Best place for Parrots in Costa Rica?

[Crazy4Koko]

There are a group of us going 10/24 on the "Freedom". Considering the jungle cruise, or kayaking..

 

Can any one make a recommendation of an excursion that will best suit our chances of observing parrots in the wild?

[travelite]

There are a group of us going 10/24 on the "Freedom". Considering the jungle cruise, or kayaking..

 

Can any one make a recommendation of an excursion that will best suit our chances of observing parrots in the wild?

 

 

What port are you coming into? Give some description of where this jungle cruise is going as well as the where you will kayak. There are parrots all over C.R. What kind do you want to see? Time of day is also a factor with some breeds.

[Crazy4Koko]

According to the itinerary, we are cruising into Limon, Costa Rica, and we will be spending the day there.

 

 

I've never been, so I'm looking for recommendations on excursions for sure!

[celticd1]

I am also hoping to spot a few parrots while in Costa Rica. As for what types...any that are indiginous...conures, Amazon parrots, macaws, etc.

 

I assume that finding them will be much like birdwatching at home which is usually hit or miss? Or are there any areas that are known for having a large population of certain types of parrots?

 

Any feedback would be appreciated. :)

[arlodog]

We just got back from CR and were told that the macaws don't really come out until around 4 or 5pm. We did however hear a lot of parrots in Aculpulco at the chapel of peace valley below the chapel! They were screeching so loud you couldn't hear each other talk there were so many! Hope you get to see some--I fell in love with the tucans in CR. Must have watched too many fruit loops commercials as a kid;)

[travelite]

We just got back from CR and were told that the macaws don't really come out until around 4 or 5pm. We did however hear a lot of parrots in Aculpulco at the chapel of peace valley below the chapel! They were screeching so loud you couldn't hear each other talk there were so many! Hope you get to see some--I fell in love with the tucans in CR. Must have watched too many fruit loops commercials as a kid;)

 

It is true about the macaws coming out around 4 to 5 p.m. -- also in the early morning. There are areas where they are more plentiful and you are sure to see them. They tend to hold to the same flight pattern. If you ask a local, taxi driver, or guide, they will know where to direct you.

[parrotplay]

There are a group of us going 10/24 on the "Freedom". Considering the jungle cruise, or kayaking..

 

Can any one make a recommendation of an excursion that will best suit our chances of observing parrots in the wild?

 

I recently returned from a cruise with Jewel of the Seas and one of our stops was Limon, Costa Rica. I love parrots and my reason for going on this cruise was to see parrot in the wild in their native habitat.

 

Scarlet Macaws are on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, and you will not have the time to go there. Great Green Macaws (we call them Military Macaws in the US) are on the Caribbean side, but seeing them is very rare. My husband and are went on a tour with Modesto from The Riverboat Francesca, we were on the canals looking for wildlife for most of the day. www.tortuguerocanals.com

 

Modesto is one of the best wildlife guides in Costa Rica, he is very knowledgeable about all the birds and other animals of Costa Rica. It was one of the best times of my life and I hated for our tour to end. We saw allot of Orange Chinned Parakeets; they are tiny, but you just need to listen and you will hear them. After our boat tour, we also took a trip to Cahuita, but we did not have much time to explore as we had to get back on the ship. If i ever have the chance to go back to Costa Rica, I would love to spend the day at Cahuita. On the way back to our ship our driver stopped to show us a Red Lored Amazon, pointed out some toucans and a flock of Amazons flying overhead. All the tour guides we had knew it was important that I see parrots.

 

Our ports of call were Aruba, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica and Grand Cayman. I did my research and knew that I had a good change of seeing parrots at each stop, except Columbia as that tour was just a city tour. Check out my Costa Rica pics and also I have some great photos of Cayman Parrots in my Grand Cayman folder.

 

If you would like to read my blog, "My Quest for Parrots" it is at this website: http://parrotplay.talkspotblogs.com/aspx/blob2/blobpage.aspx?msgid=510012&beid=19599

 

If you want more details, just let me know.

