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Limón

explore limón provinceCaribbean Forests & Coastal Connections

Limón brings together Caribbean communities, forest waterways and coastal landscapes with rich cultural histories. Explore a province where the sea, rivers and everyday life offer many ways for families to learn.

Explore with Pico & Tati
Let Pico and Tati inspire thoughtful questions. Listen to a community’s story, notice the different shapes of mangrove roots or look quietly for birds. Give both nature and the people who live here your time and respect.

Explore the Towns & Cities

Must-See Places

Cahuita National Park

Discover coastal forest and protected marine habitats. Follow current trail, guide and snorkeling requirements.

Tortuguero National Park

This protected area conserves forest, wetlands and important sea turtle nesting habitat. Check current visitor arrangements and explore only authorized routes and sectors.

Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge — Manzanillo Sector

Explore Caribbean coastal scenery from authorized access points. Stay on marked paths and respect refuge rules.

Playa Cocles

Cocles adds another coastal landscape south of Puerto Viejo. Watch the surf from shore and notice how coastal vegetation changes inland; swimming suitability depends on conditions and local guidance.

Cerro Tortuguero

Climb the designated stair route for views across coastal waterways. Confirm park entry and transport arrangements.

Playa Punta Uva

Observe a Caribbean beach landscape near Puerto Viejo. Sea conditions vary; do not assume calm-looking water is safe.

Gandoca Lagoon

Discover wetland scenery within the refuge through an authorized local outing. Respect wildlife and community access.

Parque Vargas, Limón

Explore a waterfront green space in Limón and notice the connection between the city and the sea.

Isla Uvita, Limón

Discover the island off Limón through a locally arranged outing. This is distinct from Uvita on the Pacific.

Playa Bonita, Limón

Notice a beach setting near Limón city. Check local conditions and choose activities appropriate to the sea.

More Places to Discover

Cahuita

A Caribbean community connected with coastal culture and Cahuita National Park.

Manzanillo

A southern Caribbean village near protected coastal and forest habitat.

Punta Uva

A coastal area near Puerto Viejo with forest and shoreline discoveries.

LIMÓN WEATHER

local life + planning tipsA Little Provincial Know-How

Choose the part of the Caribbean coast you want to know. Tortuguero, Limón city, Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca have different routes and visitor experiences. Confirm transport and access before setting off, especially for water-based journeys.

No. Limón is both a city and a province. The province includes northern waterways and communities along the southern Caribbean coast, so always check your exact destination.

They are different visitor areas with different travel arrangements. Plan Tortuguero’s water-based access separately from a stay around Cahuita or Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Seek experiences led by local hosts and let people explain their own food, music and histories. Ask permission for photographs and before visiting community or cultural spaces.

No. Nesting and sightings depend on season, species and conditions. Follow the protected area’s current guidance and use authorized arrangements when wildlife viewing is permitted.

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 Adventures Across Limón

Find Your Caribbean Beach

Explore the southern Caribbean through its different beaches, from Cahuita’s palm-lined shoreline to the coves around Manzanillo. Pair a morning on the sand with lunch in a nearby village. Choose your swimming spot with local advice, since waves, currents and reef conditions vary along the coast.

Travel Tortuguero’s Forest Waterways

Explore Tortuguero by guided canoe or boat, where waterways replace roads and rainforest reaches the water’s edge. Travel past tangled roots and overhanging branches while your guide helps identify wildlife. Plan Tortuguero as its own destination, with boat transfers and time to explore the village.

Meet the Birds of the Caribbean

Make birdwatching part of a forest walk or waterway outing in Tortuguero. The area’s wetlands and rainforest support a remarkable variety of birds. Bring binoculars and let a local guide introduce different habitats, from waterside feeding areas to the treetops, where birds can be difficult to spot without experienced help.

Taste Limón’s Caribbean Traditions

Try Caribbean rice and beans cooked with coconut milk, patacones or a warm patí from a local bakery. In Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, food offers an introduction to the coast’s Afro-Caribbean heritage. Ask your host about family recipes and favorite dishes, and let everyone choose something new to share.

Walk Where Rainforest Meets the Sea

Visit Cahuita National Park for a coastal walk that combines tropical forest, sandy shoreline and Caribbean views. Choose an out-and-back distance that suits your family rather than committing to the entire route. A local guide can add stories about the park’s wildlife and its close connection with the Cahuita community.

Explore Gandoca’s Wetland World

Discover another side of the Caribbean in the Gandoca sector of Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Arrange a locally guided outing to explore its wetland landscapes and learn how coastal forests shelter wildlife. Gandoca and Manzanillo have different access routes, so confirm your meeting point before setting out.

