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Nature Field Guide

Forest Edge

Explore wildlife, plants and trees. Learn what to look for and where to find them.

All Nature

113 profiles

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

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

Banded Peacock Butterfly

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Banded Peacock Butterfly

  • Brown wings

  • pale band across wings

  • reddish accents toward hindwings

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Bejuco Cucharilla

Spanish name
Bejuco cucharilla
Scientific name
Bignonia diversifolia
Other Plants Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Meet the plant behind Abu’s basket. Bejuco cucharilla is a woody climbing vine, also called a liana. It grows with the support of other plants. Its leafy shoots and lilac tubular flowers offer clues to its identity.

Costa Rican craft references document cucharilla as a material for woven baskets. Woody vine material can become more flexible when moistened, allowing a skilled maker to shape and weave it. A basket begins with a plant and takes form through patient work.

In our story, Abu learned to weave from her mother. Now she invites Pico and Tati to learn too. Her family history is fictional, while the connection between this vine and Costa Rican basket making is documented.

Scientific name note: Kew accepts Bignonia diversifolia. Many Costa Rican botanical and craft sources use the synonym Cydista diversifolia.

Identification

Key Features of the Bejuco Cucharilla

  • A woody climbing stem rather than a self-supporting tree trunk.

  • Opposite compound leaves, typically with two leaflets and sometimes a simple tendril.

  • Smooth-edged leaflets with pointed tips and a rounded or somewhat heart-shaped base.

  • Lilac to pinkish tubular flowers; young branches have a distinctly angular, four-sided form.

Habitat & range

Documented in Costa Rica’s lowland forests, including deciduous and semideciduous forest in Guanacaste. Botanical collections include Nandayure and Barra Honda on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Conservation & care

Observe and photograph vines without cutting or pulling them. Leave wild plants and flowers in place. Learn about materials from a knowledgeable artisan and use paper or responsibly sourced craft materials for your own weaving.

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Nature Field Guide

Belt’s Eyed Silk Moth

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Belt’s Eyed Silk Moth

  • Leaf-like forewings

  • large eye spots on hindwings

  • stout fuzzy body

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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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 Witch Moth

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Black Witch Moth

  • Broad dark brown wings

  • fine wavy lines

  • small curled forewing markings

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Blue Morpho

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Blue Morpho

  • Brilliant blue upper wings with broad dark margins

  • brown underside with eye spots

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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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.

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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

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

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

Cenizaro Rain Tree

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Cenizaro Rain Tree

  • Broad umbrella-shaped crown

  • Twice-divided compound leaves

  • Pink-and-white brushlike flowers and dark pods

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

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Nature Field Guide

Central American Banded Gecko

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Central American Banded Gecko

  • Dark bands on yellow-tan tones

  • Movable eyelids

  • Clawed toes without broad wall-climbing pads

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

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Nature Field Guide

Central American 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Charles Myers’s Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de Charles Myers
Scientific name
Anolis charlesmyersi
Reptiles 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 Charles Myers’s Anole

  • Very short limbs

  • Lichenlike pale and dark mottling

  • Relatively short tail with a low serrated ridge

Habitat & range

Pacific lowland and adjoining foothill habitats in Costa Rica, including the Central and South Pacific.

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Cherrie’s Ground Skink

Spanish name
Eslaboncillo pardo / Escinco de Cherrie
Scientific name
Scincella cherriei
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 Cherrie’s Ground Skink

  • Smooth glossy-looking scales

  • Dark lateral stripe

  • Short legs and a tapering tail

Habitat & range

Pacific-slope forest floor and wooded edges, including southwestern Costa Rica and the Monteverde foothill area.

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

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.

View full profile →

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

  • Bright yellow wings

  • lightly marked underside

  • fast flight

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

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.

View full profile →

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 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.

