The best highland birding in Costa Rica is found along the Interamericana between Cartago and San Isidro. To bird the Mountain of Death it is best to have a rental car but others could bus to their lodging on Cerro de la Muerte and hike the nine kilometers to the paramo or take the inexpensive tours offered by the hotel owners.

 The highway snakes up the continental divide with both Pacific and Caribbean slopes on either side. With excellent acommodations, great roadside birding, and public and private trails this is the place to see Costa Rica's paramo and high-elevation avifauna. Other sites such as Volcans Poas and Irazu can be eliminated from your itinerary as these sites will not produce further species. Paramo at the summit (elevation 3,000-3,491 m) is the most easily accessed in the country. The cool winds blow steadily at this elevation; be sure to have a sweater ready even at noon!  This is possibly the most consistent site for Barred Parakeet in Central America and large flocks may be encountered in early morning. The endemic White-throated Mountain-gem is common at hummingbird feeders around the San Gerardo de Dota lodges.

 At the sign for San Gerardo, one-hundred meters past the 80 Km post of the Interamericana, a graded gravel road twists and turns steeply downhill into a beautiful valley and to the community of San Gerardo de Dota. Here, the better accommodations for birding the surrounding highlands are found. The admired Resplendant Quetzal is found with comparitive ease amid the giant oaks and avocado trees in some of the most splendid scenery in the country. The oaks at Km 3 and the avocado trees at Km 5.2 along the road harbour quetzals. Elegant Euphonia are found in treed gardens. The road may possibly be too steep for underpowered vehicles. Be sure to use the lowest gear or reverse the car uphill. The hotels charge US$10 for rides from Km 80.

42  CERRO DE LA MUERTE

 Highland Tinamou • Kms 58-95                                Albergue Mirador de Quetzals at Km

Spotted Wood-Quail • Kms 58-95                             70; turn and proceed 1 mile almost

Maroon-chested Ground-Dove • Km 95                   guaranteed to see birds; $6 fee.

Sulphur-winged Parakeet • Kms 58-95                    

Barred Parakeet • Kms 58-96.5                                BIRDING SITES                             

Bare-shanked Screech-Owl • Kms 58-95             

Dusky Nightjar • Kms 58-95                              ∆    Km 58 Canon Church & Genesis II

Fiery-throated Hummingbird • 58-95                 ∆    Km 61 4 WD road to Rio Macho

White-throated Mountain-gem • 80-95                     Km 62 A. Montana de Tapanti; obtain

Scintillant Hummingbird • Kms 58-80                        key for gated road on left at Km 66

Volcano Hummingbird • Kms 58-95                   ∆    Km 63 key at store for gate Km 65.8

Resplendent Quetzal • Kms 58-96.7                    ∆    Km 65.8 road on right leads to cloud

Ruddy Treerunner • Kms 58-95                               forest with large oaks

Buffy Tuftedcheek • Kms 58-96.7                      ∆    Km 66 road to stunted forest

Streak-breasted Treehunter • Kms 58-95            ∆    Km 70 Mirador de Quetzals

Silvery-fronted Tapaculo • Kms 58-95                ∆    Km 70.4 bamboo

Ochraceous Pewee • Kms 58-96.7                     ∆    Km 77 bamboo at Restaurant

Black-capped Flycatcher • Kms 58-95                      Chespirito at village of Oja de Agua

Silvery-throated Jay • Kms 58-96.7                     ∆    Km 80 bamboo

Ochraceous Wren • Kms 58-95                         ∆    Km 80.1 road to San Gerardo hotels

Timberline Wren • Kms 80-95 (bamboo)               ∆    Km 86 powerline at edge of paramo

Mountain Robin • Kms 58-95                             ∆    Km 88.5 paramo 3337 m; road on left

Sooty Robin • Kms 80-95                                   ∆    Km 89 El Torres Restaurant

Black-faced Solitaire • Kms 80-95                      ∆    Km 89.3 road 1 1/2 km-long road to

Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush • 58-80                towers on highest point

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush • 58-95              ∆    Km 90 excellent site

Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher • 58-95          ∆    Km 95 La Georgina Hotel

Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher  • Km  58-95           ∆    Km 95.1 La Georgina trail

Yellow-winged Vireo • Kms 65.8-95                   ∆    Km 96.5 road to Villa Mills School

Flame-throated Warbler • Kms 58-95                 ∆    Km 96.7 road red metal pole-gate

Collared Redstart • Kms 58-95                           ∆    Km 97 road joins above down to oaks

Black-cheeked Warbler • Kms 58-95                 ∆    Km 107 is small village of Division

Wrenthrush • Kms 58-95 (bamboo)                             (3.5 km west Avalon Reserva Privada)