 

Arlene

 

Photos of my vacation with Jewel of the Seas, March 2nd 2009

Grand Cayman:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157615854032734/detail/

Costa Rica:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157615854015726/detail/

Cartagena, Columbia:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157615869886735/detail/

Aruba:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157615767189989/detail/

Panama Canal:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157616001315166/detail/

Quaker Parrots in Ft. Lauderdale:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/parrotplay/sets/72157616091881946/detail/

[celticd1]

Great info!

 

Thanks Parrotplay!

[parrotplay]

I forgot to post that Red Lored Amazons and Mealy Amazon parrots are the parrots most commonly seen on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

 

Arlene

[celticd1]

I LOVE Mealy Amazons! Thanks again!

[Tikibird]

For those cruising to Puntarenas, is Carara the best place to see wild macaws? I also want to go to the Scarlet Macaw Sanctuary.

[travelite]

For those cruising to Puntarenas, is Carara the best place to see wild macaws? I also want to go to the Scarlet Macaw Sanctuary.

 

Yes - they fly in later in the day.

[utopiahereicome]

Thank you, Arlene, for the tips on seeing parrots as well as your pictures...we are going to Costa Rica in 11 more days, and hoping for some good sightings! And we are also owned by an African Grey (who would be thoroughly insulted if he knew we were leaving him behind to go look at OTHER parrots :eek:)

[Tikibird]

Thank you, Arlene, for the tips on seeing parrots as well as your pictures...we are going to Costa Rica in 11 more days, and hoping for some good sightings! And we are also owned by an African Grey (who would be thoroughly insulted if he knew we were leaving him behind to go look at OTHER parrots :eek:)

Hi Pam, we are owned by 12 small parrots (conures, a quaker, 2 princess parrots and 4 cockatiels)! I do love seeing their cousins in the wild though! I'm looking forward to your Costa Rica stories!

 

Travelite, I have looked everywhere and can only find morning excursions for either Carara or the macaw sanctuary. No full day excursions. We may have to just hire a car and go on our own. I did find out that you can hire guides at Carara park entrance and you have to pay someone to "guard" your car. Not sure if it would be cheaper to hire a taxi or drive ourselves.

 

I found a bird list! http://www.exoticbirding.com/costarica/places/carara.html

 

These are the parrots.

78 Scarlet Macaw Ara macao

79 Crimson-fronted Parakeet Aratinga finschi

80 Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis

81 Brown-hooded Parrot Pionopsitta haematotis

82 Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus

83 White-crowned Parrot Pionus senilis

84 White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons

85 Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis

86 Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata

87 Mealy Amazon Amazona farinosa

 

The macaw sanctuary is pretty easy to find, it's in Alajuela which can be Google mapped.

 

What order is best? Carara in morning or afternoon?

 

The ship is there from 0700-1900 but we probably should be back by 1700 to be safe.

[travelite]

According to the itinerary, we are cruising into Limon, Costa Rica, and we will be spending the day there.

 

 

I've never been, so I'm looking for recommendations on excursions for sure!

 

For those of you with Limon as a port of call, please do not judge Costa Rica by Limon. The Caribbean side of CR is very different from the rest of this beautiful country. If you have never been to CR, do take a tour. There are many private companies with vans that will pick you up at the pier. Be specific in your emails to them about what you want to see and do. They want your business and will design a custom day for you. You are not limited to the tours they list on their web site. Try to get other passengers on your CC Roll Call thread to join you and share the cost.

 

Alajuela is a rather large uninteresting city. It is also quite a distance from either coast. It would not be your best choice for seeing nature and birding. There is a sanctuary there, but it is more like a zoo. It is nice for children. I would suggest trying to do something more in the wild.

[travelite]

Hi Pam, we are owned by 12 small parrots (conures, a quaker, 2 princess parrots and 4 cockatiels)! I do love seeing their cousins in the wild though! I'm looking forward to your Costa Rica stories!

 

Travelite, I have looked everywhere and can only find morning excursions for either Carara or the macaw sanctuary. No full day excursions. We may have to just hire a car and go on our own. I did find out that you can hire guides at Carara park entrance and you have to pay someone to "guard" your car. Not sure if it would be cheaper to hire a taxi or drive ourselves.