View full profile →

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Copper Anole

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Copper Anole

  • Tan-to-coppery brown body

  • Variable spots, bars or darker markings

  • Long tail and low-perching posture

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

View full profile →

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Cortez Amarillo

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Cortez Amarillo

  • Yellow trumpet-shaped flowers

  • Palmately compound leaves

  • Flowering branches may be nearly leafless

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

View full profile →

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

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

Green Lacewings

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Green Lacewings

  • Delicate green body

  • finely veined wings

  • long antennae

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Green Ratsnake

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Green Ratsnake

  • Long body and elongated head

  • Adults may be tan, golden or olive-brown

  • Juveniles show darker blotches

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

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Nature Field Guide

Green Spiny Lizard

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

Identification

Key Features of the Green Spiny Lizard

  • Pointed, strongly textured body scales.

  • A dark shoulder marking.

  • Adult males often show green coloration.

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Green Vine Snake

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

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Green Vine Snake

  • Very slender green body

  • Elongated pointed snout

  • Exceptionally long tapering tail

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

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Nature Field Guide

Guacimo

Spanish name
Guácimo / Guácimo ternero
Scientific name
Guazuma ulmifolia
Trees Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Bumpy dark fruits and toothed leaves offer clues to a familiar Pacific-slope tree.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Guacimo

  • Simple alternate leaves with toothed edges

  • Dark round-to-oval woody fruits

  • Fruit surface covered in bumps

Habitat & range

Pacific-slope woodland, pastures and living fences, with strong documentation in Guanacaste and the northern Puntarenas area.

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

Guaria Morada Orchid

Spanish name
Guaria morada
Scientific name
Guarianthe skinneri
Other Plants Forest Edge · Gardens

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Costa Rica’s national flower carries pink-purple blossoms above fleshy leaves.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Guaria Morada Orchid

  • Pink-purple orchid flowers with a shaped lip

  • Fleshy oblong leaves

  • Thickened stem bases and roots on a support

Habitat & range

Native Central American orchid, also cultivated in Costa Rican homes and gardens. The Greater Metropolitan Area supports both native flora records and a strong garden tradition.

Conservation & care

Do not collect wild orchids, remove roots or climb supporting trees. Observe with an adult from the ground. Any garden plant should come from a documented lawful nursery source.

Threats & pressures

Wild collection and habitat loss are conservation concerns. Leave forest plants in place and support protection of their habitat.

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Nature Field Guide

Halloween Land Crab

Spanish name
Cangrejo arlequín
Scientific name
Gecarcinus quadratus
Coastal Life · Crabs & Hermit Crabs · Marine Life Estuary & Mangroves · Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Not every coastal crab lives underwater. Pico and Tati look at the ground beside the path without leaving it.

Identification

Key Features of the Halloween Land Crab

  • A crab walking on land near coastal vegetation

  • Burrows may be present in suitable ground

  • Confirm the species from the whole animal, not a burrow alone

Habitat & range

Coastal vegetation and adjacent ground. Stay on established routes and do not search inside burrows.

Conservation & care

Give claws and burrow entrances space. Do not handle, feed, chase or collect crabs. Leave rocks and shells where they are, and follow your adult’s route and local signs.

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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 Woodpecker

Spanish name
Carpintero de Hoffmann
Scientific name
Melanerpes hoffmannii
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its back looks like a striped pattern!”

Tati: “Look at the crown too. Males and females differ there.”

Identification

Key Features of the Hoffmann’s Woodpecker

  • Black-and-white barred back

  • Yellow nape

  • Male has a red crown

Habitat & range

Strongest in the northern Pacific and Central Valley, extending south toward Tarcoles and locally into Rio Frio. Occurs along parts of the Reventazon corridor; avoid treating all Caribbean rainforest as typical 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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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

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

Julia Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa Julia
Scientific name
Dryas iulia
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Julia Butterfly

  • Long orange wings

  • narrow dark edging

  • slender body

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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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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Nature Field Guide

