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Alajuela

explore alajuela provinceVolcano Views & Northern Discoveries

Alajuela connects the Central Valley with northern landscapes of farms, forests and volcanic scenery. Explore beyond a single stop and discover how changing elevation shapes the places families visit.

Explore with Pico & Tati
Follow Pico and Tati’s curiosity from a town square to a forest path. The province includes Alajuela city, the Poás area and La Fortuna in San Carlos, with very different settings for learning together.

Explore the Towns & Cities

Must-See Places

Poás Volcano National Park

Discover volcanic crater scenery from authorized viewpoints. Confirm current access restrictions before planning a visit.

Arenal Volcano National Park

Marked visitor trails offer a way to explore the landscape around Arenal. Observe volcanic rock and forest from permitted routes; the volcano summit is not a visitor hiking destination.

La Fortuna Waterfall

A waterfall outing connects moving water with forest observation. The approach includes many steps; consider your family’s mobility and energy before visiting and follow staff guidance near the water.

Río Celeste — Tenorio Visitor Sector

Discover the river’s distinctive color on the authorized Bijagua-area route. Follow park rules; swimming is prohibited inside.

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

Explore northern wetlands with an authorized operator and look for birds along the waterways.

Juan Castro Blanco National Park

Discover upland forests and water-source conservation. Arrange access through an authorized visitor sector.

Juan Santamaría Historical Cultural Museum

Explore Costa Rican history in Alajuela through exhibits connected with national memory and identity.

Sarchí Oxcart Workshops

Look closely at painted oxcart designs and discover the skill behind a celebrated Costa Rican craft.

Zarcero Topiary Garden

Discover clipped green arches and imaginative plant shapes in the garden beside Zarcero’s church.

Grecia’s Metal Church

Notice the red metal exterior of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes and its distinctive place in Grecia.

More Places to Discover

Sarchí

A town associated with Costa Rica’s painted oxcart and craft traditions. Discover the stories behind the patterns.

Zarcero

A highland community that adds gardens and rural scenery to a journey through Alajuela.

Grecia

Explore local streets, community life and the cultural landscape of the Central Valley.

Alajuela Weather
A local reference forecast. Conditions vary across Alajuela province.

ALAJUELA WEATHER

local life + planning tipsA Little Provincial Know-How

Choose a base that fits the places you want to explore. Alajuela city and the northern part of the province are not one compact visitor area. Plan a manageable route and allow time for weather, road conditions and unhurried stops.

  • Allow around 3 hours from SJO Airport to La Fortuna, with extra time for traffic, weather and stops.
  • Pack a lightweight rain jacket and quick-drying clothes for forest walks and changing weather.
  • Bring closed-toe walking shoes with good grip for wet trails, hanging bridges and volcanic terrain.
  • Reserve guided tours and popular attractions ahead, and check each park’s entry requirements.
  • Leave time between activities to enjoy local restaurants, town centers and stops along the route.

Both names are used. Alajuela city is one place within a much larger province extending north. Check the exact town and meeting point when arranging a visit.

No. They are different volcanic areas. The Arenal area is associated with La Fortuna in San Carlos; Poás is closer to the Central Valley. Plan their routes separately.

No. A volcano visit is about landscape, geology and the protected environment. Visibility and permitted access change; do not plan around promotional promises of lava or an eruption.

Consult SINAC’s current information and official booking service before traveling. Access to an active volcanic area can change, and a reservation does not guarantee clear views.

Choose a few experiences near your base and leave time between them. Confirm the actual entrance, meeting point, transport and facilities rather than relying only on a map pin.

Use SINAC’s current park information and official reservation service at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr. Individual sectors can have different access and booking arrangements.

No. The forecast shown here is for the named reference town. Coastal, valley and mountain conditions can differ; check the forecast for your actual destination before each outing.

Use authorized routes, carry out rubbish and observe wildlife without feeding or touching it. Ask permission before entering private property and support hosts who respect local communities and habitats.

things to doLittle Adventure Ideas Across Alajuela

Explore Historic Town Centers

Walk through a town’s central plaza, visit its church and explore nearby markets, museums and historic buildings. Stop at a bakery or family-run café to try something local and make the town center part of your day’s adventure.

Discover Volcanoes & Crater Views

Explore volcanic landscapes through crater viewpoints, lava trails and visitor exhibits. Learn how eruptions shaped the surrounding mountains and valleys, then combine your visit with nearby forest walks or a guided experience at a volcanic national park.

Go Birdwatching in the Forest

Join a guided birdwatching walk or explore a forest reserve with binoculars. Discover birds along canopy viewpoints, forest trails and woodland edges. A local guide can help identify species and explain their feeding habits, nesting behavior and role in the forest.

Visit a Coffee, Cacao or Fruit Farm

Discover how familiar foods begin as plants on a guided farm tour. Explore coffee-growing slopes, visit a cacao plantation or learn about tropical fruit. Depending on the experience, families can see harvesting demonstrations, follow production steps and sample locally grown products.

Explore Forest Trails & Hanging Bridges

Walk through rainforest or cloud forest on established trails, with routes ranging from short loops to longer guided hikes. Choose an experience featuring hanging bridges, waterfall viewpoints or canopy platforms to explore different levels of the forest.

Taste Local Food & Family Recipes

Visit a town market, eat at a traditional soda or join a family-friendly cooking experience. Try dishes such as gallo pinto, handmade tortillas or a casado, and discover the ingredients and preparation methods behind the food on your plate.

Create a Landscape Sketch

Bring a sketchbook to a mountain viewpoint, town plaza or coastal overlook. Draw the scene’s main features, then add colors, textures and a place name. Create a family collection of drawings from the destinations you explore together.

Build Your Explorer’s Field Journal

Turn your outings into a personal field guide with wildlife sketches, plant drawings and descriptions of the places you visit. Add species names you learn from guides, record the date and location, and create a page for each new destination.

Explore Nature Field Guide cards from this province and the surrounding travel regions named below. Habitats and species vary by locality.

Nature Field Guide

Nature & Wildlife Around Alajuela

Discover wildlife, plants and natural wonders across Alajuela and the wider Central Valley and Northern Plains.

100 profiles

Nature Field Guide

Almendro de Rio

Spanish name
Almendro de río / Almendro de montaña
Scientific name
Andira inermis
Trees Rivers & Streams · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Purple flower clusters stand out against a dense green crown.”

Tati: “Let’s notice the leaves, flowers and habitat without disturbing the plant.”

Identification

Key Features of the Almendro de Rio

  • Pinnate compound leaves

  • Clusters of lavender-purple flowers

  • Oval fruits and a dense leafy crown

Habitat & range

Dry and humid forests across both slopes, including Guanacaste, Nicoya, the Central Valley, Caribbean lowlands and Osa.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult on permitted paths. Observe and photograph without picking leaves, flowers or fruits. Do not taste plants or let pets chew them. Avoid climbing trees and disturbing roots, seedlings or visiting wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect suitable habitat, mature trees and natural regeneration. Avoid trampling, unauthorized clearing and collection.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

American Snail-eater

Spanish name
Caracolera articulada
Scientific name
Dipsas articulata
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the American Snail-eater

  • Slender body and narrow neck

  • Relatively large head and eyes

  • Dark blotches on a lighter background

Habitat & range

Humid forest and foothill vegetation on the Caribbean slope and in southwestern Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Anhinga

Spanish name
Aninga o pato aguja
Scientific name
Anhinga anhinga
Birds · Coastal Birds · Wetland Birds Freshwater · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

A long neck rises above the water like a question mark. Pico waits while Tati looks for the rest of the bird.

Identification

Key Features of the Anhinga

  • Very long slender neck

  • Straight pointed bill

  • Long tail and pale wing markings

  • Often rests with wings spread

Habitat & range

Scan sheltered freshwater wetlands and wooded lagoon margins for swimming birds or a resting bird on a branch. Observe from a permitted viewpoint.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Annulated Tree Boa

Spanish name
Boa arborícola anillada
Scientific name
Corallus annulatus
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Annulated Tree Boa

  • Brownish body with dark ringlike markings

  • Broad head and climbing posture

  • Tail used around branches

Habitat & range

Caribbean lowland wet forest and adjoining northern humid lowlands, including studied populations in northeastern Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Arenal Volcano

Spanish name
Volcán Arenal
Scientific name
Volcanoes Volcanic Landscape

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Join Pico and Tati to discover Volcán Arenal and learn how volcanoes help shape Costa Rica.

Identification

Key Features of the Arenal Volcano

  • A steep cone-shaped silhouette.

  • Gray volcanic rock above green slopes.

  • Old lava formations along designated park trails.

