People often ask me what my favorite species of bird is. It’s hard to narrow it down from 11,000 possibilities but I often say the Resplendent Quetzal is at the top of my list. It’s also at the top of the list for any birder going to Costa Rica. It can be found in every country in Central America but for some reason it is usually associated with Costa Rica.
Our last trip to Costa Rica in 2018 wasn’t a birding trip but our guide would identify most of the species we saw along the way. One day she asked if anyone would like to get up early the next morning and see a Resplendent Quetzal. Karen and I jumped at the chance and many of the non-birders on the tour were curious about the bird. The Quetzal evidently keeps to a schedule and it usually showed up alongside the road a mile away from our lodging. This is the scene on the road:
That’s not just our tour group but many people showed up in hopes of seeing a Resplendent Quetzal. When it did arrive at 6:20 AM couples hugged and cried in joy at seeing a bird they always dreamed of seeing.
Flash forward six years to our Birding Buddies trip to Costa Rica last April. Although Karen and I had seen one previously the other three members of our group were determined to see. We had our opportunity on one of the last days of our trip at Monteverde National Park. Our guide Mayer checked with a couple of the local guides and found the best place to look. A short hike up the trail from the entrance was a known nesting location for the Quetzal. We spread out a bit and waited in anticipation of one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Close to 30 minutes later Mayer spotted some movement, and sure enough a Resplendent Quetzal appeared!
Although not the perfect bird or the perfect view, it was our #1 Costa Rican Target bird – a Resplendent Quetzal! This was deemed to be an immature male, so it lacked a long tail and its crimson breast was just appearing.
We left the area and continued birding the trails at Monteverde NP and happened upon another Quetzal. This one was somewhat backlit and obscured, but it was a mature male so you can see its crimson breast and its long tail feathers (their feathers average 30 inches long).
Some of our GreatBirdPics members have been to Costa Rica and got some even better shots of Resplendent Quetzals than me so I thought I would share them with you. Bajadreamer was there in 2022 and took this shot of a Quetzal in its environment. I love the punky “hair”!
Asteinmann was there in 2021 and took this long shot of the Quetzal showing it fully developed tail.
Rebecca Bowater was there in 2020 and got this shot of one as it was perched on the trunk of a tree.
So when you go to Costa Rica, what are you going to look for? A Resplendent Quetzal!
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