Leafcutter Ant

Spanish name
Hormiga zompopa
Scientific name
Atta cephalotes
Other Insects Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Leafcutter Ant

  • Leaf fragments carried above body

  • elbowed antennae

  • workers of different sizes

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

Lebeau Silk Moth

Spanish name
Polilla de seda Lebeau
Scientific name
Rothschildia lebeau
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the lebeau silk moth!”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Lebeau Silk Moth

  • Large patterned wings

  • translucent wing windows

  • feathery antennae

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Lesson’s Motmot

Spanish name
Momoto coroniazul
Scientific name
Momotus lessonii
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its tail has tiny paddles!”

Tati: “They are feather tips. Let’s compare the crown with our other motmot.”

Identification

Key Features of the Lesson’s Motmot

  • Blue crown with dark center

  • Dark eye mask

  • Long central tail feathers with racket tips

Habitat & range

Pacific lowlands and middle elevations, the Central Valley and locally northern areas. In the dry northwest it is associated especially with gallery forest. Most Caribbean lowlands are outside its usual 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

Lichen Anole

Spanish name
Anolis liquenoso
Scientific name
Anolis pentaprion
Reptiles 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 Lichen Anole

  • Gray-and-cream bark camouflage

  • Short limbs

  • Relatively short tail with a serrated ridge

Habitat & range

Caribbean lowlands and northern humid lowlands, including the Los Chiles/Guatuso and Sarapiquí areas.

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

Linnaeus’s Sipo

Spanish name
Bejuquilla verde de bosque
Scientific name
Chironius exoletus
Reptiles 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 Linnaeus’s Sipo

  • Long green-to-olive body

  • Large eyes and elongated head

  • Very long tapering tail

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and Pacific forests and adjoining foothills in 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Long-tailed Manakin

Spanish name
Saltarín toledo
Scientific name
Chiroxiphia linearis
Birds Estuary & Mangroves · Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Two birds are moving together on the branches!”

Tati: “We can watch the rhythm without interrupting.”

Identification

Key Features of the Long-tailed Manakin

  • Adult male: black body, blue back and red crown.

  • Long central tail feathers in males.

  • Female: less conspicuous greenish plumage.

Habitat & range

Gallery forest, mature secondary woodland and mangrove edges in the northern Pacific, extending toward Carara, the Central Valley and suitable Dota slopes. Shaded woodland is essential.

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

Malachite Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa malaquita
Scientific name
Siproeta stelenes
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Malachite Butterfly

  • Green panels

  • dark brown borders

  • scalloped wing edges

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Managua Skink

Spanish name
Escinco de Managua
Scientific name
Mesoscincus managuae
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Managua Skink

  • Smooth elongated brown body

  • Dark lengthwise lines

  • Short legs and a long tapering tail

Habitat & range

Seasonally dry northwestern Costa Rica, with documented records from Guanacaste including the Ocotal and Diriá areas.

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

Mangrove Tree Boa

Spanish name
Boa arborícola del Pacífico
Scientific name
Corallus ruschenbergerii
Reptiles Estuary & Mangroves · 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 Mangrove Tree Boa

  • Long branch-climbing body

  • Brown-to-tan camouflage

  • Gripping tail and a distinct head

Habitat & range

Southwestern Costa Rican forests and wooded coastal habitats, including the South Pacific.

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

Many-scaled Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de muchas escamas
Scientific name
Anolis polylepis
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 Many-scaled Anole

  • Slender brown body

  • Long hind legs and a fine tail

  • Orange male throat fan when naturally displayed

Habitat & range

Humid Central and South Pacific forests and foothills, including San Vito. Osa populations have also been treated as Anolis osa in some references.

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

Middle American Ameiva

Spanish name
Ameiva centroamericana
Scientific name
Holcosus festivus
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 Middle American Ameiva

  • Long tail and pointed snout

  • Strong limbs suited to ground movement

  • Contrasting stripes and patterned flanks

Habitat & range

Humid lowlands and forest-edge openings on both slopes, including the southwestern Pacific.

