Costa Rica Native BirdPhotos, Pictures, Prints

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Information about Costa Rica native birds

Although Costa Rica is a small country, it boasts a huge number of avian species. The Costa Rican Rare Birds and Records Committee recorded 921 species as of January 2018. This is more species than in all of the United States and Canada combined.

Of these species, seven are endemic, 66 are rare or accidental, and four have been introduced by humans. Another 73 are near-endemic with ranges that include only Costa Rica and Panama. Meanwhile, twenty-three species are globally vulnerable or endangered.

Costa Rica’s geological formation played a large role in the diversity of avian species. North America and South America were initially separate continents. However, a millions of years of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions fused the two continents together. When this happened, species from the north and south poured into the Central American land bridge. Birds like the hummingbird came from the south, while birds like the jay came from the north.

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