King VultureCosta Rica bird species · Raptors and owls
Raptors and owls in Costa Rica: all 75 species, and where to see them
75 raptors and owls, and the three found only in this corner of the world are all owls.
Costa Rica's official list has 75 raptors and owls, about one bird in every thirteen on it. Fifty-seven are hawks, eagles, kites, falcons, vultures and the Osprey, and 18 are owls. The King Vulture runs up to 81 cm long with wings 1.2 to 2 m across, and its bare head carries red, purple, orange and yellow skin.
Three of the 75 are regional endemics, which means they live only in Costa Rica and its nearest neighbours, and all three are owls: the Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, the Puntarenas Screech-Owl (an undescribed form) and the Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl. Nine more are listed as migrants only, here for part of the year with no breeding record.
Raptors are mostly a matter of looking up, and a guide who knows the territories is the difference. The Ornate Hawk-Eagle is the bird on most lists you cannot plan for: we look for it overhead at Cerro El Silencio above Turrialba, with the Black Hawk-Eagle beside it. At Corcovado the Spectacled Owl comes at dusk, and our park notes name the Harpy Eagle there too, which we treat as a hope.
Where to see them
Raptors cross every zone, so the places we name are the forests where a guide has found one. These are the 16 places where we name them, from our hotspot pages and each bird's own page.
San Gerardo de Dota and the Savegre valleyCerro El Silencio, above TurrialbaCaño Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Río FríoLa Selva Biological Station, SarapiquíBraulio Carrillo National ParkCarara National ParkCorcovado National Park and the OsaLos Cusingos and the San Isidro valley
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap- Place where we name them
- Highlands
- Caribbean Foothills
- Caribbean Lowlands
- Northern Pacific Lowlands
- Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
- 1San Gerardo de Dota and the Savegre valleyHighlandsSwallow-tailed Kite, Mottled Owl
- 2Los Quetzales National ParkHighlandsSwallow-tailed Kite, Sharp-shinned Hawk
- 3Cerro de la Muerte and the km 70 lookoutsHighlandsCooper's Hawk, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Unspotted Saw-whet Owl
- 4Cerro El Silencio, above TurrialbaCaribbean FoothillsBlack Hawk-Eagle, Ornate Hawk-Eagle
- 5Arenal Volcano National ParkCaribbean LowlandsZone-tailed Hawk, Mottled Owl
- 6Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Río FríoCaribbean LowlandsPacific Screech-Owl
- 7La Selva Biological Station, SarapiquíCaribbean LowlandsDouble-toothed Kite, Middle American Screech-Owl, Crested Owl, Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon
- 8Braulio Carrillo National ParkCaribbean LowlandsKing Vulture, Black Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Barred Hawk, Great Black Hawk, White Hawk, Semiplumbeous Hawk
- 9Tirimbina Biological Reserve, SarapiquíCaribbean LowlandsCrested Eagle, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Central American Pygmy-Owl
- 10Palo Verde National Park and the Tempisque RiverNorthern Pacific LowlandsSnail Kite, Crested Caracara
- 11Carara National ParkCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsKing Vulture, Gray-headed Kite, Black Hawk-Eagle, Double-toothed Kite, Plumbeous Kite, Crane Hawk, Harris's Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Collared Forest-Falcon, Bat Falcon
- 12The Tárcoles River mangroves, by boatCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsOsprey, Plumbeous Kite, Crane Hawk, Common Black Hawk
- 13Piedras Blancas National Park and the Golfo DulceCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsKing Vulture, Ornate Hawk-Eagle
- 14Corcovado National Park and the OsaCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsBlack Hawk-Eagle, Crested Eagle, Harpy Eagle, Great Black Hawk, Spectacled Owl
- 15Los Cusingos and the San Isidro valleyCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsOrnate Hawk-Eagle
- 16Golfito Wildlife RefugeCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsOrnate Hawk-Eagle
The regional endemics
The ones you can only see in this part of the world.
Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, Puntarenas Screech-Owl (undescribed form), Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl.
All 75 raptors and owls on the list
The full group as Costa Rica's official list has it, in the list's own order. Tick them off on the printable checklist.