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

Mimic False Coral Snake

Spanish name
Falsa coral imitadora
Scientific name
Erythrolamprus mimus
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 Mimic False Coral Snake

  • Contrasting red, dark and pale bands

  • Slender forest-snake body

  • Coral-snake resemblance

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and southwestern Pacific forests and foothills, including San Vito.

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

Montezuma Oropendola

Spanish name
Oropéndola de Moctezuma
Scientific name
Psarocolius montezuma
Birds Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Those nests hang like long baskets!”

Tati: “We can admire their shape from a distance and leave the colony quiet.”

Identification

Key Features of the Montezuma Oropendola

  • Black head and chestnut body

  • Yellow outer tail feathers

  • Large patterned bill and bare cheek area

Habitat & range

Most frequent in Caribbean lowlands, with distribution through the Reventazon basin and parts of the Central Valley. Local in the northwest, especially near mountain bases; not uniformly common across Guanacaste.

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

Mourning Gecko

Spanish name
Geco enlutado
Scientific name
Lepidodactylus lugubris
Reptiles Forest Edge · Gardens

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 Mourning Gecko

  • Small pale-brown body

  • Paired dark back markings

  • Adhesive toe pads

Habitat & range

Buildings and vegetation in established introduced populations, including documented Pacific coastal areas and Cabo Blanco.

Conservation & care

Observe without catching or moving the gecko. Do not transport reptiles, eggs or occupied plant material between sites. Keep pets away and wash hands after ordinary outdoor exploration.

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

Mussurana

Spanish name
Zopilota / Musurana
Scientific name
Clelia clelia
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 Mussurana

  • Adult dark gray-to-black body

  • Paler underside

  • Juveniles may be red with a dark head and pale collar

Habitat & range

Lowland and lower foothill woodland on both slopes, including humid and secondary forest.

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

Neotropical Whipsnake

Spanish name
Sabanera / Corredora de sabana
Scientific name
Masticophis mentovarius
Reptiles Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Neotropical Whipsnake

  • Long slender body

  • Very long whiplike tail

  • Pale chin below a brown-to-olive head

Habitat & range

Northwestern and western Pacific-slope dry and open wooded habitats, including Guanacaste, western lowlands and suitable Central Valley areas.

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

Northern Forest Racer

Spanish name
Corredora de bosque
Scientific name
Dendrophidion percarinatum
Reptiles 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 Northern Forest Racer

  • Slender body and long fine tail

  • Relatively large eyes

  • Narrow crossmarks along the body

Habitat & range

Humid lowland and foothill forests, including southwestern Costa Rica, Monteverde and Caribbean-slope localities.

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

Orange-barred Sulphur Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa azufre anaranjada
Scientific name
Phoebis philea
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the orange-barred sulphur butterfly!”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Orange-barred Sulphur Butterfly

  • Yellow wings

  • orange areas

  • broad rounded hindwings

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Spanish name
Perico frentinaranja / Catano
Scientific name
Eupsittula canicularis
Birds Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That little flock turns so quickly!”

Tati: “Let’s look for orange above the bill when one lands.”

Identification

Key Features of the Orange-fronted Parakeet

  • Orange forehead above the bill.

  • Pale yellow eye ring and green body.

  • Long pointed tail; agile flock flight.

Habitat & range

Northern Pacific lowlands, Tilaran and Nicoya hills. Occurs locally in the western Central Valley. Regional tags do not imply abundance in every town.

Seasonal Calendar

Year-round presence

Santa Rosa, ACG

Year-round

Source describes presence in nearly any season; La Cruz is the gateway, not the observation site.

Event source ↗

Fledgling family activity

Santa Rosa / lowland ACG

May, Jun

Source describes begging fledglings in May and June; not a fixed date for every nest.