Discover Tortuguero’s Turtle Story

Learn why Tortuguero’s beaches matter to sea turtles through a conservation-focused visit or an authorized seasonal nesting tour. Families can discover how turtles nest and how beach protection supports their survival. Nesting is a wildlife experience rather than a guaranteed sighting, with viewing arrangements designed around the animals.

Follow Cacao From Pod to Chocolate

Book a cacao experience in the southern Caribbean to discover what grows inside a chocolate pod and how its seeds become chocolate. Choose a community-led visit where hosts share their own knowledge and traditions. It is a hands-on way to connect the region’s farms, food and cultural heritage.

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 in Limón Province

Discover the sea turtles, rainforest wildlife and tropical plants of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Explore the species that connect Limón’s forest waterways, mangroves and coral reefs—from Tortuguero to Cahuita and Gandoca-Manzanillo.

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 Crocodile

Spanish name
Cocodrilo americano
Scientific name
Crocodylus acutus
Reptiles Estuary & Mangroves · Freshwater · Rivers & Streams · Wetlands

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It blends into the riverbank so well.”

Tati: “We can observe from here with our guide. We don’t need to move closer.”

Identification

Key Features of the American Crocodile

  • A long snout and narrow head.

  • An olive-brown adult body with a long, strong tail.

  • Much of the body may be concealed in water or beside a bank.

Habitat & range

Rivers, estuaries, mangrove channels and other aquatic habitats. Observe only from a guide-approved boat or designated viewing place.

Seasonal Calendar

Egg-laying

General species biology; local schedule unverified

Apr, May

General species reference: April–May egg-laying and about 9–10 weeks of incubation. Tamarindo-specific nesting dates have not been verified. Never approach nests.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Never feed, approach or provoke crocodiles. Stay in the boat, keep hands inside, and follow local signs and guide instructions. Keep children and pets away from water edges.

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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.

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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.

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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

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

Beach Morning Glory

Spanish name
Churristate de playa / Pudre oreja
Scientific name
Ipomoea pes-caprae
Other Plants Beach

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “These flowers grow right across the sand!”

Tati: “Let’s look at the shape of the leaves without stepping on the vine.”

Identification

Key Features of the Beach Morning Glory

  • Creeping stems extending across beach sand.

  • Simple leaves with a notch giving a goat’s-hoof appearance.

  • Pink-purple flowers with a joined, funnel-like corolla.

Habitat & range

Upper sandy beaches in tropical coastal habitats. Observe vegetation from established access routes rather than stepping across vines.

Seasonal Calendar

Main flowering window

Costa Rican coastal populations

Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

ACG reports abundant flowers July–November and seed maturation December–April on Costa Rican coasts. Typical seasonal windows, not exact dates.

Event source ↗

Seed maturation

Costa Rican coastal populations

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec

ACG reports abundant flowers July–November and seed maturation December–April on Costa Rican coasts. Typical seasonal windows, not exact dates.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Do not uproot vines, pick flowers or taste plant parts. Use existing beach paths and avoid trampling coastal vegetation.

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Nature Field Guide

Beach Spider Lily

Spanish name
Lirio araña
Scientific name
Hymenocallis littoralis
Other Plants Beach

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 Beach Spider Lily

  • Long strap-shaped leaves

  • Six narrow spreading white flower segments

  • A white central cup

Habitat & range

Coastal vegetation and planted 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

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.

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Nature Field Guide

Black Mangrove

Spanish name
Mangle negro / Palo de sal
Scientific name
Avicennia germinans
Trees Estuary & Mangroves

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Pencil-shaped breathing roots rise from the mud around this mangrove.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Black Mangrove

  • Opposite oval leaves with pale undersides

  • Upright pencil-shaped roots

  • Small pale flowers

Habitat & range

Coastal mangroves; Pacific documentation includes Guanacaste and Tivives near the Gulf of Nicoya. Gandoca provides a documented Caribbean example.

Conservation & care

Explore mangroves only with an adult on permitted paths or a guided route. Do not step on roots, collect seedlings or enter mud and tidal channels. Leave leaves and wildlife undisturbed.

Threats & pressures

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

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 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.

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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-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.

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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.

View full profile →

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 Pelican

Spanish name
Pelícano pardo
Scientific name
Pelecanus occidentalis
Birds Beach · Ocean · Rocky Shore

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Look at that enormous bill!”

Tati: “Let’s compare its shape with the other birds by the water.”

