of Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds ...

Really showing off the rufous tail

... lots and lots Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds ...

Feeding on vervain

In this part of Costa Rica, the Rufous-tailed was definitely the most common Hummingbird, sort of like Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are here in Colorado.

A Rufous-tailed in some vervain (with a Red-eyed Vireo at the bottom)

The birds allegedly also like other flowers, but most of the other bright plants remained undisturbed.

No birds, just flowers

Geoffrey's Spider Monkeys

We also encountered a troop of Geoffrey's Spider Monkeys, the largest of the Monkeys in Costa Rica. Their disproportionately long limbs combined with their habit of hanging from tree limbs by their long prehensile tails with their arms and legs free make them look somewhat like spiders, hence the name.

Hanging from the tree like a spider

Taking a walk

Their tails, which may be up to three feet long, have very flexible, hairless tips and skin grooves similar to fingerprints. 

Unlike many Monkeys, they do not use their arms for balance when walking, instead relying on their tails. 

The hands are long, narrow and hook-like and have reduced or non-existent thumbs.

Spider Monkeys live in the upper layers of the rainforest, and forage in the high canopy from 80 to 100 feet above the ground. They primarily eat fruit, but will also occasionally consume leaves, flowers and insects. They are social animals and live in bands of up to 35 individuals, but will split up to forage during the day.

Moving quickly through the canopy

The most intelligent New World monkeys, they make a wide range of sounds and will "bark" when threatened.

Spider Monkeys are diurnal and spend the night sleeping in carefully selected trees. Groups are thought to be directed by a lead female, who is responsible for planning an efficient feeding route each day. 

Just hanging around

Hotel 

We stayed at the nearby Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge and Wildlife Refuge. The cabins were adorable, placed at intervals in the jungle. They were spacious – mine had an absolutely huge bathtub – and fitted out in that dark Costa Rican wood you see everywhere. 

My cabin 

I had a bit of an issue my first morning there, when a pipe burst, spewing hot water out of the wall and steaming up my room. Fortunately, it was leaking into the tub and fortunately it was fixed by the time we got back from our day's adventures. Unfortunately, I think my leak cut off hot water for the cabins beyond mine and Neil and Heather suffered for it. 

Conceicao eating light

The Lodge had an outdoor dining area where we had our breakfasts and dinners. It had bird feeders on two sides. It didn't appear that the staff had placed fruit out recently, so there was not the volume of birds we had hoped to see (the feeders are a big hype for the Lodge). 

Several times there was a domestic rabbit (we believe it was the owner's daughter's pet) at the feeders. It seemed pretty irresponsible to let an animal roam free that would be attractive to jaguars or raptors as dinner. I hope it survived.

Despite a general lack of birds at the feeders, we did have frequent visits from Great Curassows, which were enjoying the rotting bananas left for them.

A large, pheasant-like bird, the Great Curassow is a big bird – about three-feet long and weighing up to 11 lbs. It looks like a very exotic turkey.

Female Great Curassow

I read (later!) this "when attacking humans, the Curassow leaps in fluttering flight and scratches about the head, targeting the eyes." Whoa! 

Males and females look quite different; the male is black with a curly crest, white belly and yellow knobbed beak ...

Male Great Curassow

... females have a curly crest, rufous backs, black necks, barred tails and vermiculated necks. 

 Striking bird

They are monogamous and we generally saw two together, although we did see a few lone males throughout the trip. The Great Curassow spends much of its time on the ground, but nests and roosts in trees. We saw a nest on the hotel grounds. Their lifespan in captivity has reached at least 24 years. 

The female has a barred tail

At breakfast, we saw a couple of Red-throated Ant Tanagers that decided to forego the feeders ...

Female Red-throated Ant Tanager

... and dine on breakfast scraps ...

Male Red-throated Ant Tanager taking advantage of a vacated table

... that's what you can expect from outdoor dining; I am surprised we didn't have more begging birds. 

There were also a number of trails and some beautiful gardens. 

There were Flowers and fruits in the garden

I walked a little, but we really didn't have much time. The entire area was very, very jungly (that's not really a word, but you know what I mean). And, it was dark, dark, dark. 

Dark bird on a dark path

But, it was lovely and not terribly hot. 

While walking around, I saw a Rufous Motmot ...

I was the only person in our group to see this one

The last morning there, as Neil, Heather and I were waiting for the bus to fetch our luggage, a raptor surprised us by flying low and fast right between us. We think it was a Double-toothed Kite and I was sorry to have not even been holding my camera when it zoomed by. Fortunately, we saw another Double-toothed Kite in the Osa Peninsula.

This was the one we saw in Osa

My cabin was right by a massive Leaf-cutter Ant trail. We tried to figure out how far they were traveling, but didn't find their nest.

Left, Leaf-cutter Ants; Right, my cabin in the jungle

With the number of Ants carrying harvested leaves, it's amazing there was any jungle left. 

Bogarin

Late one afternoon, we went into the nearby town of La Fortuna to visit Bogarin, a private attraction that offers birding, trails and opportunities to see wildlife. 

La Fortuna ("The Fortune") was named for its fertile lands, but a common myth is that it was named because it was (mostly) spared from the Arenal Volcano's eruptions.  

The reason for our visit

I have mixed feelings about how "wild" our sightings at Bogarin were, but we did see some good stuff. 

The birds and animals are not caged or managed like zoo animals, but the venue is fenced. 

We went specifically to see two types of Crakes (White-throated and Uniform) and were successful seeing the White-throated in a little pond near the entrance. 

It shared its habitat with a Meso-American Slider ... 

The turtle was interested in us (or the Crake)

... and gave us a little show before skulking back into the reeds. We never found the other Crake we were looking for. 