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

ACG documents capture of nestlings for the pet trade outside the protected area. Habitat and safe nesting sites also matter.

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Nature Field Guide

Orchid Bees

Spanish name
Abejas de las orquídeas
Scientific name
Euglossini — group card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Orchid Bees

  • Often metallic colors

  • two pairs of wings

  • males may visit scented flowers

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

Owl Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa búho
Scientific name
Caligo telamonius
Butterflies & Moths Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Owl Butterfly

  • Large brown wings

  • rounded eye spot on underside

  • broad wing shape

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Pacific Land Hermit Crab

Spanish name
Cangrejo ermitaño terrestre del Pacífico
Scientific name
Coenobita compressus
Coastal Life · Crabs & Hermit Crabs · Marine Life Beach · Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico calls it a traveling home. Tati remembers that an apparently empty shell may already belong to a crab.

Identification

Key Features of the Pacific Land Hermit Crab

  • A hermit crab walking on land

  • A shell carried over the abdomen

  • Visible legs and claws can retreat inside the opening

Habitat & range

Coastal vegetation and adjacent ground. Stay on established routes and do not search inside burrows.

Conservation & care

Adults are adapted to life on land. Do not place the crab in water, remove its shell, collect it or keep it as a pet. Leave coastal shelters undisturbed.

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Nature Field Guide

Praying Mantises

Spanish name
Mantis
Scientific name
Mantodea — order card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Praying Mantises

  • Triangular head

  • grasping front legs

  • alert upright posture

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

Puffing Snake

Spanish name
Pajarera / Culebra pajarera
Scientific name
Phrynonax poecilonotus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · 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 Puffing Snake

  • Large elongated forest snake

  • Variable colors and darker markings

  • Distinct head and long climbing body

Habitat & range

Forests and wooded edges on both Costa Rican slopes, including lowlands and foothills; documented in 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Red Postman Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa cartero roja
Scientific name
Heliconius erato
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the red postman butterfly!”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Red Postman Butterfly

  • Long black wings

  • red forewing band

  • pale yellow hindwing stripe in common local forms

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Spanish name
Mielero patirrojo
Scientific name
Cyanerpes cyaneus
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Why are its feet so red?”

Tati: “Those red legs help us identify it, even when the body colors differ.”

Identification

Key Features of the Red-legged Honeycreeper

  • Bright red legs

  • Slender decurved bill

  • Breeding male blue with turquoise crown

Habitat & range

Wooded lowlands, forest edges, gardens and plantations. Common in northern Pacific areas and parts of Rio Frio; elsewhere on the Caribbean slope it is more local. Also occurs in the southern Pacific.

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

Redback Coffee Snake

Spanish name
Dormilona común / Culebra de cafetal
Scientific name
Ninia sebae
Reptiles Farms & Cultivated Land · 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 Redback Coffee Snake

  • Red or brick-colored upper body

  • Dark head

  • Pale neck collar and small eyes

Habitat & range

Lowland and foothill ground cover in suitable wooded and disturbed habitats on both slopes.

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Rhombic Cat-eyed Snake

Spanish name
Culebra ojo de gato / Escombrera
Scientific name
Leptodeira rhombifera
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Wetlands

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 Rhombic Cat-eyed Snake

  • Large eyes

  • Dark rhombic or saddle-shaped back blotches

  • Slender body and long tail

Habitat & range

Lowland and foothill habitats, with published Costa Rican observations in Guanacaste and the Pacific landscape.

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Ringed Snail-eating Snake

Spanish name
Caracolera anillada
Scientific name
Sibon annulatus
Reptiles Cloud Forest · 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 Ringed Snail-eating Snake

  • Slender body with contrasting rings

  • Large eyes

  • Branch-climbing posture

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean-slope forest and foothills, with records around Cartago and northern mountain forests.

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Roadside Hawk

Spanish name
Gavilán chapulinero
Scientific name
Rupornis magnirostris
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “I can see stripes across its belly!”