Identification

Key Features of the Brown Pelican

  • A long bill with a pouch beneath the lower jaw.

  • A large gray-brown body and broad wings.

  • Head and neck colors change with age and breeding condition.

Habitat & range

Coastal waters along the Pacific, with less frequent nonbreeding visitors on the Caribbean coast. Regional tags refer to coastal habitat, not inland towns.

Seasonal Calendar

Resident presence

Isla San Lucas, Costa Rica

Year-round

SINAC lists Brown Pelican as a resident at Isla San Lucas on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. This regional pattern does not guarantee a Tamarindo sighting or establish a local breeding calendar.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Do not feed birds or approach resting groups. Dispose of fishing line responsibly and leave nests 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

Buttonwood

Spanish name
Mangle botoncillo / Botoncillo
Scientific name
Conocarpus erectus
Trees Beach · Estuary & Mangroves

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Small buttonlike fruit heads help identify this coastal tree or shrub.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Buttonwood

  • Simple alternate leaves

  • Round buttonlike fruit heads

  • Often at the landward mangrove edge

Habitat & range

Coastal margins, including documented mangrove-edge habitat at Tivives and the North Pacific. Gandoca provides a documented Caribbean example.

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Spanish name
Delfín nariz de botella
Scientific name
Tursiops truncatus
Mammals Ocean

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

The common bottlenose dolphin has a short thick beak and a generally gray body.

Identification

Key Features of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin

  • Short thick beak and robust gray body.

  • Curved dorsal fin and paler underside.

  • Horizontal tail flukes; other dolphin species require careful comparison.

Habitat & range

Suitable Costa Rican coastal and offshore waters.

Conservation & care

Use a responsible local wildlife operator and follow site rules. Give aquatic mammals room to feed, rest and travel. Do not feed, touch, chase or enter the water to approach them. Keep waste and fishing line out of waterways.

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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

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

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

Costa Rican Oak

Spanish name
Roble / Encino
Scientific name
Quercus costaricensis
Trees Cloud Forest · Oak Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Acorns and leathery leaves belong to this mountain-forest oak.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Costa Rican Oak

  • Acorns in scaly cups

  • Simple leathery leaves

  • Mountain-forest habitat

Habitat & range

Highland forests of the Talamanca range, including Dota, Chirripó and adjoining mountain slopes.

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

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 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

Ecuadorian Milksnake

Spanish name
Falsa coral / Serpiente de leche
Scientific name
Lampropeltis micropholis
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · 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 Ecuadorian Milksnake

  • Young animals may have red, pale and dark bands

  • Smooth-looking scales

  • Appearance can darken with age

Habitat & range

Eastern and southern Costa Rican forest landscapes and mountain slopes; province assignments refer to suitable habitat rather than all parts of each province.

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

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

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 Sea Turtle

Spanish name
Tortuga verde / Tortuga negra
Scientific name
Chelonia mydas
Marine Life · Reptiles Beach · Marine Reef · Ocean

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 Sea Turtle

  • Smooth oval carapace

  • Rounded rather than sharply hooked head

  • Four pairs of lateral shell scutes

Habitat & range

Pacific and Caribbean coastal waters; Tortuguero and Cahuita are documented Caribbean examples.

Conservation & care

Never touch, chase, ride or feed a sea turtle. Keep clear of nesting females, eggs and hatchlings. Follow local beach rules and authorized guides; avoid lights and flash photography during nesting observations. Leave shells and wildlife products out of your purchases.

Threats & pressures

Protect nesting beaches and marine habitats. Reduce plastic waste, avoid disturbing wildlife and do not buy turtle products.

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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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Nature Field Guide

Groove-billed Ani

Spanish name
Garrapatero piquiestriado / Tijo
Scientific name
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its beak has tiny lines!”

Tati: “Those grooves are helpful, but we need a clear view.”

Identification

Key Features of the Groove-billed Ani

  • All-black plumage

  • Long loosely held tail

  • Heavy upper bill with grooves

Habitat & range

Open and shrubby country, pasture margins and settled areas across Costa Rica, reaching middle elevations. It is less frequent in much of the southern Pacific, where Smooth-billed Ani predominates.

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

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Spanish name
Tortuga carey
Scientific name
Eretmochelys imbricata
Marine Life · Reptiles Beach · Marine Reef · Ocean

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 Hawksbill Sea Turtle

  • Narrow hooked beak

  • Overlapping patterned shell scutes

  • Often a serrated rear shell edge

Habitat & range

Pacific and Caribbean coastal waters and reefs; documented sites include Cahuita and Tortuguero.