Habitat & range

Near La Fortuna de San Carlos, Alajuela, in the northern plains.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult. Follow staff instructions, authorized trails, barriers and closures. Leave rocks, plants and wildlife in place and carry out litter. Do not climb the volcanic cone or enter its restricted surroundings.

Plan Your Visit

Arenal Volcano National Park — main visitor entrance

Get Directions ↗

Getting There

From La Fortuna, follow Route 142 toward Lake Arenal and the signed national-park entrance. Start your walk at the ranger entrance and use the marked visitor trails.

Before You Go

This destination is the national-park visitor entrance. It is not a summit trail. Confirm current entry arrangements and open trails with SINAC.
Visit information reviewed October 8, 2026. Confirm current access before travel.

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Nature Field Guide

Baird’s Tapir

Spanish name
Danta
Scientific name
Tapirus bairdii
Mammals Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its nose can reach the leaves!”

Tati: “Let’s keep the path open and give it plenty of room.”

Endangered

Identification

Key Features of the Baird’s Tapir

  • Large dark body and short flexible snout.

  • Pale edges around the ears.

  • Young calves have pale spots and stripes.

Habitat & range

Corcovado National Park’s forest and wetland landscape, including the Sirena area. Puerto Jiménez, Bahía Drake and Carate are gateways.

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

Threats & pressures

Habitat clearing and fragmentation, hunting and vehicle collisions threaten tapirs. Slow reproduction limits rapid recovery.

Conservation assessment

Global IUCN category as reported by the linked source, checked 7 October 2026. The source does not give an assessment year here. National legal protection and local abundance are separate questions.

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Nature Field Guide

Baltimore Oriole

Spanish name
Bolsero norteño
Scientific name
Icterus galbula
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Did that bird travel here?”

Tati: “Baltimore orioles connect Costa Rica with places farther north.”

Identification

Key Features of the Baltimore Oriole

  • Male orange body and black head

  • White wingbar

  • Slender pointed bill

Habitat & range

A migrant and nonbreeding visitor, generally September to early May. Occurs on both slopes, especially the northern Pacific and Central Valley, in wooded gardens, edges and plantations.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Migrants depend on suitable habitat across their full annual journey. Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Banana

Spanish name
Banano
Scientific name
Musa spp. (dessert banana cultivars)
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That banana plant looks like a tree!”

Tati: “Its stem is made from layers of leaf bases.”

Identification

Key Features of the Banana

  • Very broad elongated leaves

  • A thick pseudostem made from leaf bases

  • Fruit arranged in hands within a hanging bunch

  • New shoots near the base

Habitat & range

Humid cultivated lowlands. CORBANA documents farms in the Caribbean, Sarapiquí and Parrita; these correspond to Caribbean, Northern Plains and Central Pacific tags.

Conservation & care

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Banded Peacock Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa pavo real bandeada
Scientific name
Anartia fatima
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the banded peacock butterfly!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Banded Peacock Butterfly

  • Brown wings

  • pale band across wings

  • reddish accents toward hindwings

Habitat & range

Forest paths, edges and nearby vegetation in Guanacaste. Local habitat and abundance vary.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Bare-necked Umbrellabird

Spanish name
Pájaro sombrilla
Scientific name
Cephalopterus glabricollis
Birds Cloud Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That crest makes such an unusual shape!”

Tati: “We can learn about a shy bird without following it.”

Endangered

Identification

Key Features of the Bare-necked Umbrellabird

  • Large dark bird with a heavy crest.

  • Short, square tail.

  • Male and female throat structures differ.

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean-facing foothills and adjacent lowlands, with seasonal movement into montane breeding forest. Guanacaste refers to humid mountain slopes, not its dry coastal plain.

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

Threats & pressures

UCAN identifies forest fragmentation and climate pressures on seasonal fruit availability as conservation concerns.

Conservation assessment

UCAN identifies the species as Endangered. Source checked 7 October 2026. This is a global species category, not a count of birds in the tagged towns.

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Nature Field Guide

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

Spanish name
Garza tigre cuellinuda
Scientific name
Tigrisoma mexicanum
Birds · Coastal Birds · Herons & Egrets Estuary & Mangroves · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico wonders where the tiger is hiding. Tati points to the fine patterns on a very watchful heron.

Identification

Key Features of the Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

  • Bare yellow throat patch

  • Adult finely barred neck and body

  • Gray cheeks and greenish legs

  • Young birds have bold brown bands

Habitat & range

Scan shallow water, quiet mangrove channels and vegetated wetland margins from an established viewpoint. Follow a local guide’s directions around estuaries.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Barva Volcano

Spanish name
Volcán Barva
Scientific name
Volcanoes Volcanic Landscape

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Join Pico and Tati to discover Volcán Barva and learn how volcanoes help shape Costa Rica.

Identification

Key Features of the Barva Volcano

  • A crater lake surrounded by forest.

  • Mossy trees and damp vegetation.

  • Mist around rounded forested slopes.

Habitat & range

Heredia province, in the Barva sector of Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult. Follow staff instructions, authorized trails, barriers and closures. Leave rocks, plants and wildlife in place and carry out litter. Stay on marked forest trails and out of the crater lake.

Plan Your Visit

Braulio Carrillo National Park — Barva sector entrance

Get Directions ↗

Getting There

Approach via Heredia, Barva, San José de la Montaña, Paso Llano and Sacramento. SINAC recommends a four-wheel-drive vehicle. From the entrance, walk the marked trails toward Laguna Barva.

Before You Go

Check the final road conditions and reservation requirements before leaving. This is a cool, wet mountain hike; bring suitable footwear and rain protection.
Visit information reviewed October 8, 2026. Confirm current access before travel.

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Nature Field Guide

Belt’s Eyed Silk Moth

Spanish name
Polilla de ojos de Belt
Scientific name
Automeris belti
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the belt’s eyed silk moth!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Belt’s Eyed Silk Moth

  • Leaf-like forewings

  • large eye spots on hindwings

  • stout fuzzy body

Habitat & range

Forest paths, edges and nearby vegetation in Guanacaste. Local habitat and abundance vary.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Big-headed Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de cabeza ancha / Anolis jaspeado
Scientific name
Anolis capito
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Big-headed Anole

  • Broad relatively large head

  • Mottled brown, olive or greenish body

  • Stout build and bark-colored camouflage

Habitat & range

Shaded Caribbean-slope forest and southwestern rainforest; also documented in humid forest at Rincón de la Vieja.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not catch, chase, touch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, rocks and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Black Vulture

Spanish name
Zopilote negro
Scientific name
Coragyps atratus
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Which vulture is that one?”

Tati: “Look for the short tail and pale patches just at the wingtips.”

Identification

Key Features of the Black Vulture

  • Bare dark head

  • Short rounded tail

  • White patches at outer wingtips

Habitat & range

Widespread over towns and open landscapes from the coast into the mountains, becoming less frequent above about 2000 m. A regional tag does not identify a nesting site.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Black Witch Moth

Spanish name
Polilla bruja
Scientific name
Ascalapha odorata
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the black witch moth!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Black Witch Moth

  • Broad dark brown wings

  • fine wavy lines

  • small curled forewing markings

Habitat & range

Forest paths, edges and nearby vegetation in Guanacaste. Local habitat and abundance vary.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Black Wood Turtle

Spanish name
Tortuga negra
Scientific name
Rhinoclemmys funerea
Reptiles Freshwater · Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the black wood turtle. Draw the major shell scutes from a photograph. Compare the outline with the painted wood turtle.

Identification

Key Features of the Black Wood Turtle

  • Dark shell and dark head.

  • Feet adapted to life around freshwater.

  • A hard shell divided into visible scutes.

Habitat & range

Humid lowland freshwater habitats such as streams, ponds and swamp forest, particularly Caribbean drainage areas.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Black-bellied Plover

Spanish name
Chorlito gris
Scientific name
Pluvialis squatarola
Birds · Coastal Birds · Shorebirds Beach · Estuary & Mangroves · Sand & Mud Flats

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico expects a black belly. Tati’s winter bird has a pale belly and a very different outfit.

Identification

Key Features of the Black-bellied Plover

  • Large round-headed plover

  • Short stout dark bill

  • Gray upperparts and pale nonbreeding belly

  • Dark armpit patch visible in natural flight

Habitat & range

Scan exposed shoreline feeding areas and nearby resting places with binoculars. The tide changes which flats are available; remain on a safe established route.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Spanish name
Martinete coroninegro
Scientific name
Nycticorax nycticorax
Birds Estuary & Mangroves · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “This heron looks shorter and rounder than the others!”

Tati: “It may be resting now and feeding later.”