Tati: “Those bars and its yellow eye help us check the identification.”

Identification

Key Features of the Roadside Hawk

  • Yellow eye

  • Rufous-and-white barred belly

  • Broad dark tail bands

Habitat & range

Lowland woodland edges, second growth and open country with trees on both slopes. More frequent in northern Pacific lowlands; local in the Central Valley and other areas.

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

Roble de Sabana

Spanish name
Roble de sabana
Scientific name
Tabebuia rosea
Trees Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “A native tree whose pink trumpet flowers brighten forest edges and open landscapes.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Roble de Sabana

  • Pink or pale pink trumpet flowers

  • Five leaflets spreading from one point

  • Long narrow seed capsules

Habitat & range

Lowland forest and edges on both slopes; records include Guanacaste, the Central Pacific, Osa and the Caribbean lowlands.

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

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Spanish name
Colibrí rabirrufo
Scientific name
Amazilia tzacatl
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That hummingbird has a rusty tail!”

Tati: “Let’s check its bill and belly too.”

Identification

Key Features of the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

  • Rusty rufous tail

  • Green head and chest

  • Reddish bill with dark tip

Habitat & range

Widespread on both slopes from sea level locally to about 1850 m. Flowering gardens, secondary growth and river corridors are useful habitat; occurrence is more local in the dry northwest.

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

Salmon-bellied Racer

Spanish name
Corredora de vientre salmón
Scientific name
Mastigodryas melanolomus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Salmon-bellied Racer

  • Slender long-tailed body

  • Brown-to-olive upper surfaces

  • Pale or salmon-colored underside

Habitat & range

Pacific-slope forest, edges and foothill landscapes, including northwestern Costa Rica, San Luis de Monteverde and the South Pacific.

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Scarlet Macaw

Spanish name
Lapa roja
Scientific name
Ara macao
Birds Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Those wings have three colors to discover!”

Tati: “Let’s listen, look up and give the pair room to fly.”

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 Scarlet Macaw

  • Red body with yellow and blue wing feathers.

  • Long pointed tail and large pale upper bill.

  • Loud calls; birds may fly in pairs.

Habitat & range

Important populations occur around Carara and the Osa Peninsula. Guanacaste includes restored populations around Punta Islita; this does not imply occurrence throughout the region.

Seasonal Calendar

Breeding

Costa Rica; broad national window

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec

Broad reported window, not a dated Carara nesting forecast.

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

Forest loss removes feeding and nesting trees. Capture for the pet trade also affects populations; global status does not describe every local population.

Conservation assessment

World Parrot Trust reports IUCN Least Concern; local declines are still documented. 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

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Spanish name
Tangara de Passerini
Scientific name
Ramphocelus passerinii
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “I saw a bright red flash near its tail!”

Tati: “That rump patch is the clue. The male’s head stays black.”

Identification

Key Features of the Scarlet-rumped Tanager

  • Male black with scarlet rump

  • Pale silvery bill

  • Female plumage differs strongly

Habitat & range

Humid lowlands and foothills, secondary growth and wooded gardens on the Caribbean and Pacific slopes. This profile follows the current Costa Rican checklist's combined Scarlet-rumped Tanager treatment, including the southern Pacific form formerly called Cherrie's Tanager.

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

Side-striped Palm Pitviper

Spanish name
Lora venenosa
Scientific name
Bothriechis lateralis
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge

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 Side-striped Palm Pitviper

  • Thin pale line along each side

  • Adults often green; juveniles may be brown

  • Climbing body with a gripping tail

Habitat & range

Mountain forests and wooded agricultural landscapes of Costa Rica, including Monteverde and the central and Talamanca ranges.

Conservation & care

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

Threats & pressures

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

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Slender Anole

Spanish name
Anolis delgado
Scientific name
Anolis limifrons
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 Slender Anole

  • Slender brown-to-gray body

  • Long limbs and tail

  • Often perched on low narrow twigs

Habitat & range

Humid forest edges and regenerating vegetation on the Caribbean slope and in the Central and South Pacific.

