Birds to See in Costa Rica in January
101 bird species on our list for Costa Rica are recorded regularly in January
Of these, the most often recorded are Turkey Vulture, Baltimore Oriole, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Tennessee Warbler and Palm Tanager. New this month: Grey Phalarope, American Herring Gull, Leach's Storm-petrel and Nashville Warbler.
On the move in January
GBIF · JanArriving
At their peak
Great Blue HeronBusiest month of the year · All year
Prothonotary WarblerBusiest month of the year · Aug–Mar
Painted BuntingBusiest month of the year · Nov–Apr
Glossy IbisBusiest month of the year · All year
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Northern PintailBusiest month of the year · Dec–Feb
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 101 birds in January
101 birds
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Jan
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 1.02% in Jan
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorCommon10–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.92% in Jan
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaWinter visitorCommon10–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.88% in Jan
Palm TanagerThraupis palmarumResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Jan
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Jan
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Jan
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.51% in Jan
Scarlet MacawAra macaoResidentUncommon81–96 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Jan
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Jan
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusWinter visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.32% in Jan
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatusResidentUncommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Jan
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.30% in Jan- Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasWinter visitorUncommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Jan
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Jan
OspreyPandion haliaetusWinter visitorUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Jan
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Jan
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusWinter visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.21% in Jan
Great CurassowCrax rubraResidentUncommon84–92 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Jan
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.17% in Jan
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Jan- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citreaWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.15% in Jan
Ferruginous Pygmy-owlGlaucidium brasilianumResidentUncommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusResidentUncommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentUncommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Jan
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisWinter visitorUncommon7–9 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Jan
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
WilletTringa semipalmataWinter visitorUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Jan
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.12% in Jan
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusWinter visitorUncommon18–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Jan
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Jan
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisResidentUncommon45–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Jan
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.10% in Jan
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaWinter visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.09% in Jan
Mottled OwlStrix virgataResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosusResidentUncommon18–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Jan
Mourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaWinter visitorUncommon10–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Jan
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Jan
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Jan
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusWinter visitorCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Jan- Painted BuntingPasserina cirisWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.06% in Jan
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisResidentUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Jan
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Jan
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Jan
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Jan
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorRare48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Jan
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Jan
Common PotooNyctibius griseusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Jan
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusWinter visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Jan
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaWinter visitorUncommon14–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Jan
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaWinter visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Jan
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraResidentRare23–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Jan
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanWinter visitorRare32–36 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.02% in Jan
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorRare24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
DickcisselSpiza americanaWinter visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Jan
Black TernChlidonias nigerResidentRare22–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorRare19–22 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaWinter visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Jan
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.01% in Jan
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisWinter visitorRare20–24 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumWinter visitorRare15–18 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.01% in Jan
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorRare18–23 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Jan
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusWinter visitorRare24–34 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Jan
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsResidentRare31–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan- Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorRare59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.01% in Jan
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaWinter visitorRare33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Jan
Common TernSterna hirundoWinter visitorRare31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Jan
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentRare45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Jan
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusWinter visitorRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.00% in Jan
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiWinter visitorRare13–17 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Jan
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorRare34–38 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Grey PhalaropePhalaropus fulicariusPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousPassage migrantRare18–21 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentRare30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Jan
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusWinter visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusResidentRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.00% in Jan
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraWinter visitorRare36–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusWinter visitorRare48–58 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
MallardAnas platyrhynchosPassage migrantRare50–65 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Jan
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataWinter visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxiiPassage migrantRare76–84 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPassage migrantRare11–13 cmRegularly Jan–Feb · 0.00% in Jan
American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusPassage migrantRare53–65 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.00% in Jan
Forster's TernSterna forsteriPassage migrantRare33–36 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.00% in Jan
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