N is for Neotropical: forests of Costa Rica

Female Great Curassow

Definition of neotropical. : of, relating to, or constituting the tropical New World biogeographic region that extends south, east, and west from the central plateau of Mexico.

Birding in the forests of the Le Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

These Neotropic ecozones are very special, abundant flora and fauna, Martie says this is what the Garden of Eden would look like.

We have been birding on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica at 600m around Arenal Volcano, then dropped down to 50m while birding at Le Selva and we have now come to Pacific side of the country and will be finding high altitude species, at times over 2000m. We have sweated and felt so hot at the low elevations and now we are cool and layering to keep warm.

Johan Fernandez our guide has chosen his spots carefully to optimise these remarkable forest zones and the birds change significantly as we move around.