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

Speckled Racer

Spanish name
Corredora moteada
Scientific name
Drymobius margaritiferus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest · Wetlands

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 Speckled Racer

  • Dark body with many pale scale centers

  • Long tail and slender build

  • Speckled rather than broadly banded pattern

Habitat & range

Lowland and foothill habitats on both slopes, including northwestern and western Pacific areas and humid Caribbean landscapes.

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

Spiral Ginger

Spanish name
Caña agria / Costus
Scientific name
Costus pulverulentus
Other Plants Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Spiraling leaves lead the eye to a red-orange cone of bracts.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Spiral Ginger

  • Leaves spiraling around a cane-like stem

  • Elongated red-orange bract cone

  • Narrow tubular flowers

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean and northern forests, Guanacaste foothills, the Central Pacific 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

Spotted Coffee Snake

Spanish name
Culebra cafetalera manchada
Scientific name
Ninia maculata
Reptiles 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 Spotted Coffee Snake

  • Small dark-headed snake

  • Keeled scales and dark crossmarks

  • Spotted underside studied from references only

Habitat & range

Humid forest and foothill habitats on both slopes, including Monteverde, central highland margins 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Stingless Bees

Spanish name
Abejas sin aguijón
Scientific name
Meliponini — group card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Stingless Bees

  • Usually small bees

  • busy nest entrances

  • shape varies among species

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

Summer Tanager

Spanish name
Tangara veranera
Scientific name
Piranga rubra
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Even its wings are red!”

Tati: “That helps us compare it with the scarlet tanager.”

Identification

Key Features of the Summer Tanager

  • Adult male entirely red

  • Hefty pale bill

  • Female yellowish and young males patchy

Habitat & range

A migrant and nonbreeding visitor, generally mid-September through April. Uses forest, edges and wooded gardens on both slopes, with fewer birds at higher elevations.

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

Terciopelo

Spanish name
Terciopelo o barba amarilla
Scientific name
Bothrops asper
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the terciopelo. Use a reference photograph to draw one body marking. Practice telling an adult that a snake is present while keeping away.

Identification

Key Features of the Terciopelo

  • Robust body.

  • Dark triangular side markings with lighter edges.

  • A dark stripe behind the eye.

Habitat & range

Especially humid Caribbean and Pacific lowlands; it can also occur in disturbed habitats.

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

Tiger Rat Snake

Spanish name
Tigre o serpiente tigre
Scientific name
Spilotes pullatus
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the tiger rat snake. Trace the black-and-yellow pattern on a printed reference image. Discuss why identification belongs to trained adults.

Identification

Key Features of the Tiger Rat Snake

  • Long body and tail.

  • Black-and-yellow pattern that varies between individuals.

  • Often seen in vegetation or moving between ground and branches.

Habitat & range

Forests and wooded edges in suitable Costa Rican habitats.

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

Tropical Kingbird

Spanish name
Tirano tropical
Scientific name
Tyrannus melancholicus
Birds Farms & Cultivated Land · Forest Edge · Gardens · Open Woodland

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That bird keeps returning to the same branch!”

Tati: “A perch gives a flycatcher a place to watch for food.”

Identification

Key Features of the Tropical Kingbird

  • Gray head without bold white eyebrow

  • Yellow underparts

  • Long dark bill and brown tail

Habitat & range

Widespread in open country, farms, towns and forest clearings, mainly below about 1850 m and less commonly higher. Regional tags apply only where suitable open habitat exists.

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

Turnip-tailed Gecko

Spanish name
Geco de cola abultada
Scientific name
Thecadactylus rapicauda
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the turnip-tailed gecko. Compare two verified photographs with different tail shapes. Record a difference without trying to catch a gecko.