Golden-browed Chlorophonia • 80-95                     

Spangle-cheeked Tanager • Kms 58-80

Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager • Kms 58-95                ACCOMMODATIONS

Black-thighed Grosbeak • Kms 58-80                      

Blue Seedeater • Kms 66-95 (bamboo)                  ∆    ***          Albergue de Montana Savegre

Slaty Finch • Km 77                                         ∆    ***          Trogon Lodge

Peg-billed Finch • Kms 58-95                             ∆    **            Albergue de Montana Tapanti

Slaty Flowerpiercer • Kms 58-95                        ∆    *             Cabinas El Quetzal

Large-footed Finch • Kms 58-95                        ∆    *             Genesis II

Yellow-thighed Finch • Kms 58-95                     ∆                   La Georgina Hotel

Volcano Junco • Kms 80-95                               ∆                   Avalon Reserva Privada

Yellow-bellied Siskin • Kms 77-95                       

MUERTE, CHIRRIPO, LA ARMASTAD  43

 Sites along the Interamericana en route to                   ROAD CONDITIONS

the Cerro de la Muerte (below Km 58) such               

as El Empalme harbour few species not                      The Interamericana is paved with

found in the montane oak forests between                   sporatic potholes from Cartago

Kms 61-80. These species can be found                      through San Isidro. There are a few

with less effort at other lower montane                        washed out sections and slides

rainforest sites such as Tapanti.                                  that cause one-lane traffic signed

                                                                                 derrumbes en la via. Do not pass

                                                                                 in these areas.

 ∆ ∆ ∆  Parque Nacional Chirripo

Chirripo is one of Costa Rica's largest parks at 50,150 hectares. Most of the park is above 2,000 meters and contains the countries highest peak. There are hiking trails and three simple mountain huts (US$2.50 nightly; reservations required but seldom full with up to 60 beds each). No camping allowed!  Driving from San Isidro, continue 1/2 km south on the Interamericana crossing both the Rios San Isidro and Jilguero. Look for a steep turn up to the left 300 meters beyond the Jilguero bridge with a sign Pollo Brasilia opposite. A few hundred meters down the road there are further signs. The road is paved to Rivas (halfway point), then steep and gravelled but passable to ordinary cars. A ranger station is found after driving 21 km, one km below the small village of San Gerardo de Rivas (elevation 1,350 meters). You can park your car safely at the ranger station and walk the remaning distance. There is a restriction of 40 visitors a day into the reserve; tel. 257-2239 for information. Just above the ranger station (pay US$6 fee; open 5 am to 5 pm daily) the road forks. Take the right fork to San Gerardo de Rivas where you will find the simple Restaurant Roca Dura Cafe for meals. A well-marked but strenuous 15 kilometer, 10-hour trail leads up to the summit of Cerro Chirripo at 3,820 meters. Be aware of the possibility of altitude sickness and cautious of the extreme temperature variables. Passing through pasturelands outside the park, the trail ascends through tropical lower montane and then montane rainforest. The evergreen oak forests harbour trees that reach 50 meters in height with heavy epiphytic growth and thick bamboo and fern understories. At the summit is wind-swept paramo. Obviously most birders will just explore the lower sectors, the first few kilometers of trail, which are excellent for numerous bird species including Resplendant Quetzal, Buffy Tuftedcheek and Flame-throated Warbler.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆  Parque Nacional La Armastad

Combined with Chirripo and several biological reserves, this is the largest protected area in Costa Rica, some 600,000-hectares. La Armistad itself has 193,929 hectares, half of which extends into Panama. Remote, this World Heritage Site protects nine life zones with habitats from rainforest at 200 meters to paramo at 3,549 meters. With such diversity there is an avifaunal list of about 500 species. As development is nonexistant, only those wishing an uncomfortable night of camping will be interested. As with other parks entrance fee is US$6 and camping is US$2 with no one to collect. Park headquarters is at Progreso, near the Zona Protectora Las Tablas. The only "developed" site is reached from Progreso where a nine-km trail heads uphill into the Las Tablas area where you can camp and watch birds. (See San Vito map).

GUANACASTE  45

Vast plains of savannah, rolling hills, towering volcanoes, extensive marshes, endless blue skies, and a low population density. For those who love dry environments, this region will soon become your favourite region of Costa Rica. Shady gallery forests along quiet rivers are reminescent of Arizona's wooded canyons and the humidless, warm morning air so much more comfortable than the damp forests of the highlands and the humid lowland rainforests of the Caribbean and Southwest. However, the blazing sun at high-noon drives man and beast into the generous shade created by the unmistakable umbrella-shaped Guanacaste tree, a tree which often grows in complete isolation on the rolling terrain. The aridity is accentuated by the hot dry winds sweeping in from the Pacific. In the dry season, many rivers dry.

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