Identification

Key Features of the Black-crowned Night-Heron

  • Stocky body and short-looking neck.

  • Adult: black crown and back, gray wings.

  • Young: brown plumage with pale spots.

Habitat & range

Wetland and mangrove populations include the Tempisque and Gulf of Nicoya landscape and local Caribbean lowlands. Resident birds and seasonal visitors both occur.

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

Threats & pressures

Wetland drainage, development and contaminated runoff can degrade habitat and water quality.

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Nature Field Guide

Black-faced Solitaire

Spanish name
Jilguero / Solitario carinegro
Scientific name
Myadestes melanops
Birds Cloud Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “The song seems to be coming from a different place now!”

Tati: “Listening is a discovery, even without a photograph.”

Identification

Key Features of the Black-faced Solitaire

  • Slate-gray body and dark face.

  • A distinctive, varied mountain-forest song.

  • Singer may stay low and move within vegetation.

Habitat & range

Humid mountain forest on both slopes; after breeding some birds descend into Caribbean foothills and lowlands. Broad lowland tags represent seasonal forest habitat, not general abundance.

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Black-necked Stilt

Spanish name
Cigüeñuela cuellinegra
Scientific name
Himantopus mexicanus
Birds · Coastal Birds · Shorebirds Estuary & Mangroves · Sand & Mud Flats · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Those pink legs look almost too long for Pico’s page. Tati turns the journal upright to draw the whole bird.

Identification

Key Features of the Black-necked Stilt

  • Very long pink legs

  • Thin straight black bill

  • White underparts with dark back and hindneck

Habitat & range

Scan exposed shoreline feeding areas and nearby resting places with binoculars. The tide changes which flats are available; remain on a safe established route.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Blue Morpho

Spanish name
Mariposa morfo azul
Scientific name
Morpho helenor
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the blue morpho!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Blue Morpho

  • Brilliant blue upper wings with broad dark margins

  • brown underside with eye spots

Habitat & range

Forest paths, edges and nearby vegetation in Guanacaste. Local habitat and abundance vary.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Blue-gray Tanager

Spanish name
Tangara azuleja
Scientific name
Thraupis episcopus
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It looks like a piece of the sky!”

Tati: “Let’s see where the blue is pale and where it is brighter.”

Identification

Key Features of the Blue-gray Tanager

  • Powder blue-gray body

  • Brighter blue wings and shoulder

  • Dark eye and stout bill

Habitat & range

Widespread in gardens, towns and semi-open wooded areas, mainly below about 2000 m. In the dry northwest it is less frequent and associated with moister sites near homes.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Blunt-headed Tree Snake

Spanish name
Serpiente bejuquillo cabezona
Scientific name
Imantodes cenchoa
Reptiles Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the blunt-headed tree snake. From a photograph, compare the widths of the head and neck. Do not move foliage to look for a snake.

Identification

Key Features of the Blunt-headed Tree Snake

  • Very slender body.

  • Head noticeably wider than the neck.

  • Large eyes and brown blotches on a pale background.

Habitat & range

Humid forest understory, vines and shrubs.

Conservation & care

Never approach, touch, catch or try to move any snake, even if it appears harmless or dead. Keep children and pets away, step back calmly and tell an adult or guide. Do not use colors, head shape or this card to judge safety.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Boat-billed Heron

Spanish name
Chocuaco o picocuchara
Scientific name
Cochlearius cochlearius
Birds · Coastal Birds · Herons & Egrets Estuary & Mangroves · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

That broad bill looks unlike the pointed bills Pico has drawn. Tati adds a new shape to the explorer journal.

Identification

Key Features of the Boat-billed Heron

  • Very broad boat-shaped bill

  • Large dark eyes and black crown

  • Stocky body with gray back

Habitat & range

Scan shallow water, quiet mangrove channels and vegetated wetland margins from an established viewpoint. Follow a local guide’s directions around estuaries.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Bridled Anole

Spanish name
Anolis con bridas
Scientific name
Anolis frenatus
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What can we learn from this reptile’s shape?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its markings and habitat while leaving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Bridled Anole

  • Large tree anole with long legs

  • Dark oblique markings on greenish tones

  • Pale interorbital head bar

Habitat & range

Lowland wet forest at scattered Caribbean-slope and southwestern Pacific localities.

Conservation & care

Observe from permitted paths with an adult. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, stones, logs and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and give animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect natural shelters and connected habitat. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in its habitat and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Brown Basilisk

Spanish name
Basilisco café
Scientific name
Basiliscus vittatus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the brown basilisk. Make a three-column comparison of the common, green and brown basilisk using verified photographs.

Identification

Key Features of the Brown Basilisk

  • Brown or olive body with pale side stripes.

  • Long tail and slender limbs.

  • Adult males can have a head crest without the green basilisk’s tall body sails.

Habitat & range

Lowland forest edges, streamside vegetation and disturbed wooded habitats, including Caribbean areas.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Brown Wood Turtle

Spanish name
Tortuga de bosque / Montañera
Scientific name
Rhinoclemmys annulata
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Brown Wood Turtle

  • Domed brown shell

  • Strong walking legs with claws

  • Forest-floor rather than open-water setting

Habitat & range

Caribbean-drainage rainforest and northern lowland habitat; Tortuguero is a documented protected-area example.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not catch, chase, touch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, rocks and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth

Spanish name
Perezoso de tres dedos
Scientific name
Bradypus variegatus
Mammals Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That shape looks like part of the tree!”

Tati: “Let’s use binoculars and give it time.”

Identification

Key Features of the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth

  • Three claws on each forelimb, if naturally visible.

  • Rounded face with a dark eye mask.

  • Gray-brown fur may have a greenish appearance.

Habitat & range

Manuel Antonio National Park and the studied cacao landscape at FINMAC, Pueblo Nuevo / Villa Francia, Limón.

Seasonal Calendar

Observed birth concentration

FINMAC cacao landscape, Pueblo Nuevo / Villa Francia

Jan, Feb, Mar

In 2010–2012, 59% of observed births occurred in these months; births also occurred outside this window.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

Threats & pressures

Forest loss breaks canopy connections. Caribbean research identifies risks from domestic dogs and emphasizes retaining riverside forest and living fences.

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Nature Field Guide

Cacao

Spanish name
Cacao
Scientific name
Theobroma cacao
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Chocolate starts with a tree!”

Tati: “Let's look for pods growing on the trunk.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cacao

  • Large oval leaves

  • Ribbed pods attached to trunk or large branches

  • Tiny flowers on woody parts of the tree

  • Opened pods reveal seeds surrounded by pale pulp

Habitat & range

Humid cacao farms in the Caribbean, Northern Plains and South Pacific. The national cacao plan identifies Talamanca, Upala and Limón among important production cantons.

Conservation & care

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Cacomistle

Spanish name
Ostoche
Scientific name
Bassariscus sumichrasti
Mammals Cloud Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

A cacomistle's long ringed tail is a memorable clue.

Identification

Key Features of the Cacomistle

  • Slender body, pointed face and relatively large ears.

  • Very long bushy tail with alternating pale and dark bands.

  • Usually associated with wooded habitat and climbing.

Habitat & range

Evergreen and mountain forests, with some use of seasonally dry forest.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult or local guide. Observe quietly from a distance, stay on established trails and leave shelter undisturbed. Do not feed, touch, capture or corner wildlife. Keep pets away.

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Nature Field Guide

Caída del Cielo Waterfall

Spanish name
Catarata Caída del Cielo
Scientific name
Waterfalls Freshwater · Rivers & Streams

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Join Pico and Tati to discover Caída del Cielo Waterfall and learn how water shapes Costa Rica’s landscapes.

Identification

Key Features of the Caída del Cielo Waterfall

  • Water color that varies with viewing conditions.

  • A mountain setting.

  • Vegetation and uneven terrain along the approach.

Habitat & range

Toro Amarillo / Bajos del Toro area, Alajuela. Look for the waterfall’s river, rock formations and surrounding vegetation from approved viewing areas.

Conservation & care

Visit with an adult and follow the site’s current access rules and staff guidance. Stay on authorized trails and behind barriers. Wet rocks, steep drops, strong currents and sudden rises in water can be dangerous. Do not jump from waterfalls or climb wet rock faces. Enter water only where explicitly permitted and conditions are approved by site staff. Leave plants, rocks and wildlife undisturbed and carry out all litter.

Plan Your Visit

Catarata Caída del Cielo — operator-arranged meeting point

Get Directions ↗

Getting There

Arrange the parking and meeting point with the operator before leaving. The tourism board describes access through a farm, with guides connecting visitors from parking to the trail.