King VultureSarcoramphus papaSeen at Braulio Carrillo, Carara National Park, 1 more
Black VultureCoragyps atratusZopilote Negro: the short-tailed black vulture seen over towns and open country.
Turkey VultureCathartes auraA red-headed soarer you can spot on almost any drive.
Lesser Yellow-headed VultureCathartes burrovianusThe rarest Costa Rican vulture, gliding low over northern wetlands.
OspreyPandion haliaetusSeen at Tárcoles River Mangroves
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsoniiA tiny falcon-like kite perched in plain view on the Pacific slope
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurusA white hawk that hovers over open fields, pastures and towns.
Hook-billed KiteChondrohierax uncinatusA slim, snail-eating kite with a thick hooked bill and a banded tail.
Gray-headed KiteLeptodon cayanensisSeen at Carara National Park
Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatusSeen at Los Quetzales National Park, San Gerardo de Dota
Black Hawk-EagleSpizaetus tyrannusSeen at Braulio Carrillo, Carara National Park, 2 more
Black-and-white Hawk-EagleSpizaetus melanoleucusSeen at Braulio Carrillo
Ornate Hawk-EagleSpizaetus ornatusSeen at Cerro Silencio, Golfito Wildlife Refuge, 2 more
Crested EagleMorphnus guianensisSeen at Corcovado National Park, Tirimbina
Harpy EagleHarpia harpyjaSeen at Corcovado National Park
Gray-bellied HawkAccipiter poliogasterA rare forest hawk recorded only in the northern Caribbean lowlands.
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusSeen at Los Quetzales National Park
Bicolored HawkAstur bicolorA shy grey forest hawk with rusty thighs, known locally as Camaleón.
Cooper's HawkAstur cooperiiSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Northern HarrierCircus hudsoniusA low-gliding winter hawk with a white rump, rare and local here.
Tiny HawkMicrospizias superciliosusOne of the smallest hawks in the world, easily taken for a robin.
Double-toothed KiteHarpagus bidentatusSeen at Carara National Park, La Selva Biological Station
Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensisA graceful gray kite that crosses Costa Rica in migrating flocks.
Plumbeous KiteIctinia plumbeaSeen at Carara National Park, Tárcoles River Mangroves
Crane HawkGeranospiza caerulescensSeen at Carara National Park, Tárcoles River Mangroves
Black-collared HawkBusarellus nigricollisA rusty, pale-headed fishing hawk of Costa Rica's lowland wetlands
Snail KiteRostrhamus sociabilisSeen at Palo Verde National Park
Barred HawkMorphnarchus princepsSeen at Braulio Carrillo
Common Black HawkButeogallus anthracinusSeen at Tárcoles River Mangroves
Savanna HawkButeogallus meridionalisA tall rufous hawk newly settled in the far south Pacific farmland
Great Black HawkButeogallus urubitingaSeen at Braulio Carrillo, Corcovado National Park
Solitary EagleButeogallus solitariusA huge slate-grey eagle of old mountain forest, and one of our hardest raptors.
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisThe small, tame, rufous-barred hawk you will most often spot on a roadside wire.
Harris's HawkParabuteo unicinctusSeen at Carara National Park
White-tailed HawkGeranoaetus albicaudatusLarge white-tailed hawk of Guanacaste savanna and farmland.
White HawkPseudastur albicollisSeen at Braulio Carrillo
Semiplumbeous HawkLeucopternis semiplumbeusSeen at Braulio Carrillo, Tirimbina
Gray HawkButeo plagiatusA pale gray hawk of the dry north, often on roadside wires.
Gray-lined HawkButeo nitidusA small, finely barred gray hawk of southern Costa Rica, watching from poles and snags.
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusCosta Rica's commonest winter hawk and star of the autumn raptor migration
Zone-tailed HawkButeo albonotatusSeen at Arenal Volcano National Park
Short-tailed HawkButeo brachyurusSeen at Carara National Park
Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoniA long-winged migrant hawk that crosses Costa Rica in rivers of birds.
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisA highland hawk with a brick-red tail, soaring over open ground and páramo.
American Barn OwlTyto furcataPale, heart-faced owl of church towers, town squares and open country.
