Highland Birding & Photography Adventure/San Rafael de Vara Blanca
Your tour guide:
Randy Alvarado/Oropendola Expeditions NATURALIST / BIRD WATCHING GUIDE Originally from Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, Randy has been a birdwatcher since the age of six. Raised in a family of conservationists, he studied Ecotourism, developing a deep connection with his country's tropical forests and biodiversity. With extensive experience working in biological reserves and tourism companies across Costa Rica, he currently leads Oropendola Expeditions, where he shares his passion for birds, wildlife, and conservation. His goal is to inspire others to appreciate and protect tropical ecosystems through authentic nature experiences. Note: Private transportation is included in our tours.
About this tour
Explore the scenic highlands of San Rafael de Vara Blanca on a birdwatching and photography experience through public roads surrounded by excellent forest cover. The tour offers opportunities to observe and photograph a variety of highland species, including hummingbirds, tanagers, woodpeckers, and other colorful birds in their natural habitat. As part of the experience, there will be a stop at Mirador Cinchona Restaurant, where the bird feeders provide a unique opportunity to photograph birds at close range, including some of the region’s most beautiful and iconic species. This combination of roadside birding and feeder photography offers a diverse and rewarding experience for both birdwatchers and photography enthusiasts.
Target Species
Green-breasted Mango
Anthracothorax prevostii
Hook-billed Kite
Chondrohierax uncinatus
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Blue-and-white Swallow
Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
Black-thighed Grosbeak
Pheucticus tibialis
Red-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus
Dot-winged Antwren
Microrhopias quixensis
White-flanked Antwren
Myrmotherula axillaris
White Hawk
Pseudastur albicollis
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Dendrocincla fuliginosa
Giant Cowbird
Molothrus oryzivorus
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
Crowned Woodnymph
Thalurania colombica
Mountain Thrush
Turdus plebejus
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
American Dipper
Cinclus mexicanus
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Semiplumbeous Hawk
Leucopternis semiplumbeus
Golden-winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Pearl Kite
Gampsonyx swainsonii
Buffy Tuftedcheek
Pseudocolaptes lawrencii
Mealy Parrot
Amazona farinosa
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Violet Sabrewing
Campylopterus hemileucurus
Collared Aracari
Pteroglossus torquatus
Yellow-throated Toucan
Ramphastos ambiguus
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Amazilia tzacatl
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Psittacara finschi
Sunbittern
Eurypyga helias
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Yellow-throated Warbler
Setophaga dominica
Northern Parula
Setophaga americana
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus ornatus
Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna
Blue-black Grosbeak
Cyanoloxia cyanoides
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Tigrisoma mexicanum
White-throated Shrike-Tanager
Lanio leucothorax
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Tolmomyias sulphurescens
Black-and-white Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Speckled Tanager
Ixothraupis guttata
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Red-lored Parrot
Amazona autumnalis
Zone-tailed Hawk
Buteo albonotatus
Groove-billed Ani
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Sooty-faced Finch
Arremon crassirostris
White-chinned Swift
Cypseloides cryptus
Golden-browed Chlorophonia
Chlorophonia callophrys
Dark Pewee
Contopus lugubris
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus frantzii
Band-tailed Pigeon
Patagioenas fasciata
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Melanerpes pucherani
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Melanerpes hoffmannii
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Plumbeous Kite
Ictinia plumbea
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus
Black-cheeked Warbler
Basileuterus melanogenys
Black-striped Sparrow
Arremonops conirostris
Southern Lapwing
Vanellus chilensis
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Ramphocelus passerinii
Scintillant Hummingbird
Selasphorus scintilla
Cape May Warbler
Setophaga tigrina
Northern Emerald-Toucanet
Aulacorhynchus prasinus
White-browed Gnatcather
Polioptila bilineata
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Sittasomus griseicapillus
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Black-cowled Oriole
Icterus prosthemelas
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Brotogeris jugularis
Lesser Greenlet
Pachysylvia decurtatus
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Cyanerpes cyaneus
Green Honeycreeper
Chlorophanes spiza
Lesser Violetear
Colibri cyanotus
Green Thorntail
Discosura conversii
Rufous-winged Woodpecker
Piculus simplex
Swainson's Hawk
Buteo swainsoni
Northern Barred-Woodcreeper
Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae
Gray-rumped Swift
Chaetura cinereiventris
Blue-and-gold Tanager
Bangsia arcaei
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Cyclarhis gujanensis
Variable Seedeater
Sporophila corvina
Red-billed Pigeon
Patagioenas flavirostris
Coppery-headed Emerald
Microchera cupreiceps
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