Before You Go

The map is an attraction search, not a verified gate pin. Confirm the exact meeting point with the operator. Expect steep sections and ravines; confirm whether a guide is required and whether the route suits your family.
Visit information reviewed October 8, 2026. Confirm current access before travel.

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Nature Field Guide

Caribbean Least Gecko

Spanish name
Gequito caribeño
Scientific name
Sphaerodactylus homolepis
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Caribbean Least Gecko

  • Tiny body and rounded head

  • Narrow tapering tail

  • Small feet unlike a large wall gecko’s broad pads

Habitat & range

Caribbean-slope lowland forest and northern humid lowlands, including the Sarapiquí area.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, stones and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Carpenter Bees

Spanish name
Abejas carpinteras
Scientific name
Xylocopa spp. — genus card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the carpenter bees!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Carpenter Bees

  • Robust body

  • often shiny abdomen

  • some nest in wood

Habitat & range

Suitable forest, garden or open habitats; distribution varies with habitat and species.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Carpenter’s Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de Carpenter
Scientific name
Anolis carpenteri
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What can we learn from this reptile’s shape?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its markings and habitat while leaving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Carpenter’s Anole

  • Small delicate greenish body

  • Relatively short limbs

  • Slender tail and narrow perch use

Habitat & range

Caribbean-slope humid forest and foothills, including the Reventazón valley and northern Caribbean lowlands.

Conservation & care

Observe from permitted paths with an adult. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, stones, logs and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and give animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect natural shelters and connected habitat. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in its habitat and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Cassava / Yuca

Spanish name
Yuca
Scientific name
Manihot esculenta
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Where is the yuca hiding?”

Tati: “Its storage roots grow beneath the soil.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cassava / Yuca

  • Leaves divided into several narrow lobes

  • Shrubby stems above the soil

  • Thick elongated storage roots below ground

  • Harvested roots have brown skin and pale flesh

Habitat & range

Cultivated farms in the Northern Plains, with documented production in the Caribbean and South Pacific.

Conservation & care

Do not taste raw yuca or its leaves. Preparation must be handled by a knowledgeable adult using appropriate food-processing guidance. Do not pull up farm plants.

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Catarata del Toro

Spanish name
Catarata del Toro
Scientific name
Waterfalls Freshwater · Rivers & Streams

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Join Pico and Tati to discover Catarata del Toro and learn how water shapes Costa Rica’s landscapes.

Identification

Key Features of the Catarata del Toro

  • A deep rocky basin.

  • A tall waterfall within steep walls.

  • Forest and vegetation around the viewpoints.

Habitat & range

Bajos del Toro, Alajuela. Look for the waterfall’s river, rock formations and surrounding vegetation from approved viewing areas.

Conservation & care

Visit with an adult and follow the site’s current access rules and staff guidance. Stay on authorized trails and behind barriers. Wet rocks, steep drops, strong currents and sudden rises in water can be dangerous. Do not jump from waterfalls or climb wet rock faces. Enter water only where explicitly permitted and conditions are approved by site staff. Leave plants, rocks and wildlife undisturbed and carry out all litter.

Plan Your Visit

Catarata del Toro — private reserve entrance

Get Directions ↗

Getting There

Drive first toward Bajos del Toro, then follow the operator’s signs to Catarata del Toro on the main paved road. The operator states that reaching its entrance does not require a dirt-road detour.

Before You Go

Confirm current opening days and admission with the reserve. Swimming is not permitted at Catarata del Toro.
Visit information reviewed October 8, 2026. Confirm current access before travel.

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Nature Field Guide

Ceiba Kapok Tree

Spanish name
Ceiba / Puri
Scientific name
Ceiba pentandra
Trees Rivers & Streams · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Huge buttress roots help make a mature ceiba unforgettable.”

Tati: “Let’s notice the leaves, flowers and habitat without disturbing the plant.”

Identification

Key Features of the Ceiba Kapok Tree

  • Large buttress roots on mature trees

  • Palmate leaves with several narrow leaflets

  • Seed capsules containing silky fibers

Habitat & range

Dry, humid and very wet lowland forests on both slopes, including Pacific, Caribbean and northern lowland landscapes.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult on permitted paths. Observe and photograph without picking leaves, flowers or fruits. Do not taste plants or let pets chew them. Avoid climbing trees and disturbing roots, seedlings or visiting wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect suitable habitat, mature trees and natural regeneration. Avoid trampling, unauthorized clearing and collection.

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Nature Field Guide

Cenizaro Rain Tree

Spanish name
Cenízaro
Scientific name
Samanea saman
Trees Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “An umbrella-shaped crown shelters a world beneath its branches.”

Tati: “Let’s notice the leaves, flowers and habitat without disturbing the plant.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cenizaro Rain Tree

  • Broad umbrella-shaped crown

  • Twice-divided compound leaves

  • Pink-and-white brushlike flowers and dark pods

Habitat & range

Pacific lowlands and open landscapes, also documented in the Northern Plains and around San Ramón.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult on permitted paths. Observe and photograph without picking leaves, flowers or fruits. Do not taste plants or let pets chew them. Avoid climbing trees and disturbing roots, seedlings or visiting wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect suitable habitat, mature trees and natural regeneration. Avoid trampling, unauthorized clearing and collection.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Agouti

Spanish name
Guatusa / Guatuza
Scientific name
Dasyprocta punctata
Mammals Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It is carrying something from the forest floor!”

Tati: “A stored seed might become a tree.”

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Agouti

  • Rounded back, long legs and almost invisible tail.

  • Warm orange-brown to dark brown fur.

  • Often handles food with the forepaws.

Habitat & range

Sierra Zapote’s forest floor in Las Juntas district, Abangares; dry and humid forests can both provide habitat.

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Banded Gecko

Spanish name
Geco bandeado centroamericano
Scientific name
Coleonyx mitratus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What can we learn from this reptile’s shape?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its markings and habitat while leaving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Banded Gecko

  • Dark bands on yellow-tan tones

  • Movable eyelids

  • Clawed toes without broad wall-climbing pads

Habitat & range

Northwestern and western Pacific-slope forests, including Guanacaste and San Luis de Monteverde.

Conservation & care

Observe from permitted paths with an adult. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, stones, logs and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and give animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect natural shelters and connected habitat. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in its habitat and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Boa

Spanish name
Boa o béquer
Scientific name
Boa imperator
Reptiles Farms & Cultivated Land · Rivers & Streams

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the central american boa. Using a photograph, draw three saddle-shaped markings and explain how patterns can blend with a background.

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Boa

  • Heavy body with large brown saddle-like markings.

  • Broad head and a tapering tail.

  • Color and pattern vary between individuals.

Habitat & range

Forests, forest edges and other suitable habitats across Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Never approach, touch, catch or try to move any snake, even if it appears harmless or dead. Keep children and pets away, step back calmly and tell an adult or guide. Do not use colors, head shape or this card to judge safety.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Coral Snake

Spanish name
Coral macho
Scientific name
Micrurus nigrocinctus
Reptiles Farms & Cultivated Land · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the central american coral snake. Create a ring-pattern drawing from a verified photograph. Write the rule: observe snakes from a distance and tell an adult.

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Coral Snake

  • Red, pale and black rings encircling the body.

  • Relatively small head with little separation from the neck.

  • A slender-to-moderately robust cylindrical body.

Habitat & range

Pacific-slope lowlands and premontane areas, including parts of the Central Valley.

Conservation & care

Never approach, touch, catch or try to move any snake, even if it appears harmless or dead. Keep children and pets away, step back calmly and tell an adult or guide. Do not use colors, head shape or this card to judge safety.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Eyelash Pitviper

Spanish name
Bocaracá / Oropel / Toboba de pestañas
Scientific name
Bothriechis nigroadspersus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Eyelash Pitviper

  • Raised eyelash-like scales above the eyes

  • Compact body resting on branches

  • Highly variable colors, including yellow

Habitat & range

Humid lowland and foothill forests on the Caribbean slope and in the Central and South Pacific.

Conservation & care

VENOMOUS. Observe only at a distance with a qualified guide. Never approach, touch, catch or provoke this snake. Keep children and pets well away and do not reach into nearby vegetation or hiding places.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Indigo Snake

Spanish name
Sabanera / Mica
Scientific name
Drymarchon melanurus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Indigo Snake

  • Large robust body

  • Smooth-looking scales

  • Color can become darker toward the tail

Habitat & range

Lowland woodland and open habitats, including Guanacaste and the Pacific slope.

