Hummingbirds are some of the most amazing birds on the planet. Tiny birds that show impressive feats of flight, these feathered glittering sprites are perennial favorites, especially for the photographers among us. The fact that just one species, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, frequents gardens in eastern North America, belies the incredible variety shown by the hummingbird family. One of the largest of avian groups, an incredible 349 hummingbird species occur from Alaska all the way south to Patagonia.
Tropical region harbor the most species of hummingbirds and Costa Rica is no exception. More than 50 (!) have been found in this small country and many of them are common. The following fine pack of dozen hummingbirds are among the most frequently seen Trochilids in the country (images from the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app):
Long-billed Hermit
Not every hummingbird is brightly colored. The hermits frequent the understory of rainforest and are plumaged in shades of brown. They make up for the bright colors with those long, curved beaks.
White-necked Jacobin
This blue, green, and white beauty is a common bird of lowland and foothill rainforest.
Violet Sabrewing
One of the biggest hummingbirds in Costa Rica, the purple colors of this species flash in middle elevation habitats.
Volcano Hummingbird
Now for one of the smallest of the bunch. True to its name, this species is a common resident of high elevation habitats on more than one volcano in Costa Rica. It also occurs in other non-volcanic highlands but the name is still a good one.
Talamanca Hummingbird
Split from the former Magnificent Hummingbird, this species is a large, common hummingbird of high elevations.
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
The fancy Fiery-throated Hummingbird shares high elevation space with the Talamanca. Both species are two of several hummingbirds that only occur in the cloud forests of Costa Rica and western Panama.
Lesser Violetear
This exquisite beauty is one of the more common highland species.
Green-crowned Brilliant
What a beauty!
Coppery-headed Emerald
This living gem is only found in Costa Rica! It’s definitely worth marking this as a target species.
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Nothing like watching beautiful birds like this. The male is shown above, the female below.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
This species is the most frequent hummingbird in Costa Rica.
Cinnamon Hummingbird
This bird largely replaces the Rufous-tailed in dry forest habitats and is just as common.
All of these hummingbird species and more are easily seen on trips to Costa Rica. Many of them even occur in hotel gardens! Learn more about hummingbirds and hundreds of other bird species in Costa Rica with the basic and full versions of the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app; a digital field guide that requires no Internet connection and can also be customized for your skill level and needs.