Conservation & care

Never touch, chase, ride or feed a sea turtle. Keep clear of nesting females, eggs and hatchlings. Follow local beach rules and authorized guides; avoid lights and flash photography during nesting observations. Leave shells and wildlife products out of your purchases.

Threats & pressures

Protect nesting beaches and marine habitats. Reduce plastic waste, avoid disturbing wildlife and do not buy turtle products.

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Nature Field Guide

Heavy-footed Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de patas robustas
Scientific name
Anolis pachypus
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Oak 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 Heavy-footed Anole

  • Compact brown mountain anole

  • Stout-looking feet

  • Camouflaged body and long tapering tail

Habitat & range

Middle and upper elevations of the Talamanca mountain system in southern Costa Rica.

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

Helmeted Iguana

Spanish name
Iguana de casco / Lagartija de casco
Scientific name
Corytophanes cristatus
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 Helmeted Iguana

  • Tall helmetlike casque

  • Long tail and grasping limbs

  • Mottled bark-colored camouflage

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and Pacific forests and foothills, including northern wet forests and the southwest.

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

Hoffmann’s Earth Snake

Spanish name
Culebra de tierra de Hoffmann
Scientific name
Geophis hoffmanni
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · 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 Hoffmann’s Earth Snake

  • Small head and dark slender body

  • Usually plain dark upper surfaces

  • Paler underside; young may have a pale neck mark

Habitat & range

Humid lowland and foothill habitats and central mountain slopes, including the Monteverde area.

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

Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth

Spanish name
Perezoso de dos dedos
Scientific name
Choloepus hoffmanni
Mammals Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Is this the same kind of sloth?”

Tati: “We need more than its color to tell.”

Identification

Key Features of the Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth

  • Two long claws on each forelimb.

  • Long shaggy fur and a prominent rounded snout.

  • Identify with a guide; color alone is unreliable.

Habitat & range

The studied FINMAC cacao and riverside-forest landscape at Pueblo Nuevo / Villa Francia, Limón.

Seasonal Calendar

Births across the year

FINMAC cacao landscape, Pueblo Nuevo / Villa Francia

Year-round

Study births were spread across months; none was recorded in August. This is asynchronous reproduction, not an August exclusion rule.

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

Deforestation removes feeding trees and canopy routes. Sloth research emphasizes connected habitat and avoiding removal of wild animals.

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Nature Field Guide

Honduran White Bat

Spanish name
Murciélago blanco
Scientific name
Ectophylla alba
Mammals Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Those white shapes are bats under a leaf!”

Tati: “Their leaf tent is a home we leave untouched.”

Identification

Key Features of the Honduran White Bat

  • Tiny pale or white-furred bat.

  • Yellowish ears and nose.

  • May rest in groups beneath a leaf tent.

Habitat & range

Tirimbina Biological Reserve at La Virgen de Sarapiquí, Heredia.

Conservation & care

Leave leaf tents and surrounding vegetation untouched. Follow a guide’s viewing distance and light guidance; never handle bats or expose a resting group for a photograph.

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Nature Field Guide

Hot Lips Plant

Spanish name
Labios ardientes / Botón rojo
Scientific name
Palicourea elata
Other Plants Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Two bright red bracts surround tiny pale flowers in the forest understory.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Hot Lips Plant

  • Two conspicuous red floral bracts

  • Small white or creamy flowers

  • Opposite glossy leaves

Habitat & range

Humid understory and forest edges on both slopes, with records from Guanacaste, Sarapiquí, Talamanca, Cartago 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.

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Nature Field Guide

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Spanish name
Zarapito trinador
Scientific name
Numenius hudsonicus
Birds · Coastal Birds · Shorebirds Beach · Estuary & Mangroves · Sand & Mud Flats

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico curves his pencil line to match the bill. Tati checks the striped head for another clue.

Identification

Key Features of the Hudsonian Whimbrel

  • Long downward-curved bill

  • Striped brown head with a pale central crown stripe

  • Brown patterned body and long legs

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.

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Nature Field Guide

Humble Anole

Spanish name
Anolis humilde
Scientific name
Anolis humilis
Reptiles Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the humble anole. Study a photograph and sketch how brown markings blend with fallen leaves.

Identification

Key Features of the Humble Anole

  • Small brown body with variable darker markings.

  • Slender tail.

  • An anole throat fan may be displayed by males.

Habitat & range

Shaded understory and leaf-litter edges in humid forest.