Conservation & care

Observe only from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner or attempt to move any snake. Step back and tell your adult; keep children and pets away. Do not use colors, head shape or pupil shape to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Cicadas

Spanish name
Chicharras
Scientific name
Cicadidae — family card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the cicadas!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cicadas

  • Large transparent wings

  • broad head

  • loud calls from some males

Habitat & range

Suitable forest, garden or open habitats; distribution varies with habitat and species.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Clay-colored Thrush

Spanish name
Mirlo pardo / Yigüirro
Scientific name
Turdus grayi
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That brown bird has a beautiful song!”

Tati: “That is the yigüirro. We can learn its voice as well as its colors.”

Identification

Key Features of the Clay-colored Thrush

  • Warm brown plumage

  • Yellowish bill

  • Fine throat streaks and orange-brown eye

Habitat & range

Widespread across Costa Rica from lowlands to about 2450 m, in gardens, farms, secondary growth and wooded urban areas. Less numerous in the dry northwest and higher mountains.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Clouded Snail-eater

Spanish name
Caracolera nublada
Scientific name
Sibon nebulatus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Clouded Snail-eater

  • Slender climbing body

  • Large rounded head and prominent eyes

  • Irregular dark markings on a lighter body

Habitat & range

Caribbean and Pacific humid forests and edges, including northern lowland wet forest.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa azufre
Scientific name
Phoebis marcellina
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the cloudless sulphur butterfly!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

  • Bright yellow wings

  • lightly marked underside

  • fast flight

Habitat & range

Forest paths, edges and nearby vegetation in Guanacaste. Local habitat and abundance vary.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Coconut

Spanish name
Coco
Scientific name
Cocos nucifera
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Is coconut water the same as coconut milk?”

Tati: “They are different! Let's ask our host to show us.”

Identification

Key Features of the Coconut

  • Tall palm trunk with a crown of featherlike fronds

  • Fruit clusters near the crown

  • A thick fibrous outer husk

  • Hard inner shell around white flesh

Habitat & range

Cultivated palms in the Caribbean and Northern Plains. These tags focus on documented crop production, rather than every ornamental coconut palm on Costa Rica's coasts.

Conservation & care

Do not climb palms or stand beneath hanging coconuts. Let trained adults handle harvesting and opening fruit.

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Coffee

Spanish name
Café
Scientific name
Coffea arabica
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “The coffee bean starts inside a fruit!”

Tati: “Let's find the cherry before we think about the bean.”

Identification

Key Features of the Coffee

  • Glossy leaves arranged in pairs

  • Small fruits clustered along branches

  • Ripe cherries are often red, though some varieties ripen yellow

  • Small white flowers when flowering

Habitat & range

Cultivated farms in several Costa Rican coffee zones, including the Central and Western Valleys, Los Santos, Turrialba, Orosi, Tres Rios, Guanacaste and Brunca. ICAFE also documents production in San Carlos and Sarapiqui, mapped here to Northern Plains. Coffee requires suitable elevation and local growing conditions; a regional tag does not mean all climates within that region are suitable.

Conservation & care

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Collared Aracari

Spanish name
Tucancillo collarejo
Scientific name
Pteroglossus torquatus
Birds Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Is that a little toucan?”

Tati: “An aracari belongs to the toucan family. Its shape and bill give us clues.”

Identification

Key Features of the Collared Aracari

  • Dark head and throat

  • Yellow chest with red and black marks

  • Patterned pale upper bill

Habitat & range

Commoner in Caribbean lowlands and foothills; also occurs locally in the northern Pacific, including Nicoya woodland and lower Guanacaste slopes. Central Valley records are exceptional rather than a core range.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Collared Peccary

Spanish name
Saíno
Scientific name
Dicotyles tajacu
Mammals Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “I can see a pale band near its shoulders!”

Tati: “Let’s step back and leave space for the group.”

Identification

Key Features of the Collared Peccary

  • Pale collar around neck and shoulders.

  • Dark bristly coat and compact hoofed body.

  • Very short tail.

Habitat & range

Reserva Sierra Zapote in Las Juntas district and other dry or humid forest landscapes.

Seasonal Calendar

Breeding possible

Costa Rica; broad natural-history account

Year-round

Reproduction is not confined to a fixed season; local peaks vary with habitat and resources.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

Threats & pressures

Forest loss and fragmentation, hunting and conflict over crops are documented pressures.

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Nature Field Guide

Common Beans

Spanish name
Frijoles
Scientific name
Phaseolus vulgaris
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “The beans are inside a pod!”

Tati: “Let's count the seeds in a sample the farmer shares.”

Identification

Key Features of the Common Beans

  • Leaves made of three leaflets

  • Small flowers with a butterfly-like shape

  • Elongated pods containing seeds

  • Seed color and growth habit vary by variety

Habitat & range

Cultivated farms in the Northern Plains and South Pacific, with documented producer support in Santa Cecilia, La Cruz, Guanacaste. Household gardens and farms elsewhere may also grow beans; these tags are selected cultivation examples rather than a complete crop census.

Conservation & care

Do not eat raw or undercooked dry beans. Let an adult prepare food samples properly. Keep small seeds away from young children who may put them in their mouths.

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Common House Gecko

Spanish name
Geco casero común
Scientific name
Hemidactylus frenatus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Gardens

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Common House Gecko

  • Pale gray-to-beige coloration

  • Broad spreading toe pads

  • Often on walls near night lighting

Habitat & range

Buildings, gardens and disturbed habitats across much of Costa Rica, especially warm lowlands and settled areas. Documented at Tirimbina and San Luis de Monteverde.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, stones and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Prevent accidental transport of introduced geckos and their eggs in belongings or plant materials. Protect native reptile habitats and avoid moving animals between places.

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Nature Field Guide

Common Monkey Lizard

Spanish name
Lagartija de dosel
Scientific name
Polychrus gutturosus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the common monkey lizard. Look at a reference photograph and mark the outline of the tail. Compare its proportions with a basilisk.

Identification

Key Features of the Common Monkey Lizard

  • Laterally flattened body.

  • Long limbs, toes and whip-like tail.

  • Greenish coloration and an expandable throat region.

Habitat & range

Primarily humid forest canopy. A documented Hojancha record extends coverage into Guanacaste, where persistent streamside vegetation provides a moist refuge within the dry landscape. Also documented at Reserva Los Campesinos in San Jose province. Regional occurrence depends on suitable wooded microhabitat.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Common Opossum

Spanish name
Zorro pelón común
Scientific name
Didelphis marsupialis
Mammals Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

The common opossum is a marsupial: its young complete an important part of their development attached to their mother's teats, protected in her pouch.

Identification

Key Features of the Common Opossum

  • Coarse gray to dark fur and a pale pointed face.

  • Dark, largely hairless ears and a pink nose.

  • Long mostly bare tail; other opossums can look similar.

Habitat & range

Forests, wooded edges and some human-modified landscapes.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult or local guide. Observe quietly from a distance, stay on established trails and leave shelter undisturbed. Do not feed, touch, capture or corner wildlife. Keep pets away.

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Nature Field Guide

Common Squirrel-Cuckoo

Spanish name
Cuco ardilla
Scientific name
Piaya cayana
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That tail is longer than I expected!”

Tati: “Follow its movement through the branches without chasing it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Common Squirrel-Cuckoo

  • Rusty upperparts

  • Very long graduated white-tipped tail

  • Greenish-yellow bill

Habitat & range

Widespread in wooded habitats on both slopes, including forest canopy, secondary growth, plantations and tree-rich gardens. It can occur well above the lowlands where trees remain.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Cope’s False Coral Snake

Spanish name
Falsa coral de Cope
Scientific name
Pliocercus euryzonus
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cope’s False Coral Snake

  • Slender banded body

  • Long fine tail

  • Dark head and contrasting reddish markings

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean-slope forests and southern Pacific forest habitats; documented at Tirimbina.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Cope’s Parrot Snake

Spanish name
Lora falsa
Scientific name
Leptophis depressirostris
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cope’s Parrot Snake

  • Slender green body

  • Large eyes with a dark eye stripe

  • Long fine tail

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and northern lowlands and southwestern Pacific rainforest.

Conservation & care

Observe only from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner or attempt to move any snake. Step back and tell your adult; keep children and pets away. Do not use colors, head shape or pupil shape to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Copper Anole

Spanish name
Anolis cobrizo
Scientific name
Anolis cupreus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What can we learn from this reptile’s shape?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its markings and habitat while leaving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Copper Anole

  • Tan-to-coppery brown body

  • Variable spots, bars or darker markings

  • Long tail and low-perching posture

Habitat & range

Northwestern and western Pacific slope, including Guanacaste, Monteverde and Quepos, with populations in the Central Valley.

