Costa Rica Wildlife Guide
72 species across birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and insects. Filter by category, region, or elevation.
Catalog expanding — Michael adds species after each tour.
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Showing 72 of 72 species
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Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Northern Jacana in Costa Rica
Jacana spinosa
Jacanas · ~24 cm · lowland
CaribbeanPacificGuanacaste
Lily-pad-walker of lowland wetlands. Rich chestnut body, yellow forehead shield, and absurdly long toes that distribute weight across floating vegetation.
Fun Facts
- ▸Long toes let it walk on water lily pads without sinking — hence the local name "Jesus bird".
- ▸Practices role-reversal: females defend territory and mate with multiple males.
- ▸Males do all the parenting — incubating eggs and raising chicks alone.
Best Months
Year-round
Featured On
- · 7-Day Private Birding Tour