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

Ice Cream Bean

Spanish name
Guaba
Scientific name
Inga edulis
Trees Gardens

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

Identification

Key Features of the Ice Cream Bean

  • Very long ribbed pods

  • Paired leaflets

  • Winged central leaf stalk

Habitat & range

Moist forest margins, farms and planted orchards.

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

Indio Desnudo

Spanish name
Indio desnudo
Scientific name
Bursera simaruba
Trees Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Warm-colored bark is a useful starting point when identifying indio desnudo. Look at the trunk, leaves and fruits together, as its appearance changes with the seasons.

Indio Desnudo Copper Bark Tree in Costa RIca
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 Indio Desnudo

  • Warm orange-toned bark is an important clue.

  • The tree may lose its leaves during the dry season.

  • Look for small fruits in clusters at the ends of branches when present.

Habitat & range

Dry forest and other wooded habitats. Use several clues together and ask a guide before naming an unfamiliar tree.

Seasonal Calendar

Flowering

Guanacaste dry forest

Apr, May

ACG dry-forest reference: flowers appear in late April and May. Leaf cover varies through the dry season.

Event source ↗

Conservation & care

Child Safety: Not verified. Observe with an adult. Do not taste leaves, seeds, fruit or other tree parts.

Pet Safety: Not verified. Keep pets from chewing or swallowing tree parts. Check with a veterinarian before treating this species as pet-safe.

Keep bark intact. Observe without peeling, scratching or removing bark.

Conservation assessment

Global species assessment: Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Status checked on 7 October 2026. This category is not a guarantee that every local population or habitat is secure, and it is separate from legal protection in Costa Rica.

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Nature Field Guide

Jaguar

Spanish name
Jaguar / Tigre
Scientific name
Panthera onca
Mammals Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “A forest can hide a very large cat!”

Tati: “A camera-trap record helps us learn without approaching it.”

Protected Near Threatened

Identification

Key Features of the Jaguar

  • Broad head and muscular body.

  • Rosettes often contain smaller dark spots.

  • Relatively thick limbs and shorter tail than a puma.

Habitat & range

Tortuguero National Park’s protected forest landscape; ACG camera traps also document the species in Pitilla.

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, hunting of prey and retaliatory killing after livestock conflict are documented pressures.

Protection & recovery

Costa Rica’s government wildlife guide explicitly identifies this species as protected nationally. This legal designation is separate from its global IUCN category.

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

Katydids

Spanish name
Esperanzas
Scientific name
Tettigoniidae — family card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Katydids

  • Very long antennae

  • leaf-like wings in many species

  • strong jumping hindlegs

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

Keel-billed Toucan

Spanish name
Tucán pico arco iris / Pico canoa
Scientific name
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Birds Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its bill has so many colors!”

Tati: “Let’s look at the throat and body too.”

Near Threatened

Identification

Key Features of the Keel-billed Toucan

  • Large bill with several bright colors.

  • Yellow throat and dark body.

  • Compare the entire silhouette with other toucans.

Habitat & range

Most frequent in wooded Caribbean lowlands. Also occurs in suitable northern Pacific woodland, Nicoya hills, foothills and parts of the Central Valley; generally less frequent there.

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.

Conservation assessment

Costa Rica’s government wildlife guide reports IUCN Near Threatened and a decreasing trend; the page does not supply the assessment year. 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

Lady Beetles

Spanish name
Mariquitas
Scientific name
Coccinellidae — family card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Lady Beetles

  • Rounded beetle body

  • hard wing covers

  • spot 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

Laughing Falcon

Spanish name
Guaco
Scientific name
Herpetotheres cachinnans
Birds Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It sounds like a laugh!”

Tati: “That call explains its name. Its wide eye mask helps us recognize it too.”

Identification

Key Features of the Laughing Falcon

  • Creamy head and underparts

  • Broad black eye mask

  • Dark upperparts

Habitat & range

Lowland forest edges, secondary woodland and partly open country on both slopes. Occasional higher-elevation records do not make high mountain forest core habitat.

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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learning adventuresKeep Exploring,
Keep Learning

Explore published Learning Adventures connected with Limón. Choose a shared activity that suits your family and the setting. As more adventures are linked to this province, they will appear here.

Family Story Treasure Hunt with Pico & Tati

Story Cards on the Veranda-2

Costa Rica Rhythm Explorers with Pico & Tati

Pico Learns the Costa Rican Marimba-13

Garden to Table Explorers with Pico & Tati

Pico Harvests a Ripe Tomato-16

get in touchLet's Keep Exploring Together.

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At Tico Explorers™, we encourage families and children to explore with curiosity, learn with kindness, and care for God’s creation.

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