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Costa Rica Birds & Wildlife

Resplendent Quetzals & Other Neotropical Delights

Space is available on our Costa Rica Birds Green Season 2026 tour!

It is no wonder that for anyone interested in seeing and photographing wildlife, Costa Rica stands out as a dream destination, teeming with biodiversity. With over 800 species of beautiful and photogenic birds, it is a birder and photographer’s delight.

We photograph several species of toucans, as well as colorful tanagers, honeycreepers, parrots and macaws, a multitude of hummingbirds and, the star of the show, resplendent quetzal—considered the most beautiful bird in the Americas. Our trip is timed to photograph quetzals at the height of their nesting season, making their movements more predictable.

While it is impossible to visit the entire country within a two-week photo tour, we have spent years researching and identifying the best locations that provide an exceptional nature photography opportunity. From the lush rain forests of the Caribbean Lowlands to the temperate cloud forests of the Central Highlands, we explore habitats that offer excellent opportunities to photograph a wide variety of Neotropical birds.

Despite the trip’s name, assuming this is strictly a bird photography tour would be a mistake. We also photograph a variety of other rainforest icons, such as poison dart frogs, red-eyed tree frogs, emerald basilisk lizards with their spectacular crests, leaf-cutter ants, giant orange-kneed tarantulas, and even nectar-feeding bats in flight—when conditions permit.

Our time in Costa Rica is divided among five eco-lodges, each offering a unique set of photogenic subjects and a variety of ecosystems. All of our lodges feature bird feeding stations where we set up attractive, epiphyte-adorned branches to draw birds nearby. We also visit other well-established feeding stations where we target unique subjects like wild macaws and king vultures. Most exciting, we visit the feeding areas of the resplendent quetzal.

At one lodge, we set up specialized hummingbird stations, capturing images of these fast-moving jewels frozen in flight against natural-looking backgrounds. A similar station is used at night to photograph bats in flight. We provide all the specialty high-speed flash equipment and instruction for these unique shoots.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Participants fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. Our hotel provides a complimentary shuttle service from the airport. In the evening, we will meet for dinner and an introduction to the days ahead. (D)

Days 2 - 3
We drive to our first lodge in the Caribbean Lowlands, situated on 500 acres of lowland rain forest along the Sarapiqui River. Here, bird feeders attract a colorful variety of species, while the surrounding grounds are rich with other photographic opportunities. Poison dart frogs, with their vibrant hues, make excellent macro subjects, while the iridescent green emerald basilisk lizard—adorned with three impressive dorsal crests—is a photogenic highlight. The warm, wet climate also provides an ideal habitat for red-eyed tree frogs. In the evenings, we use specialized lighting to capture them, courting and feeding. On Day 3, we head to a ranch where wild scarlet and great green macaws feed. We will likely photograph these magnificent birds both in flight and perched in nearby trees. In the afternoon, we visit a garden with well-stocked fruit and hummingbird feeders. Frequent visitors include red-legged and green honeycreepers, crimson-collared and golden-hooded tanagers, Passerini’s tanagers, and more. Howler monkeys, agoutis, coatimundis, and neotropical river otters are among the mammals we might encounter. (BLD)

Days 4 - 6
After breakfast, we travel to our second Caribbean Lowlands lodge, where we spend three days photographing a wide variety of subjects. This will be the warmest and most humid location on the tour, but the rewards will far outweigh the mild discomfort. The fruit feeders regularly attract keel-billed toucans, black-mandibled toucans, collared araçaris, Montezuma oropendolas, brown-hooded parrots, red-legged honeycreepers, and more. Natural perches, often adorned with moss and bromeliads, are refreshed daily to ensure vibrant compositions for our cameras. At this lodge, we have the rare opportunity to photograph king vultures from a specially constructed photography blind. These stunning birds, much larger and more ornate than the common black and turkey vultures, are considered the most magnificent of all vultures. We also take a short drive to fruit feeders where we may see three species of honeycreepers and many other small birds. In the afternoons, we turn our focus to macro photography, capturing subjects like strawberry poison dart frogs and red-eyed tree frogs. With some luck, we may also photograph the striking eyelash viper and fer-de-lance—two venomous yet beautiful rain forest snakes. Spider monkeys and coatis are often spotted on the lodge grounds. (BLD)