Conservation & care

Observe from permitted paths with an adult. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, stones, logs and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and give animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect natural shelters and connected habitat. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in its habitat and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Coppery-headed Emerald

Spanish name
Esmeralda de coronilla cobriza
Scientific name
Microchera cupreiceps
Birds Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Does this tiny bird live only in Costa Rica?”

Tati: “Yes. Endemic means its natural range is limited to one place.”

Identification

Key Features of the Coppery-headed Emerald

  • Male coppery crown

  • White outer tail feathers

  • Small size and slightly curved bill

Habitat & range

Costa Rican endemic of humid northern and central mountain slopes, from the Guanacaste range toward the northern Reventazon valley. Seasonal descent occurs; dry coastal Guanacaste is unsuitable.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Corn

Spanish name
Maíz
Scientific name
Zea mays
Agriculture & Crops Farms & Cultivated Land

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “I can see tassels above the leaves!”

Tati: “And the ears grow lower down along the stem.”

Identification

Key Features of the Corn

  • Tall grass with broad leaves along the stem

  • Tassels at the top

  • Ears wrapped in husks along the stem

  • Silks emerging from developing ears

Habitat & range

Cultivated fields and family farms, including Guanacaste, Northern Plains and South Pacific.

Conservation & care

Visit farms only with permission and follow the host's instructions. Stay clear of machinery, chemical applications and working areas. Do not pick or taste plants without a responsible adult and the host's approval.

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Nature Field Guide

Cortez Amarillo

Spanish name
Cortés amarillo / Cortez amarillo
Scientific name
Handroanthus ochraceus
Trees Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Golden trumpet flowers can brighten the branches of an almost leafless tree.”

Tati: “Let’s notice the leaves, flowers and habitat without disturbing the plant.”

Identification

Key Features of the Cortez Amarillo

  • Yellow trumpet-shaped flowers

  • Palmately compound leaves

  • Flowering branches may be nearly leafless

Habitat & range

Seasonally dry Pacific forests and wooded edges, including Guanacaste, the Central Pacific and the Térraba valley.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult on permitted paths. Observe and photograph without picking leaves, flowers or fruits. Do not taste plants or let pets chew them. Avoid climbing trees and disturbing roots, seedlings or visiting wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect suitable habitat, mature trees and natural regeneration. Avoid trampling, unauthorized clearing and collection.

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Nature Field Guide

Costa Rica Forest Rabbit

Spanish name
Conejo de monte de Costa Rica
Scientific name
Sylvilagus gabbi
Mammals Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

The Costa Rica forest rabbit is a native forest rabbit, not a domestic bunny living outdoors.

Least Concern

What does Least Concern mean?

In the linked conservation assessment, this species does not qualify as threatened or near threatened with extinction. It still needs care: local populations and habitats can face problems even when the species has a lower extinction risk overall.

This label describes conservation status. It does not tell us whether a plant is safe for children or pets. Select the status button to read the assessment.

Identification

Key Features of the Costa Rica Forest Rabbit

  • Small brown forest rabbit with a compact body.

  • Relatively short ears and an inconspicuous tail.

  • Use locality and expert advice to distinguish similar rabbits.

Habitat & range

Suitable wooded lowland landscapes and forest cover; local distribution varies.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult or local guide. Observe quietly from a distance, stay on established trails and leave shelter undisturbed. Do not feed, touch, capture or corner wildlife. Keep pets away.

Conservation assessment

Global IUCN category reported by the linked specialist or Mammal Diversity Database account, checked October 2026. Least Concern does not mean there are no threats or that every local population is secure.

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Nature Field Guide

Coyote

Spanish name
Coyote
Scientific name
Canis latrans
Mammals Farms & Cultivated Land · Open Woodland · Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its ears and bushy tail look different from a fox!”

Tati: “A wild animal should keep finding its own food.”

Identification

Key Features of the Coyote

  • Pointed muzzle and large upright ears.

  • Mixed gray-brown coat with paler underside.

  • Bushy tail usually carried low.

Habitat & range

Sierra Zapote’s forest-edge landscape in Las Juntas, Abangares, and other Guanacaste lowlands.

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

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Nature Field Guide

Crested Caracara

Spanish name
Caracara cargahuesos
Scientific name
Caracara plancus
Birds Beach · Farms & Cultivated Land · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That bird of prey is walking!”

Tati: “Caracaras often search on foot. Look at those long legs.”

Identification

Key Features of the Crested Caracara

  • Dark cap and pale neck

  • Orange-red bare face

  • Long legs and hooked bill

Habitat & range

Open northwestern landscapes, pasture, farmland and beaches, with local occurrence around Rio Frio and occasional movement into San Carlos. This conservative set omits occasional Central Valley wanderers.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Damselflies

Spanish name
Caballitos del diablo
Scientific name
Odonata: Zygoptera — group card
Other Insects Freshwater

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the damselflies!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Damselflies

  • Slender body

  • widely separated eyes

  • many fold wings above abdomen

Habitat & range

Vegetation near ponds, wetlands and streams; individual species use different waters.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Decorated Anole

Spanish name
Anolis decorado / Lagartija gigante de bandas
Scientific name
Anolis insignis
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Decorated Anole

  • Large anole with a broad head

  • Green body with pale markings

  • Long tail and tree-perching posture

Habitat & range

Humid foothill and montane forests, including the Guanacaste volcanic range and the central mountains. Documented at San Gerardo Biological Station in Área de Conservación Guanacaste.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not touch, chase, catch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, stones and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Decorated Forest Snake

Spanish name
Hojarasquera rayada
Scientific name
Rhadinaea decorata
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What can we learn from this reptile’s shape?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its markings and habitat while leaving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Decorated Forest Snake

  • Small slender brown body

  • Fine pale and dark lengthwise stripes

  • Forest-floor camouflage

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and Pacific forests and foothills, including northern lowlands and southwestern Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Observe only from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Never touch, catch, feed, corner or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect natural shelters and connected habitat. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in its habitat and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Derby’s Woolly Opossum

Spanish name
Zorro de balsa
Scientific name
Caluromys derbianus
Mammals Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Derby's woolly opossum is a tree-climbing marsupial with soft fur, large eyes and a dark stripe down its pale face.

Identification

Key Features of the Derby’s Woolly Opossum

  • Soft woolly coat, often reddish brown with pale patches.

  • Large eyes and a dark stripe down the center of a pale face.

  • Long gripping tail with a furred base and mostly bare outer portion.

Habitat & range

Humid forests, forest edges and other wooded habitats.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult or local guide. Observe quietly from a distance, stay on established trails and leave shelter undisturbed. Do not feed, touch, capture or corner wildlife. Keep pets away.

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Nature Field Guide

Dragonflies

Spanish name
Libélulas
Scientific name
Odonata: Anisoptera — group card
Other Insects Freshwater

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the dragonflies!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Dragonflies

  • Large eyes

  • two pairs of wings

  • wings usually held open at rest

Habitat & range

Vegetation near ponds, wetlands and streams; individual species use different waters.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Dung Beetles

Spanish name
Escarabajos estercoleros
Scientific name
Scarabaeinae — subfamily card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the dung beetles!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Dung Beetles

  • Compact beetle body

  • digging legs

  • some species roll dung balls

Habitat & range

Suitable forest, garden or open habitats; distribution varies with habitat and species.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

El Ángel Waterfall

Spanish name
Catarata del Ángel
Scientific name
Waterfalls Freshwater · Rivers & Streams

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Join Pico and Tati to discover El Ángel Waterfall and learn how water shapes Costa Rica’s landscapes.

Identification

Key Features of the El Ángel Waterfall

  • A waterfall in the Río Ángel corridor.

  • An upper section visible from certain viewpoints.

  • Vegetation and steep terrain that can hide portions of the falls.

Habitat & range

Near Cariblanco, Río Ángel corridor. Look for the waterfall’s river, rock formations and surrounding vegetation from approved viewing areas.

Conservation & care

Visit with an adult and follow the site’s current access rules and staff guidance. Stay on authorized trails and behind barriers. Wet rocks, steep drops, strong currents and sudden rises in water can be dangerous. Do not jump from waterfalls or climb wet rock faces. Enter water only where explicitly permitted and conditions are approved by site staff. Leave plants, rocks and wildlife undisturbed and carry out all litter.

Plan Your Visit

Cariblanco / La Isla — El Ángel waterfall viewing area

Get Directions ↗

Getting There

Use Cariblanco as the approach area and arrange the exact viewing or trail meeting point with a local guide. The tourism board describes views from parts of the highway around La Isla.

Before You Go

This map is an approach-area search, not a verified public entrance. Confirm land permission and current trail access before walking along the Ángel River. This is El Ángel near Cariblanco, not El Ángel Gabriel in San Ramón.
Visit information reviewed October 8, 2026. Confirm current access before travel.

