Rancho Naturalista / Platanillo area

9.83204 , -83.56388

Costa Rica

Rancho Naturalista Lodge has the longest checklist among the eBird hotspots of Costa Rica – over 55 % of the nation’s total, including about 40 hummingbirds. More than 500 bird species were recorded in 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista's private premontane forest reserve, at 3,000 ft / 900 m above sea level and belonging to the Caribbean (Talamanca’s) foothills biome: Sunbittern, hummingbirds such as Snowcap and Purple-crowned Fairy; Broad-billed Motmot and Rufous Motmot, Spotted Antbird, Lovely Cotinga...

You can start your morning in a relaxed manner, with a coffee and sweets among the hummingbird feeders at the communal balcony of the lodge, observing Violet Sabrewing, White-necked Jacobin, Green Hermit, Green-breasted Mango, Crowned Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, etc.

Or, you can hike and bird the four ranch trails (ranging from 0.3 mi / 400 m to 1.6 mi / 2.5 km, and totalling 4 mi / 7 km) on your own, or with Rancho's in-house guides, Mercedes and Harry. On a guided walk, it is possible to observe 120 to 140 species in a single morning, including Snowcap, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Purplish-backed Quail-Dove; White-collared Manakin (lek), White-crowned Manakin and White-ruffed Manakin; Dull-mantled Antbird, Thicket Antpitta, Black-throated Wren-Babbler, Black-crested Coquette, Tawny-throated Leaftosser and the Gray-headed Piprites. Also a chance of Paint-billed Crake.

Delete exact location

The introductory text should contain general information about the site, which may include for instance:
• geographic/ biogeographic location
• habitat and vegetation
• typical bird species/bird communities
• protection status
• land use and history
• importance for birdwatching

Coordinates were changed by Dragan Simic : 9.8320/-83.5639 (2023-05-07 18:43:20 )

Coordinates were set by Mathias Ritschard (Admin) : 9.8256/-83.5643 (2021-01-20 18:31:35 )

Site name was set by Mathias Ritschard (Admin) as "Rancho Naturalista / Platanillo Area" (2021-01-20 18:31:35 )

Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-05-07 18:42:09
Rancho Naturalista Lodge has the longest checklist among the eBird hotspots of Costa Rica – over 55 % of the nation’s total, including about 40 hummingbirds. More than 500 bird species were recorded in 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista's private premontane forest reserve, at 3,000 ft / 900 m above sea level and belonging to the Caribbean (Talamanca’s) foothills biome: Sunbittern , Sunbittern, hummingbirds such as Snowcap and Purple-crowned Fairy ; Fairy; Broad-billed Motmot and Rufous Motmot , Motmot, Spotted Antbird , Antbird, Lovely Cotinga ... Cotinga... You can start your morning in a relaxed manner, with a coffee and sweets among the hummingbird feeders at the communal balcony of the lodge, observing Violet Sabrewing , Sabrewing, White-necked Jacobin , Jacobin, Green Hermit , Hermit, Green-breasted Mango , Mango, Crowned Woodnymph , Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird , Hummingbird, etc. Or, you can hike and bird the four ranch trails (ranging from 0.3 mi / 400 m to 1.6 mi / 2.5 km, and totalling 4 mi / 7 km) on your own, or with Rancho's in-house guides, Mercedes and Harry. On a guided walk, it is possible to observe 120 to 140 species in a single morning, including Snowcap , Snowcap, Tawny-chested Flycatcher , Flycatcher, Purplish-backed Quail-Dove ; Quail-Dove; White-collared Manakin (lek), White-crowned Manakin and White-ruffed Manakin ; Manakin; Dull-mantled Antbird , Antbird, Thicket Antpitta , Antpitta, Black-throated Wren-Babbler , Wren-Babbler, Black-crested Coquette , Coquette, Tawny-throated Leaftosser and the Gray-headed Piprites . Piprites. Also a chance of Paint-billed Crake .Crake.
Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-05-07 13:13:07
Rancho Naturalista Lodge has the longest checklist among the eBird hotspots of Costa Rica – over 55 % of the nation’s total, including about 40 hummingbirds. More hummingbirds. More than 500 bird species were recorded in 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista's private premontane forest reserve, at 3,000 ft / 900 m above sea level and belonging to the Caribbean (Talamanca’s) foothills biome: Sunbittern , hummingbirds such as Snowcap and Purple-crowned Fairy ; Broad-billed Motmot and Rufous Motmot , Spotted Antbird , Lovely Cotinga ... You can start your morning in a relaxed manner, with a coffee and sweets among the hummingbird feeders at the communal balcony of the lodge, observing Violet Sabrewing , White-necked Jacobin , Green Hermit , Green-breasted Mango , Crowned Woodnymph , Rufous-tailed Hummingbird , etc. Or, you can hike and bird the four ranch trails (ranging from 0.3 mi / 400 m to 1.6 mi / 2.5 km, and totalling 4 mi / 7 km) on your own, or with Rancho's in-house guides, Mercedes and Harry. On a guided walk, it is possible to observe 120 to 140 species in a single morning, including Snowcap , Tawny-chested Flycatcher , Purplish-backed Quail-Dove ; White-collared Manakin (lek), White-crowned Manakin and White-ruffed Manakin ; Dull-mantled Antbird , Thicket Antpitta , Black-throated Wren-Babbler , Black-crested Coquette , Tawny-throated Leaftosser and the Gray-headed Piprites . Also a chance of Paint-billed Crake .
Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-05-07 13:12:40
Rancho Naturalista Lodge has the longest checklist among the eBird hotspots of Costa Rica – over 55 % of the nation’s total, including about 40 hummingbirds. More than 500 bird species were recorded in 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista's private premontane forest reserve, at 3,000 ft / 900 m above sea level and belonging to the Caribbean (Talamanca’s) foothills biome: Sunbittern , hummingbirds such as Snowcap and Purple-crowned Fairy ; Broad-billed Motmot and Rufous Motmot , Spotted Antbird , Lovely Cotinga ... You can start your morning in a relaxed manner, with a coffee and sweets among the hummingbird feeders at the communal balcony of the lodge, observing Violet Sabrewing , White-necked Jacobin , Green Hermit , Green-breasted Mango , Crowned Woodnymph , Rufous-tailed Hummingbird , etc. Or, you can hike and bird the four ranch trails (ranging from 0.3 mi / 400 m to 1.6 mi / 2.5 km, and totalling 4 mi / 7 km) on your own, or with Rancho's in-house guides, Mercedes and Harry. On a guided walk, it is possible to observe 120 to 140 species in a single morning, including Snowcap , Tawny-chested Flycatcher , Purplish-backed Quail-Dove ; White-collared Manakin (lek), White-crowned Manakin and White-ruffed Manakin ; Dull-mantled Antbird , Thicket Antpitta , Black-throated Wren-Babbler , Black-crested Coquette , Tawny-throated Leaftosser and the Gray-headed Piprites . Also a chance of Paint-billed Crake .

  • Top species

List up to ca. 25 species that:
• have a limited distribution range and/or are rare on a global level
• are most sought-after by birdwatchers at this site
• and are relatively easy to see at this site (year-round or seasonally)

Purplish-backed Quail-Dove (Zentrygon lawrencii)
White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)
Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy)
Purple-crowned Fairy (Heliothryx barroti)
Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii)
Black-crested Coquette (Lophornis helenae)
Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica)
Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata)
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
Paint-billed Crake (Mustelirallus erythrops)
Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias)
Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno)
Rufous Motmot (Baryphthengus martii)
Broad-billed Motmot (Electron platyrhynchum)
Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus)
Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus)
Dull-mantled Antbird (Sipia laemosticta)
Spotted Antbird (Hylophylax naevioides)
Thicket Antpitta (Myrmothera dives)
Middle American Leaftosser (Sclerurus mexicanus)
White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera)
White-collared Manakin (Manacus candei)
White-crowned Manakin (Pseudopipra pipra)
Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis)
Gray-headed Piprites (Piprites griseiceps)
Tawny-chested Flycatcher (Aphanotriccus capitalis)
Black-throated Wren-Babbler (Turdinus atrigularis)
Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus)

Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:24:05)

Black-throated Wren-Babbler (Turdinus atrigularis) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:23:40)

Tawny-chested Flycatcher (Aphanotriccus capitalis) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:23:23)

Gray-headed Piprites (Piprites griseiceps) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:22:42)

Lovely Cotinga (Cotinga amabilis) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:22:28)