Eupherusa eximia
Green-crowned Brilliant
Heliodoxa jacula
Canada Warbler
Cardellina canadensis
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Orange-billed Sparrow
Arremon aurantiirostris
Plain-colored Tanager
Tangara inornata
Tropical Mockingbird
Mimus gilvus
Black-breasted Wood-Quail
Odontophorus leucolaemus
Ochraceous Wren
Troglodytes ochraceus
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Poliocrania exsul
Elegant Euphonia
Chlorophonia elegantissima
Olive-streaked Flycatcher
Mionectes olivaceus
Yellow-winged Tanager
Thraupis abbas
Slate-colored Grosbeak
Saltator grossus
Clay-colored Thrush
Turdus grayi
Olive-crowned Yellowthroat
Geothlypis semiflava
Gray-chested Dove
Leptotila cassinii
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Bananaquit
Coereba flaveola
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Glyphorynchus spirurus
Costa Rican Warbler
Basileuterus melanotis
Collared Forest-Falcon
Micrastur semitorquatus
Blue-gray Tanager
Thraupis episcopus
White-throated Thrush
Turdus assimilis
Barred Becard
Pachyramphus versicolor
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Mionectes oleagineus
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
Panyptila cayennensis
Roadside Hawk
Rupornis magnirostris
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Northern Tropical Pewee
Contopus bogotensis
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Elaenia flavogaster
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
Ruddy Ground Dove
Columbina talpacoti
Tawny-capped Euphonia
Euphonia anneae
Mangrove Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
Double-toothed Kite
Harpagus bidentatus
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Henicorhina leucophrys
Crimson-collared Tanager
Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
Brown-capped Vireo
Vireo leucophrys
Shiny Cowbird
Molothrus bonariensis
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Ruddy Pigeon
Patagioenas subvinacea
Silver-throated Tanager
Tangara icterocephala
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher
Terenotriccus erythrurus
Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
Chestnut-collared Swift
Streptoprocne rutila
Southern House Wren
Troglodytes musculus
Red-headed Barbet
Eubucco bourcierii
Morelet's Seedeater
Sporophila morelleti
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Laughing Falcon
Herpetotheres cachinnans
Yellow Tyrannulet
Capsiempis flaveola
Black Swift
Cypseloides niger
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus guatemalensis
White-tipped Dove
Leptotila verreauxi
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Buff-fronted Quail-Dove
Zentrygon costaricensis
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Cerulean Warbler
Setophaga cerulea
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
Chalybura urochrysia
Gray Hawk
Buteo plagiatus
Cabanis’s Wren
Cantorchilus modestus
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
Dacnis venusta
Palm Tanager
Thraupis palmarum
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Tennessee Warbler
Leiothlypis peregrina
Northern Plain Xenops
Xenops mexicanus
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Red-breasted Meadowlark
Leistes militaris
Carmiol's Tanager
Chlorothraupis carmioli
Russet Antshrike
Thamnistes anabatinus
White-vented Euphonia
Euphonia minuta
Mourning Warbler
Geothlypis philadelphia
Thick-billed Seed-Finch
Sporophila funerea
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Melodious Blackbird
Dives dives
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Catharus minimus
Tropical Parula
Setophaga pitiayumi
Volcano Hummingbird
Selasphorus flammula
Flame-throated Warbler
Oreothlypis gutturalis
Common Ground Dove
Columbina passerina
Bronzed Cowbird
Molothrus aeneus
Buff-rumped Warbler
Myiothlypis fulvicauda
Wilson's Warbler
Cardellina pusilla
Yellow-crowned Euphonia
Euphonia luteicapilla
Bay-headed Tanager
Tangara gyrola
Emerald Tanager
Tangara florida
White-crowned Parrot
Pionus senilis
Rufous Mourner
Rhytipterna holerythra
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Collared Redstart
Myioborus torquatus
Brown Violetear
Colibri delphinae
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria
White-necked Jacobin
Florisuga mellivora
Slate-throated Redstart
Myioborus miniatus
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Leptopogon superciliaris
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus susurrans
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Klais guimeti
Green Hermit
Phaethornis guy
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Todirostrum cinereum
Blue-chested Hummingbird
Polyerata amabilis
Shining Honeycreeper
Cyanerpes lucidus
Buff-throated Saltator
Saltator maximus
Green-fronted Lancebill
Doryfera ludovicae
Magenta-throated Woodstar
Philodice bryantae
Pale-vented Thrush
Turdus obsoletus
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Lampornis calolaemus
Tufted Flycatcher
Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Fasciated Tiger-Heron
Tigrisoma fasciatum
Gray-headed Kite
Leptodon cayanensis
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Stripe-throated Hermit
Phaethornis striigularis
Mountain Elaenia
Elaenia frantzii
Blackburnian Warbler
Setophaga fusca
Blue Ground Dove
Claravis pretiosa
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Tiaris olivaceus
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Megarynchus pitangua
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat
Geothlypis poliocephala
Olive-throated Parakeet
Eupsittula nana
Red-faced Spinetail