Days 7 - 8
We gain elevation as we drive to our next lodge in the Central Caribbean Foothills, arriving in time for lunch at our lodge situated at 3,000 feet in the Cordillera de Talamanca. This afternoon, the tour leader will give a bat photography orientation session, answering questions and reviewing camera settings. After dinner we photograph bats. The next day we set up our hummingbird flash stations where everyone gets a chance to rotate/share the equipment to capture these cloud forest jewels frozen in flight. Our set ups overlook well-stocked fruit feeders where there is always the chance to see and photograph blue-crowned motmots, lineated woodpeckers, golden-hooded tanagers, scarlet-rumped caciques and keel-billed toucans. Toward dusk we relax on the lodge balcony with a drink, enjoying the view and watching the birds fly to their evening roosts. After dinner, weather permitting, we move one of our flash set ups into the forest to photograph nectar bats in flight. And for those who are interested, we are often able to find large orange-kneed tarantulas near to where we set up for bats. (BLD)

Days 9 - 10
After breakfast, we ascend into the Central Highlands, home to the iconic resplendent quetzal. Timed for the nesting season, our trip provides the best chances to observe and photograph this spectacular bird. Our first highland lodge, located at 8,700 feet, offers access to habitats teeming with fiery-throated hummingbirds and other high-altitude species. This afternoon, we visit a nearby quetzal nest site guided by local experts who understand the best locations and lighting for photography. On Day 10, we return to the quetzal nest site to capture shots of the vibrant male perched in moss-covered branches. With some luck, we might capture a photograph of the bird in flight as it brings food to its young. (BLD)

Day 11
We travel to San Gerardo de Dota, where our lodge is nestled at 7,200 feet along the Savegre River. While resplendent quetzals are often seen here, the lodge’s hummingbird feeders draw species like gray-tailed mountain-gems, green violetears, and magnificent and volcano hummingbirds. This afternoon is spent photographing the gardens and feeders on the lodge property. (BLD)

Day 12
This morning, we visit a bird feeding station further up the mountain. Species such as acorn woodpeckers, long-tailed silky flycatchers, and flame-colored tanagers provide wonderful photographic opportunities. After lunch, we return to San Jose. (BLD)

Day 13
Depart for home. (B)

Tour Details

Apr 07 2026 – Apr 19 2026

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Join Waitlist

Fee: $8,395

Deposit: $2,000

Limit: 8

Activity Level: Moderate

Single Supplement: $850

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Tour Highlights

Explore verdant moss-draped oak forest to shoot superlative resplendent quetzals during their nesting season
Photograph numerous hummingbirds using our new high-speed multi-flash systems
Stay in attractive ecolodges with well-stocked bird feeders amidst unspoiled natural habitats
Visit a broad spectrum of biomes from lush lowland rain forest to the stunted fairyland landscape of the high-altitude páramo
Including all meals, lodging, ground transportation, entrance fees, photo guide, use of flash units and instruction

Tour Leaders

Eric Rock

» Learn more about Eric and see Eric's upcoming tours and trip reports.

Testimonials

The tour leader was great. He spent time with everyone and went out of his way to make this educational, productive, and fun! Everything was organized and planned.
—James S.

Outstanding trip! Had a great time photographing such beautiful birds that I have never seen before. Our guide was an outstanding leader and photographer. His expertise and knowledge was invaluable. He was well organized, helpful and will go the extra mile for the participants. The tour exceeded my expectations!
—Angie C.

This trip provided photographers with a large range of bird photography opportunities. Each location was well organized. Both the food and lodging were excellent.
—Nancy D.

The trip was excellent. I saw more kinds of birds and frogs than I knew existed–and at close range for good photography.
—Richard S.

Trip Reports

Costa Rica Birds and Wildlife
2025 Trip Report

by Eric RockView Report