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Nature Field Guide

Elephant Beetle

Spanish name
Escarabajo elefante
Scientific name
Megasoma elephas
Other Insects Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the elephant beetle!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Elephant Beetle

  • Large rounded beetle

  • fine golden body hairs

  • males have a forward horn

Habitat & range

Most often associated with lowland wooded habitats; larvae develop in decaying wood and damp plant material. A documented Tortuguero record supports Caribbean rainforest habitat. A Costa Rican specialist account places most records below 500 m, with some to 1,500 m. Existing broad region tags require further locality checks and should not be read as presence throughout the highlands.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Expanded Lobster Claw

Spanish name
Platanilla / Caliguate
Scientific name
Heliconia latispatha
Other Plants Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “An upright open arrangement of colorful bracts rises among broad green leaves.”

Tati: “Let’s notice the leaves, flowers and habitat without disturbing the plant.”

Identification

Key Features of the Expanded Lobster Claw

  • Broad banana-like leaves

  • Upright open inflorescence

  • Separated orange-to-red bracts holding small flowers

Habitat & range

Both slopes, including Guanacaste, the Northern Plains, Caribbean, Central Pacific and Osa; also cultivated in gardens.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult on permitted paths. Observe and photograph without picking leaves, flowers or fruits. Do not taste plants or let pets chew them. Avoid climbing trees and disturbing roots, seedlings or visiting wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect suitable habitat, mature trees and natural regeneration. Avoid trampling, unauthorized clearing and collection.

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Nature Field Guide

Firebush

Spanish name
Coralillo
Scientific name
Hamelia patens
Other Plants Tropical Moist Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico wants to sketch the plant’s shapes. Tati suggests looking for three clues before guessing its name. What would you notice first?

Identification

Key Features of the Firebush

  • Narrow orange-red tubular flowers

  • Simple leaves often arranged in whorls

  • Small rounded fruits that darken with age

Habitat & range

Clearings, roadsides, forest edges and gardens.

Conservation & care

Observe from paths and leave leaves, bark, flowers and fruits attached. Do not taste wild plants or offer them to pets. Ask a knowledgeable guide to confirm the species.

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Nature Field Guide

Fireflies

Spanish name
Luciérnagas
Scientific name
Lampyridae — family card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the fireflies!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Fireflies

  • Soft beetle wing covers

  • some show glowing abdominal segments

  • light patterns vary

Habitat & range

Suitable forest, garden or open habitats; distribution varies with habitat and species.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Forest Flame Snake

Spanish name
Falsa coral de bosque
Scientific name
Oxyrhopus petolarius
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Forest Flame Snake

  • Dark head

  • Red-to-orange areas with dark crossbands

  • Slender body with variable markings

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean-slope and southern Pacific forests and their edges in Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Four-lined Ameiva

Spanish name
Ameiva de cuatro líneas
Scientific name
Holcosus quadrilineatus
Reptiles Beach · Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Four-lined Ameiva

  • Four pale longitudinal body stripes

  • Long slender tail

  • Small contrasting flank markings

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean lowlands and suitable Pacific lowlands and edges; a field study documents Cocles, Limón.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not catch, chase, touch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, rocks and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey

Spanish name
Mono araña / Mono colorado
Scientific name
Ateles geoffroyi
Mammals Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its tail is holding a branch too!”

Tati: “The forest needs connected treetops.”

Endangered

Identification

Key Features of the Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey

  • Very long limbs and slender body.

  • Strong grasping tail with a bare gripping surface near its tip.

  • Brown to reddish fur; color varies.

Habitat & range

Manuel Antonio’s forest landscape; ACG also documents this species in rainforest at Botarrama.

Conservation & care

Keep a respectful distance and leave an open route for the animal. Stay on authorized paths, secure food and rubbish, and observe without feeding, touching, baiting or chasing.

Threats & pressures

Forest loss, capture for pets and hunting combine with slow reproduction to make recovery difficult.

Conservation assessment

Global IUCN category as reported by the linked source, checked 7 October 2026. The source does not give an assessment year here. National legal protection and local abundance are separate questions.

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Nature Field Guide

Ghost Anole

Spanish name
Anolis fantasma
Scientific name
Anolis lemurinus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Ghost Anole

  • Brown-to-gray coloration

  • Long hind legs and tapering tail

  • Subtle darker body markings

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean lowlands and foothills and southwestern Pacific forest.

Conservation & care

Observe with an adult from permitted paths. Do not catch, chase, touch or feed reptiles. Leave bark, logs, rocks and leaf litter in place. Keep pets away and allow animals an open escape route.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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Nature Field Guide

Giant Green Anole

Spanish name
Anolis verde gigante
Scientific name
Anolis biporcatus
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the giant green anole. Draw the shapes of a branch and the anole’s toes. How might those shapes help with climbing?

Identification

Key Features of the Giant Green Anole

  • Green body, sometimes with a darker appearance.

  • Long tail and climbing toes.

  • An extendable throat fan, especially noticeable during displays.

Habitat & range

Humid forests and wooded vegetation in Costa Rica.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Golden Trumpet

Spanish name
Campana amarilla
Scientific name
Allamanda cathartica
Other Plants Gardens

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico wants to sketch the plant’s shapes. Tati suggests looking for three clues before guessing its name. What would you notice first?

Identification

Key Features of the Golden Trumpet

  • Large yellow funnel-shaped flowers

  • Glossy leaves in whorls

  • Climbing or sprawling woody stems

Habitat & range

Gardens and disturbed moist to seasonally dry sites.

Conservation & care

Observe from paths and leave leaves, bark, flowers and fruits attached. Do not taste wild plants or offer them to pets. Ask a knowledgeable guide to confirm the species. Avoid contact with milky sap.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Blue Heron

Spanish name
Garzón azulado
Scientific name
Ardea herodias
Birds · Coastal Birds · Herons & Egrets Estuary & Mangroves · Freshwater · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

A tall, patient hunter can make the whole shoreline feel still. Pico counts its slow steps while Tati watches its folded neck.

Identification

Key Features of the Great Blue Heron

  • Large blue-gray body

  • Long legs and a heavy yellowish bill

  • Pale head with a dark stripe above the eye

Habitat & range

Scan shallow water, quiet mangrove channels and vegetated wetland margins from an established viewpoint. Follow a local guide’s directions around estuaries.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Curassow

Spanish name
Pavón
Scientific name
Crax rubra
Birds Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Those head feathers curl forward!”

Tati: “Let’s stay still while it searches the forest floor.”

Vulnerable

Identification

Key Features of the Great Curassow

  • Curled feathers form a forward-facing crest.

  • Male: black body, white belly and yellow bill swelling.

  • Female plumage varies; no yellow bill swelling.

Habitat & range

Local surviving forest populations include Santa Rosa, Rincon de la Vieja, Braulio Carrillo and Corcovado. Present distribution is patchy; historical lowland range is not a promise of local occurrence.

Seasonal Calendar

Nesting

ACG / Costa Rican lowland forest

Mar, Apr, May

Legacy natural-history account reports egg laying; local dates and other regions can differ.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

Threats & pressures

La Amistad’s management plan identifies hunting and forest pressures on the Pacific boundary. These are habitat-level concerns; no local curassow decline percentage is assigned.

Conservation assessment

ACG describes the species as Vulnerable; this is not a local population estimate. Source checked 7 October 2026. This is a global species category, not a count of birds in the tagged towns.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Egret

Spanish name
Garceta grande
Scientific name
Ardea alba
Birds · Coastal Birds · Herons & Egrets Estuary & Mangroves · Freshwater · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico calls it a bright white shape in the green. Tati checks the bill and feet before giving it a name.

Identification

Key Features of the Great Egret

  • White plumage and long slender neck

  • Yellow bill

  • Black legs and dark feet

Habitat & range

Scan shallow water, quiet mangrove channels and vegetated wetland margins from an established viewpoint. Follow a local guide’s directions around estuaries.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Green Macaw

Spanish name
Lapa verde
Scientific name
Ara ambiguus
Birds Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That green bird almost matches the treetops!”

Tati: “Its forest needs room for feeding and nesting.”

Critically Endangered

Identification

Key Features of the Great Green Macaw

  • Mainly green plumage with a reddish forehead.

  • Blue in the wings and a long tail.

  • Large, powerful bill.

Habitat & range

Humid northern and Caribbean lowland forest. Birds move with food availability. Northern Plains and Caribbean are broad browsing areas, not claims of continuous occupation.

Seasonal Calendar

Breeding

Costa Rica; broad national window

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec

Costa Rican dry-season breeding window; individual sites vary.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

Threats & pressures

Habitat disturbance, logging of important nesting trees and illegal capture threaten this species.