 

I found a bird list! http://www.exoticbirding.com/costarica/places/carara.html

 

These are the parrots.

78 Scarlet Macaw Ara macao

79 Crimson-fronted Parakeet Aratinga finschi

80 Orange-chinned Parakeet Brotogeris jugularis

81 Brown-hooded Parrot Pionopsitta haematotis

82 Blue-headed Parrot Pionus menstruus

83 White-crowned Parrot Pionus senilis

84 White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons

85 Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis

86 Yellow-naped Parrot Amazona auropalliata

87 Mealy Amazon Amazona farinosa

 

The macaw sanctuary is pretty easy to find, it's in Alajuela which can be Google mapped.

 

What order is best? Carara in morning or afternoon?

 

The ship is there from 0700-1900 but we probably should be back by 1700 to be safe.

Carara is a much better choice. Read what I posted earlier on Alajuela. Carara is about 40 min. south of Limon. The entry fee is about $10 or $15. There is also a plantation on the way that might be fun to walk through. I don't recommend the rental car option. Either JJ or Oscar Brown will do a tour there for you. There is also another guy who does more advanture type tours, but he is not very flexible and more expensive. JJ usually is the least expensive, but Oscar Brown seems to get better reviews. If you select JJ, be sure you are on the pier a few minutes before you are scheduled to meet him. He won't hang around if you are late. JJ will do a tour that includes the local rehabilation sanctuary (about 5 miles from Limon, they have birds and parrots), the canal tour, and Carara. I'm not sure if Brown will do the same. You can go to the rehabilitation sanctuary on your own by taxi (approx. $10 for the taxi) or the local bus (a little more of a challenge, approx. $1.50 each). You could take the taxi there and a bus for the return. The bus runs every 60 min. This place is open 24/7; they live there and are very welcoming....just leave a donation of your choice. This is close to where the canal tours leave from so it is easy to do the two together....a decent beach is also in the area.

[Tikibird]

Carara is a much better choice. Read what I posted earlier on Alajuela. Carara is about 40 min. south of Limon. The entry fee is about $10 or $15. There is also a plantation on the way that might be fun to walk through. I don't recommend the rental car option. Either JJ or Oscar Brown will do a tour there for you. There is also another guy who does more advanture type tours, but he is not very flexible and more expensive. JJ usually is the least expensive, but Oscar Brown seems to get better reviews. If you select JJ, be sure you are on the pier a few minutes before you are scheduled to meet him. He won't hang around if you are late. JJ will do a tour that includes the local rehabilation sanctuary (about 5 miles from Limon, they have birds and parrots), the canal tour, and Carara. I'm not sure if Brown will do the same. You can go to the rehabilitation sanctuary on your own by taxi (approx. $10 for the taxi) or the local bus (a little more of a challenge, approx. $1.50 each). You could take the taxi there and a bus for the return. The bus runs every 60 min. This place is open 24/7; they live there and are very welcoming....just leave a donation of your choice. This is close to where the canal tours leave from so it is easy to do the two together....a decent beach is also in the area.

 

Are we talking about the same place? We are docking at Puntarenas which does look to be pretty close to Carara National Park.

 

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=puntarenas+map&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=10.079741,-84.160767&spn=1.311498,3.515625&z=9

 

Puerto Limon is on the other side of the country.

[travelite]

Are we talking about the same place? We are docking at Puntarenas which does look to be pretty close to Carara National Park.

 

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=puntarenas+map&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=10.079741,-84.160767&spn=1.311498,3.515625&z=9

 

Puerto Limon is on the other side of the country.

Sorry - I thought I read you were docking in Limon. It must have been another poster. I also was on auto pilot when I typed in Carara. The National Park that is 40 min. south of Limon is CAHUITA.

I have never gone from Puntarenas directly to Carara. I can say that road travel in CR is not quick. Roads tend to be narrow, twisting, and can be steep. Don't try to take a CR bus. It will take much too long. Your best bet, with limited time, would be to take a tour or hire a guide with car/van. They will include some other interesting stops along the way and save you precious time.