White-throated Crakes are generally very secretive

We did see our first Boat-billed Heron ...

Boat-billed Herons feed on fish, crustaceans, insects and small amphibians

... that was just waking up for the evening. These funky-looking birds are nocturnal, so seeing them is a treat ...

 

We thought it was going to snag a fish, but it just jumped to another branch

We also got a good show from some Russet-naped Wood-Rails ...

Pretty colors

... that serenaded us with their very, very loud call ... 

The group crossed in front of us and let out an ear-splitting gobble

Two sightings that conflicted us were a Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth right over the trail ...

So close!

... and a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth just steps away ... 

Suspiciously close!

We were thrilled to see "wild" Sloths. But, two so close together? Were they wild? Well, kind of. They were brought in and live a relatively protected life at Bogarin. But, they are not captive. 

I guess you take what you can get

I was happy to see them in a place where I could get decent photos. I would have preferred wilder. At least we saw several wilder Hoffman's later. But, this was our only Brown-throated. 

Oddly, this Sloth is more common than the Hoffman's

It was amusing, rushing to photograph the Sloth, only to remind myself that Sloths are so slow that I could have just as easily sauntered. Although, the Hoffman's did climb up a tree and eventually tuck itself out of view. 

It actually moved fairly quickly (for a Sloth)

Walking the grounds, we encountered several birds, including a Belted Kingfisher and a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ...

Even though not on the ocean, Bogarin's ponds attract water birds

... plus, a male Great Curassow ...

This one was quite active

We finished up at some feeders as the afternoon light was fading. In and around the area were lots of birds, including Gray-headed Chachalacas ...

You can see just a hint of the red on their necks

... a Cinnamon-bellied Saltator (that refused to show us its cinnamon belly), some Blue-gray Tanagers, a Wood Thrush and Clay-colored Thrushes ... 

A pretty good variety

... Red-legged Honeycreepers ... 

Very bright birds

... and abundant Scarlet-rumped Tanagers ... 

One of the prettiest – and most common – birds in Costa Rica

Papa's Place

One night, we went out to a private plot of land (actually a cow pasture) called Papa's Place that is a popular birding site. I am not sure how the owner, a nice young man, is compensated, but I am sure a fee is involved. It's down a rough road and sits right on the edge of the National Park and the draw is Crested Owls that live in the trees skirting the field.

On our way in, we must have disturbed about a dozen or more Common Pauraques that were feeding by the road and the fields were alive with fireflies. Had we NOT seen an Owl, it would have still been cool. But, we did see an Owl. "Eyebrow" first ...

That's a bit scary

... and then almost full-face ...

I see you!

This night, I played more with my camera settings and (aided by Juan Diego's flashlight) I was pretty pleased with what I got, considering how dark it was. 

At least I was getting photos

And, it was dark, which made walking around in a field on the edge of the jungle a bit daunting – especially when I climbed down a steep slope to get closer to the Owl. But, it was worth it.

Arenal Observatory

On our final morning in Arenal, we got of very early (yeah, like we didn't every other day!) and went to the Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa. Nope, we weren't getting massages. Juan Diego had heard that another rare and prized bird, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird, was hanging out on the (gorgeous) grounds.

Beautiful plants (that is the bark of a rainbow eucalyptus in the middle)

We found it! Briefly – and I never got a photo from the front. 

My pictures on the sides; Neil's in the middle (how did he get that?)

So, I guess, in my case, this was a half-success. 

But, the Observatory, which is actually located within Arenal Volcano National Park, was spectacular and we saw lots of other birds, many while we were on the main drive looking for the Umbrellabird.

We just had to search the trees to find birds

We saw a Collared Aracari (cousin to the Fiery-billed ones we saw before) and a Keel-billed Toucan (cousin to the Yellow-throated birds we had been seeing) ...

Left, Fiery-billed Aracari; Right: Keel-billed Toucan

... Some Montezuma Oropendolas (I'll talk about them in a minute) ...

This was our first close view of these pretty birds

... a Broad-winged Hawk ...

Up close, too

... a couple of White-crowned Parrots ...

Previously, we had just seen fly-overs

... a pair of Gartered Trogons ...

Left, female; Right, male

... and a Red-billed Pigeon ...

Also in the trees above us

After awhile, we walked over to the Lodge's pretty gardens ... 

We didn't climb the tower, it was a bit rickety

... to see more birds, some colorful ... 

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Palm Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Red-legged Honeycreeper

... including a Yellow-throated Euphonia ...

A fairly common bird

... and there were some not-so-colorful birds ...

Clay-colored Thrush

... including a variety of Flycatchers ...

Piratic Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee

... There were even a couple of Hummingbirds ...

Left, Brown Violetear; Right, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

It was a fitting last stop in the Arenal area ...

A nice view of the lake

About Oropendolas

Photo: eBird

On this trip, we saw two kinds of Oropendolas: Montezuma and Chestnut-headed.

At the Arenal Observatory, we saw the more common Montezuma variety, which is large and quite colorful.

Oropendolas are famous for their colonies of hanging nests. 

Females use fibers and vines to weave the pendulous nests that range from 24-71 inches long that hang up to 100 feet up in the tree.

One of the most sexually-dimorphic birds in the world, male Montezuma Oropendolas are twice the size of females, probably because they have different foraging habits. Females often forage on thin branches, eating insects out of curled up leaves, while the males often perch on thick branches and forage in epiphytes and bromeliads.

A male feeding on a heavy branch

Montezuma Oropendolas make interesting noises, including gurgles and clicks. They were interesting birds to see and listen to.

But, we had to move on.

Next, we'll visit some feeders ...

Get ready for an explosion of color

Trip date: March 9-27, 2022