Birds to See in Costa Rica in February
100 bird species on our list for Costa Rica are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are Turkey Vulture, Baltimore Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Palm Tanager and Tennessee Warbler. New this month: Pectoral Sandpiper, Purple Martin, Wilson's Phalarope and American Golden-Plover and 1 more.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebArriving
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 100 birds in February
100 birds
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Feb
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.93% in Feb
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorCommon10–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.91% in Feb
Palm TanagerThraupis palmarumResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Feb
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaWinter visitorCommon10–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.81% in Feb
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Feb
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Feb
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Feb
Scarlet MacawAra macaoResidentUncommon81–96 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Feb
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Feb
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusWinter visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.28% in Feb
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Feb
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatusResidentUncommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Feb
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasWinter visitorUncommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Feb
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Feb
OspreyPandion haliaetusWinter visitorUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Feb
Great CurassowCrax rubraResidentUncommon84–92 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Feb
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.21% in Feb
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusWinter visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.19% in Feb
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.17% in Feb
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Feb
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusResidentUncommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Feb
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentUncommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Feb
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.15% in Feb
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Feb
Ferruginous Pygmy-owlGlaucidium brasilianumResidentUncommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Feb
Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.14% in Feb
WilletTringa semipalmataWinter visitorUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Feb
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisWinter visitorUncommon7–9 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Feb
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusWinter visitorUncommon18–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Feb
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Feb
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentUncommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.08% in Feb
Mottled OwlStrix virgataResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Feb
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon10–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Feb
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Feb
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Painted BuntingPasserina cirisWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Feb
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Feb
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Feb
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Feb
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisResidentUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Common PotooNyctibius griseusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorRare48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Feb
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Feb
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Feb
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusWinter visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Feb
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentRare23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaWinter visitorUncommon14–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorRare24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorRare19–22 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Feb
Black TernChlidonias nigerResidentRare22–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentRare31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
DickcisselSpiza americanaWinter visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorRare18–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Feb
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorRare24–34 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanWinter visitorRare32–36 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.01% in Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Feb
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentRare45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaWinter visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Feb
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Feb
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumWinter visitorRare15–18 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Feb
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiWinter visitorRare13–17 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Feb
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Feb
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Feb
Purple MartinProgne subisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Feb
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.00% in Feb
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusWinter visitorRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.00% in Feb
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaWinter visitorRare33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Feb
Common TernSterna hirundoWinter visitorRare31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Feb
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorRare59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.00% in Feb
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Feb–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Feb
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorRare34–38 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusWinter visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Feb
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Feb
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Feb
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Feb · 0.00% in Feb
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraWinter visitorRare36–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusResidentRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.00% in Feb
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataWinter visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusWinter visitorRare48–58 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.00% in Feb
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.00% in Feb
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaPassage migrantRare24–28 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.00% in Feb
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusPassage migrantRare53–65 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
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