Birds to See in Costa Rica in April
99 bird species on our list for Costa Rica are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are Turkey Vulture, Swainson's Thrush, Palm Tanager, White-winged Dove and Chestnut-sided Warbler. New this month: Alder Flycatcher, Wilson's Phalarope, Upland Sandpiper and Baird's Sandpiper and 4 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
At their peak
From Costa Rica’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 99 birds in April
99 birds
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.28% in Apr
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.86% in Apr
Palm TanagerThraupis palmarumResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Apr
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.75% in Apr
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorCommon10–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.65% in Apr
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.52% in Apr
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Apr
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Apr
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaWinter visitorCommon10–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.35% in Apr
Scarlet MacawAra macaoResidentUncommon81–96 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Apr
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Apr
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaPassage migrantUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.29% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.27% in Apr
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatusResidentUncommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Apr
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.22% in Apr
Great CurassowCrax rubraResidentUncommon84–92 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Apr
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.18% in Apr
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentUncommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Apr
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusResidentUncommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Apr
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Apr
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusWinter visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.13% in Apr
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Apr
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
Ferruginous Pygmy-owlGlaucidium brasilianumResidentUncommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
OspreyPandion haliaetusWinter visitorUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Apr
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusWinter visitorUncommon18–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.10% in Apr
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasWinter visitorUncommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Apr
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusWinter visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.10% in Apr
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Apr
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Apr
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentUncommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Apr
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Apr
Mottled OwlStrix virgataResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Apr
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon10–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Apr
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.07% in Apr
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Apr
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Apr
WilletTringa semipalmataWinter visitorUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Apr
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Apr
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.05% in Apr
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.04% in Apr
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Apr
Common PotooNyctibius griseusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Apr
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.04% in Apr
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.04% in Apr
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisResidentUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Apr
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Apr
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Apr
Painted BuntingPasserina cirisWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Apr
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Apr
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Apr
Black TernChlidonias nigerResidentRare22–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Apr
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Apr
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentRare23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Apr
DickcisselSpiza americanaWinter visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Apr
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Apr
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanWinter visitorRare32–36 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.02% in Apr
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaWinter visitorUncommon14–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiWinter visitorRare13–17 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Apr
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusWinter visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Apr
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisWinter visitorUncommon7–9 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumWinter visitorRare15–18 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Apr
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorRare18–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Apr
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusWinter visitorRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Apr
Purple MartinProgne subisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorRare24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorRare48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Apr
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Apr
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentRare31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Apr
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaWinter visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Apr
Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumPassage migrantRare13–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Apr
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorRare24–34 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Apr
Common TernSterna hirundoWinter visitorRare31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Apr
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Apr
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Apr
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.01% in Apr
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaWinter visitorRare33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Apr
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantRare24–28 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.00% in Apr
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
Sabine's GullXema sabiniPassage migrantRare27–33 cmRegularly Apr–Dec · 0.00% in Apr
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Apr
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusWinter visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in Apr
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusResidentRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.00% in Apr
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousPassage migrantRare18–21 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Apr
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Apr
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in Apr
Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.00% in Apr
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxiiPassage migrantRare76–84 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Apr
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentRare45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Apr
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosPassage migrantRare50–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Apr
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made