Documented impact

BirdLife’s 2021 Red List update reported a 99% decline over three generations for Nicaragua/Costa Rica. This historical regional estimate is not a 2026 local census.

Protection & recovery

World Parrot Trust reports 50 chicks fledged from artificial nests in the Ara Manzanillo project in 2022, and more than 60 in 2023. These are project breeding outcomes, not the total wild population.

Conservation assessment

World Parrot Trust reports IUCN Critically Endangered. Source checked 7 October 2026. This is a global species category, not a count of birds in the tagged towns.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Kiskadee

Spanish name
Bienteveo grande
Scientific name
Pitangus sulphuratus
Birds Estuary & Mangroves · Gardens · Open Woodland · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It sounds like it is calling its own name!”

Tati: “Let’s also check its bold eyebrow and strong bill.”

Identification

Key Features of the Great Kiskadee

  • Black-and-white head pattern

  • Bright yellow belly

  • Heavy bill and reddish-brown wings

Habitat & range

Open wooded country and settled areas, often near water, on both slopes, mainly below about 1500 m. Less frequent in some southern Pacific areas; not a high-mountain specialist.

Conservation & care

Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.

Threats & pressures

Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.

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Nature Field Guide

Great Tinamou

Spanish name
Tinamú grande / Gallina de monte
Scientific name
Tinamus major
Birds Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “I can hear a whistle, but the leaves hide the bird!”

Tati: “We can listen without leaving the trail.”

Identification

Key Features of the Great Tinamou

  • Rounded body with almost no visible tail.

  • Gray-brown, dark-barred plumage.

  • A clear whistle from the forest floor.

Habitat & range

Humid lowland and foothill forest on the Caribbean slope and southern Pacific, north toward Carara. Guanacaste refers to humid forest sectors, including documented ACG rainforest, not dry coastal forest.

Conservation & care

Stay on authorized trails or viewing routes. Give birds space, keep voices low and leave nests undisturbed. Observe without bait, feeding or recorded calls.

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Nature Field Guide

Greater Bulldog Bat

Spanish name
Murciélago pescador mayor
Scientific name
Noctilio leporinus
Mammals Estuary & Mangroves · Rivers & Streams

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

The greater bulldog bat is one of the bats that regularly catches fish.

Identification

Key Features of the Greater Bulldog Bat

  • Prominent folded lips and pointed ears.

  • Large clawed hind feet adapted for fishing.

  • Short fur that can be reddish, brown or grayish.

Habitat & range

Rivers, ponds and suitable coastal waters near roosting habitat.

Conservation & care

Observe bats from a distance with an adult or guide. Do not touch, feed or handle any bat, including one found on the ground. Leave roosts undisturbed, avoid direct flash and ask local wildlife professionals for help if an animal appears injured.

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Nature Field Guide

Greater Grison

Spanish name
Grisón
Scientific name
Galictis vittata
Mammals Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

The greater grison has a long low body, short legs and a striking pale stripe separating its dark face and underside from its grizzled back.

Identification

Key Features of the Greater Grison

  • Long slim body carried on short legs.

  • Grizzled gray back with dark face, belly and legs.

  • Pale stripe across the forehead and down the sides of the shoulders.

Habitat & range

Forests, wooded edges and other suitable landscapes, often near freshwater.

Conservation & care

Explore with an adult or local guide. Observe quietly from a distance, stay on established trails and leave shelter undisturbed. Do not feed, touch, capture or corner wildlife. Keep pets away.

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Nature Field Guide

Greater Sac-winged Bat

Spanish name
Murciélago listado de sacos mayor
Scientific name
Saccopteryx bilineata
Mammals Tropical Rainforest · Woodland Edges

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Two pale wavy stripes down a dark back are a starting clue for the greater sac-winged bat.

Identification

Key Features of the Greater Sac-winged Bat

  • Dark brown coat with two narrow pale wavy back stripes.

  • Small bat with pointed ears and dark membranous wings.

  • Similar species need expert comparison; never handle a bat to inspect wing sacs.

Habitat & range

Suitable tropical wooded habitat with undisturbed roosting surfaces.

Conservation & care

Observe bats from a distance with an adult or guide. Do not touch, feed or handle any bat, including one found on the ground. Leave roosts undisturbed, avoid direct flash and ask local wildlife professionals for help if an animal appears injured.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Basilisk

Spanish name
Basilisco verde
Scientific name
Basiliscus plumifrons
Reptiles Freshwater · Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the green basilisk. Compare an adult male photograph with a juvenile. Which features change as the animal grows?

Identification

Key Features of the Green Basilisk

  • Green body with pale or bluish spots.

  • Long tail and long hind toes.

  • Large head, back and tail crests in adult males.

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean lowland forests and suitable wooded stream corridors.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Heron

Spanish name
Garcilla verde
Scientific name
Butorides virescens
Birds · Coastal Birds · Herons & Egrets Estuary & Mangroves · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

A small hunched shape almost disappears among the roots. Pico and Tati learn that patient looking beats noisy searching.

Identification

Key Features of the Green Heron

  • Small hunched silhouette

  • Greenish back and chestnut neck

  • Straight pointed bill and yellowish legs

Habitat & range

Scan shallow water, quiet mangrove channels and vegetated wetland margins from an established viewpoint. Follow a local guide’s directions around estuaries.

Conservation & care

Give feeding and resting birds space. If a bird stops feeding, repeatedly looks at you or moves away, increase your distance. Keep dogs away from flocks, avoid playback and feeding, and leave nests and natural shoreline debris undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Iguana

Spanish name
Iguana verde
Scientific name
Iguana iguana
Reptiles Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the green iguana. Sketch the outline of a distant iguana. Compare its throat fan with the spiny-tailed iguana card.

Identification

Key Features of the Green Iguana

  • Large hanging throat fan.

  • Long tail and a row of dorsal spines.

  • Large round scale below the ear opening.

Habitat & range

Lowland forests and wooded waterways on both Costa Rican slopes.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Lacewings

Spanish name
Crisopas verdes
Scientific name
Chrysopidae — family card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the green lacewings!”

Tati: “We can compare its shape and markings without touching it.”

Identification

Key Features of the Green Lacewings

  • Delicate green body

  • finely veined wings

  • long antennae

Habitat & range

Suitable forest, garden or open habitats; distribution varies with habitat and species.

Conservation & care

Observe without collecting, handling or disturbing insects or nests. Stay on permitted paths. Leave caterpillars and their food plants in place.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Ratsnake

Spanish name
Ratonera / Culebra ratonera
Scientific name
Senticolis triaspis
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What helps this reptile fit into its habitat?”

Tati: “Let’s look at its shape, colors and surroundings while giving it plenty of space.”

Identification

Key Features of the Green Ratsnake

  • Long body and elongated head

  • Adults may be tan, golden or olive-brown

  • Juveniles show darker blotches

Habitat & range

Northwestern and western Pacific-slope woodland and forest, including the San Luis de Monteverde area.

Conservation & care

Observe from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner, feed or move any snake. Keep children and pets away. Colors, head shape and pupil shape must never be used to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect connected habitat and natural shelters. Avoid collection, unnecessary clearing and deliberate killing. Leave wildlife in place and support responsible observation.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Spiny Lizard

Spanish name
Lagartija espinosa verde
Scientific name
Sceloporus malachiticus
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the green spiny lizard. Compare a photo of its rough scales with a smooth-looking anole. Describe texture without touching either animal.

Identification

Key Features of the Green Spiny Lizard

  • Pointed, strongly textured body scales.

  • A dark shoulder marking.

  • Adult males often show green coloration.

Habitat & range

Costa Rican uplands, including suitable forest edges and rocky or open perches.

Conservation & care

Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Green Vine Snake

Spanish name
Bejuquilla verde
Scientific name
Oxybelis fulgidus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “What clues help us recognize this reptile?”

Tati: “Let’s notice its shape, markings and habitat from a respectful distance.”

Identification

Key Features of the Green Vine Snake

  • Very slender green body

  • Elongated pointed snout

  • Exceptionally long tapering tail

Habitat & range

Wooded lowlands and foothills on both slopes, including Pacific and Caribbean forest edges.

Conservation & care

Observe only from a distance with an adult or qualified guide. Do not touch, catch, corner or attempt to move any snake. Step back and tell your adult; keep children and pets away. Do not use colors, head shape or pupil shape to decide a snake is safe.

Threats & pressures

Protect habitat connections and natural shelters. Avoid road mortality, collection and deliberate killing. Leave reptiles in their habitat rather than keeping or relocating them.

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