Cranioleuca erythrops
Red-fronted Parrotlet
Touit costaricensis
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Yellow-thighed Brushfinch
Atlapetes tibialis
Spotted Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo
Scytalopus argentifrons
Bay Wren
Cantorchilus nigricapillus
Bronzy Hermit
Glaucis aeneus
Yellow-throated Euphonia
Euphonia hirundinacea
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
Melozone leucotis
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Blue Dacnis
Dacnis cayana
Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge
Dendrortyx leucophrys
Spotted Barbtail
Premnoplex brunnescens
Hairy Woodpecker
Dryobates villosus
Sooty-capped Chlorospingus
Chlorospingus pileatus
Golden-bellied Flycatcher
Myiodynastes hemichrysus
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus aurantiirostris
Long-billed Gnatwren
Ramphocaenus melanurus
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Phaeochroa cuvierii
Dull-mantled Antbird
Sipia laemosticta
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Zonotrichia capensis
Black-faced Grosbeak
Caryothraustes poliogaster
Purple-crowned Fairy
Heliothryx barroti
Common Chlorospingus
Chlorospingus flavopectus
Least Grebe
Tachybaptus dominicus
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Diglossa plumbea
Louisiana Waterthrush
Parkesia motacilla
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Lattice-tailed Trogon
Trogon clathratus
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Ortalis cinereiceps
Cinnamon-bellied Saltator
Saltator grandis
Sooty Thrush
Turdus nigrescens
Black-throated Green Warbler
Setophaga virens
Russet-naped Wood-Rail
Aramides albiventris
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Setophaga pensylvanica
Merlin
Falco columbarius
Bay-breasted Warbler
Setophaga castanea
Mangrove Swallow
Tachycineta albilinea
Long-billed Hermit
Phaethornis longirostris
Prong-billed Barbet
Semnornis frantzii
Crested Caracara
Caracara plancus
Spot-fronted Swift
Cypseloides cherriei
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
Dendroma rufa
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Green Shrike-Vireo
Vireolanius pulchellus
Squirrel Cuckoo
Piaya cayana
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Flame-colored Tanager
Piranga bidentata
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Olive-backed Euphonia
Euphonia gouldi
King Vulture
Sarcoramphus papa
Black Guan
Chamaepetes unicolor
Northern Yellow Warbler
Setophaga aestiva
Sharpbill
Oxyruncus cristatus
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Bicolored Hawk
Accipiter bicolor
Montezuma Oropendola
Psarocolius montezuma
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Colaptes rubiginosus
Blue-black Grassquit
Volatinia jacarina
Scarlet-rumped Cacique
Cacicus uropygialis
Lanceolated Monklet
Micromonacha lanceolata
White-ruffed Manakin
Corapipo altera
Rufous-winged Tanager
Tangara lavinia
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus fuscater
Pale-vented Pigeon
Patagioenas cayennensis
Short-billed Pigeon
Patagioenas nigrirostris
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Barred Parakeet
Bolborhynchus lineola
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Spangle-cheeked Tanager
Tangara dowii
Bare-shanked Screech-Owl
Megascops clarkii
Talamanca Hummingbird
Eugenes spectabilis
Western Wood-Pewee
Contopus sordidulus
Western Cattle Egret
Ardea ibis
Black-faced Solitaire
Myadestes melanops
Golden-hooded Tanager
Stilpnia larvata
Tawny-crested Tanager
Tachyphonus delatrii
Yellowish Flycatcher
Empidonax flavescens
Collared Trogon
Trogon collaris
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Crested Guan
Penelope purpurascens
Short-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper
Lepidocolaptes affinis
White-crowned Manakin
Pseudopipra pipra
Red-throated Ant-Tanager
Habia fuscicauda
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Psarocolius wagleri
Piratic Flycatcher
Legatus leucophaius
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Lophotriccus pileatus
Chestnut-capped Warbler
Basileuterus delattrii
Torrent Tyrannulet
Serpophaga cinerea
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
White-naped Brushfinch
Atlapetes albinucha
Olivaceous Piculet
Picumnus olivaceus
Magnolia Warbler
Setophaga magnolia
Gray-breasted Martin
Progne chalybea
White-collared Swift
Streptoprocne zonaris
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Vaux's Swift
Chaetura vauxi
Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus
Black-and-yellow Tanager
Chrysothlypis chrysomelas
Black-bellied Hummingbird
Eupherusa nigriventris
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Yellow-winged Vireo
Vireo carmioli
Common Pauraque
Nyctidromus albicollis
Black-crested Coquette
Lophornis helenae
Barred Forest-Falcon
Micrastur ruficollis
Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus
Nightingale Wren
Microcerculus philomela
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Barred Hawk
Morphnarchus princeps
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch
Arremon brunneinucha
Dusky Nightjar
Antrostomus saturatus
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus gracilirostris
Bat Falcon
Falco rufigularis
What's Included
Transportation,Tour guide and Telescope
Not Included
Meals and entrance fees
Meeting Point
The meeting point can be arranged at the Costa Rica Best Chocolate parking area. Alternatively, transportation can be arranged for the clients with pick-up directly from the hotel where they are staying.
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$300.00
includes all fees