We recently had expert bird-watching guides stay with us to conduct the first official “bird count” within the Biological Sub Corridor Barbilla – Destierro – Paso del Jaguar (where Rios Lodge is located!). This amazing event was facilitated by the Rivers and Forests Alliance as a part of our Guardians of the Pacuare Program.
One of the Rios Lodge Partners, Sam Drevo, got to join them for part of the day. He reports that some of the species they encountered included:
- Green honeycreeper
- Shining Honeycreeper
- Rufous winged Tanager
- Swainsons Thrush
- Red Capped Manikan
- King Vulture
- Black crowned antshrike
- Chestnut backed Antbird
- Black Crowned Night Heron
Plus some uncommonly seen butterflies such as the Cyprus Morpho and the Helicopter Damselfly!
Other birds commonly spotted at the lodge during previous trips include our feathered friends the Broad-billed Motmot, Green Parakeets, and the White-crowned Parrot pictured below.
summary of the first bird count at Rios Lodge, by birdwatching guide and bird count leader, Mercedes Alpizar.
Bird Survey 11/9/24:
My name is Mercedes Alpizar and I’m a birdwatching guide in Turrialba, Costa Rica. I visited Rios Lodge November 9, 2024 with my husband Harry Barnard and our friends Jeffrey Ortega and Gabriela Lacayo to participate in the First official bird count within the Biological Sub Corridor Barbilla – Destierro – Paso del Jaguar (where Rios Lodge is located!). This event was created and coordinated by Eyder Fonseca a coordinator for SINAC (Costa Rican national system of protected areas) in charge of the Biological Corridors in Caribbean side of the country and sponsored by Rios Lodge.
Biological Corridors support and benefit the health of the ecosystem because they provide a safe path for nature to cross back and forth from one large protected area to another. Communities located within these corridors are critically important to get more people involved in conservation and protection of these areas. This allows wildlife within these biodiversity corridors to roam unimpeded and thrive. The goal of this program is to show communities located in this corridor how important it is for them to participate in the protection and conservation of wildlife and how they can get involved.
The bird count activity was created by the NGO I represent: Ninos y Aves (children and birds). The aim is to show the local community the biodiversity that exists in their backyard. After the professional survey is completed, we bring together the local community and engage children the following day with a slideshow and presentation of the results. Then, starting with a birding walk children and their families from the community of Tres Equis and surrounding area will be provided binoculars and guidance to have hands on instruction. This will help create a new generation of nature lovers and hopefully many birders to improve conservation of the native and natural areas where our communities and feathered friends coexist and sustain life.
Interested in learning more? Explore all of our conservation efforts at the lodge or peruse the full list of lodge activities to learn how you can enjoy bird watching during your stay!