White-crowned Manakin (Pseudopipra pipra) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:22:14)

White-collared Manakin (Manacus candei) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:22:01)

White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:21:38)

Middle American Leaftosser (Sclerurus mexicanus) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:21:15)

Thicket Antpitta (Myrmothera dives) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:20:27)

Spotted Antbird (Hylophylax naevioides) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:20:00)

Dull-mantled Antbird (Sipia laemosticta) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:19:47)

Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:19:33)

Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:19:17)

Broad-billed Motmot (Electron platyrhynchum) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:19:01)

Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:18:38)

Paint-billed Crake (Mustelirallus erythrops) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:18:24)

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:18:09)

Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:17:45)

Black-crested Coquette (Lophornis helenae) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:17:29)

Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:16:51)

Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:16:20)

White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:16:02)

Purplish-backed Quail-Dove (Zentrygon lawrencii) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:15:19)

Purple-crowned Fairy (Heliothryx barroti) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:15:04)

Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:14:51)

Rufous Motmot (Baryphthengus martii) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:14:30)

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:14:12)

Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) was added by Dragan Simic (2023-05-07 13:13:57)

  • Timing and strategy

Give recommendations for making your visit as productive as possible.
This may include for instance:
• best season
• best time of the day
• how much time to spend at the site
• best means of locomotion within the site
• recommended routes / areas within the site
• guiding

Not available yet
  • How to get there

Explain from where and how to get to this site with private and public transport.

Not available yet

Provide information on how to enter this site, which may include:
• entry points
• entry permits / entry tickets and fees
• opening hours / opening season
• other restrictions

Note that this section should only contain information on how to ACCESS (= enter) a site. Info on how to REACH a site should be added to "How to get there" section.

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  • Other attractions

Nearby lies the Irazu Volcano National Park, reaching 11,000 ft / 3,400 m a.s.l. and offering a new set of birds, e.g. endemic Volcano Hummingbird and Flame-throated Warbler, Costa Rican Ground Sparrow, a chance of Resplendent Quetzal and Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, and up near the crater, Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren.

Add information about other attractions at this site, including
• wildlife (apart from birds)
• sights (natural, cultural, archaeological, etc.)
• activities (e.g. for non-birding companions)

Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-08-17 07:05
Nearby lies the El Copal Nature Reserve, offering Blue-and-gold Tanager, Snowcap, Black-headed Antthrush and Tawny-chested Flycatcher. A bit farther away lies the Irazu Volcano National Park, reaching 11,000 ft / 3,400 m a.s.l. and offering a new set of birds, e.g. endemic Volcano Hummingbird and Flame-throated Warbler, Costa Rican Ground Sparrow, a chance of Resplendent Quetzal and Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, and up near the crater, Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren.
Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-05-07 18:21
Nearby lies the El Copal Nature Reserve, offering Blue-and-gold Tanager , Snowcap , Tanager, Snowcap, Black-headed Antthrush and Tawny-chested Flycatcher . Flycatcher. A bit farther away lies the Irazu Volcano National Park, reaching 11,000 ft / 3,400 m a.s.l. and offering a new set of birds, e.g. endemic Volcano Hummingbird and Flame-throated Warbler , Warbler, Costa Rican Ground Sparrow, a chance of Resplendent Quetzal and Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge , Wood-Partridge, and up near the crater, Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren .Wren.
Edited by Dragan Simic on 2023-05-07 13:11
Nearby lies the El Copal Nature Reserve, offering Blue-and-gold Tanager , Snowcap , Black-headed Antthrush and Tawny-chested Flycatcher . A bit farther away lies the Irazu Volcano National Park, reaching 11,000 ft / 3,400 m a.s.l. and offering a new set of birds, e.g. endemic Volcano Hummingbird and Flame-throated Warbler , Costa Rican Ground Sparrow, a chance of Resplendent Quetzal and Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge , and up near the crater, Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren .

Provide information about what type of facilities are available at
or near this site, including:
• information centers / information points
• catering
• accommodation
• hides and watchtowers
• restrooms / toilets

Not available yet

Are there any security issues or other annoyances at this site? For
instance, these may include:
• offenses like robbery or theft
• natural hazards
• dangerous or annoying animals or plants (mosquitoes, leaches, thorn bushes, etc.)
• noise pollution

Not available yet
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Rancho Naturalista / Platanillo area - Orniverse