Bare-shanked Screech-OwlMegascops clarkiiSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Tropical Screech-OwlMegascops cholibaSmall streaked owl of gardens and coffee farms, found by ear after dark
Middle American Screech-OwlMegascops guatemalaeSeen at La Selva Biological Station![Puntarenas Screech-Owl (undescribed form) (Megascops [forma sin describir])](https://birdingcostarica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/birdingcostarica/2026/11/puntarenas-screech-owl-undescribed-form-29153.jpg?width=400&height=267&name=puntarenas-screech-owl-undescribed-form-29153.jpg)
Puntarenas Screech-Owl (undescribed form)Megascops [forma sin describir]An undescribed southern screech-owl, known by its whistle more than its looks
Pacific Screech-OwlMegascops cooperiSeen at Caño Negro
Crested OwlLophostrix cristataSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Spectacled OwlPulsatrix perspicillataSeen at Corcovado National Park
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusA very large, ear-tufted owl that is very rare in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium costaricanumSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Central American Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium griseicepsSeen at Tirimbina
Ferruginous Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium brasilianumTiny, whistling daytime owl of dry forest, gardens and coffee farms
Burrowing OwlAthene cuniculariaA very rare wanderer; one confirmed record in 120 years.
Mottled OwlStrix virgataSeen at Arenal Volcano National Park, San Gerardo de Dota
Black-and-white OwlStrix nigrolineataA barred, round-headed owl that hunts bats at forest edges and streetlights.
Striped OwlAsio clamatorLong-eared, white-faced owl of open ground, watched on posts and wires at dusk.
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusA pale-faced owl of open country, known in Costa Rica from only two birds.
Unspotted Saw-whet OwlAegolius ridgwayiSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Laughing FalconHerpetotheres cachinnansA black-masked snake hunter whose booming laugh carries across open country.
Collared Forest-FalconMicrastur semitorquatusSeen at Carara National Park
Slaty-backed Forest-FalconMicrastur mirandolleiSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Barred Forest-FalconMicrastur ruficollisA small forest falcon that barks like a dog and rarely shows itself.
Crested CaracaraCaracara plancusSeen at Palo Verde National Park
Red-throated CaracaraIbycter americanusLoud, glossy black caracara with a red throat, regular only around Golfo Dulce.
Yellow-headed CaracaraDaptrius chimachimaA pale-headed falcon that walks pastures and picks ticks off cattle and tapirs.
American KestrelFalco sparveriusThe smallest falcon in the Americas, watching open country from a wire.
MerlinFalco columbariusA small, fast falcon from the far north, mostly seen in autumn.
Aplomado FalconFalco femoralisA rare falcon of open grassland, here only as a young wanderer.
Bat FalconFalco rufigularisSeen at Carara National Park
Orange-breasted FalconFalco deiroleucusNo validated modern Costa Rican record; probably gone as a breeder.
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusA northern falcon that streams down the Caribbean coast each autumn
Names and status: AOCR Lista Oficial 2025-2026, June 2026 update.
Trips that find them
These trips name at least one raptor or owl on the way. Northern Volcanoes and Wetlands and Dry Forest and the Gulf of Nicoya both name owls.
- Northern Volcanoes and WetlandsSee the itinerary
- Dancing with QuetzalsSee the itinerary
- Carara, the Osa and the QuetzalSee the itinerary
- The Grand Birding CircuitSee the itinerary
- Best of Birding in Costa Rica's CaribbeanSee the itinerary
- Dry Forest and the Gulf of NicoyaSee the itinerary
- Manuel Antonio and the Quetzal ValleySee the itinerary
- Best of Birding in Costa RicaSee the itinerary
- Arenal, the Pacific and the Quetzal ValleySee the itinerary
- Coast to Coast Birding, Tortuguero to the OsaSee the itinerary
- Birding in Costa Rica's Top Three DestinationsSee the itinerary
Is this bird on your list?
Tell us the birds you most want to see, your dates and how you like to travel, and one of our Costa Rica specialists comes back to you personally with a first itinerary built around them. That first version is just a place to start.
Or call us: 1 (800) 996-1139 from the US and Canada, +506 4052-2140 in Costa Rica.