Identification

Key Features of the Turnip-tailed Gecko

  • Broad toe pads.

  • Mottled brown or gray body.

  • A thick or swollen tail may be present, especially after regrowth.

Habitat & range

Humid forests, tree trunks and sheltered surfaces in suitable lowland 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

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Spanish name
Momoto cejiceleste / Bobo
Scientific name
Eumomota superciliosa
Birds Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “The end of its tail looks like two tiny paddles!”

Tati: “The blue eyebrow gives us another clue.”

Identification

Key Features of the Turquoise-browed Motmot

  • Bright turquoise eyebrow above a dark mask.

  • Long central tail shafts with broad racket tips.

  • Compare head pattern and tail together.

Habitat & range

Dry and gallery woodland in the northern Pacific, south regularly toward Tarcoles. Rare Central Valley occurrences are not used as a core regional tag.

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

Two-banded False Coral Snake

Spanish name
Falsa coral de dos bandas
Scientific name
Erythrolamprus bizona
Reptiles Forest Edge · Tropical Dry Forest · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Two-banded False Coral Snake

  • Dark bands often arranged in pairs

  • Reddish body with narrow pale markings

  • Small head and slender build

Habitat & range

Forest and forest-edge habitats on both slopes; documented in San Luis de Monteverde.

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

Violet Sabrewing

Spanish name
Ala de sable violáceo
Scientific name
Campylopterus hemileucurus
Birds Cloud Forest · Forest Edge · Rivers & Streams · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “It looked dark until it turned!”

Tati: “Iridescent feathers can change appearance as the light changes.”

Identification

Key Features of the Violet Sabrewing

  • Large hummingbird shape

  • Thick curved bill

  • White outer tail corners

Habitat & range

Humid mountain forest and forest edges on both slopes. Breeding is mainly at middle elevations, with seasonal descent into foothills. Guanacaste means humid mountain habitat, not dry beaches.

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

Wagner Heliconia

Spanish name
Platanilla
Scientific name
Heliconia wagneriana
Other Plants Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Broad pink-and-cream bracts form a colorful upright flower display.”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Wagner Heliconia

  • Large paddle-shaped leaves

  • Upright inflorescence

  • Broad pink-red bracts with pale margins and green tips

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean lowlands and Northern Plains, the Central Pacific and Osa, as well as cultivated 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Walking Sticks

Spanish name
Insectos palo
Scientific name
Phasmatodea — order card
Other Insects Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the Walking Sticks

  • Twig-like body

  • six long legs

  • camouflage among branches

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

White Anole

Spanish name
Anolis de vientre liso
Scientific name
Anolis laeviventris
Reptiles Cloud Forest · Forest Edge

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 White Anole

  • Small gray-to-brown anole

  • Mottled twig-colored camouflage

  • Fine tapering tail

Habitat & range

Upland forest and edges in Costa Rica, including San Luis de Monteverde and central mountain areas.

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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

White Peacock Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa pavo real blanca
Scientific name
Anartia jatrophae
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the White Peacock Butterfly

  • Pale wings

  • wavy brown lines

  • small dark spots and warm orange edging

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

White Witch Moth

Spanish name
Polilla bruja blanca
Scientific name
Thysania agrippina
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

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

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

Identification

Key Features of the White Witch Moth

  • Very broad pale wings

  • intricate dark wavy markings

  • flattened resting shape

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

White-necked Jacobin

Spanish name
Jacobino nuquiblanco
Scientific name
Florisuga mellivora
Birds Forest Edge · Gardens · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its tail opened like a little white fan!”

Tati: “The white tail and blue hood are useful clues in a male.”

Identification

Key Features of the White-necked Jacobin

  • Male has blue hood

  • White belly and tail in males

  • Green back and white nape collar

Habitat & range

Humid lowlands and lower slopes of the Caribbean and southern Pacific, especially forest canopy, clearings and flowering edges. It is not a general dry-northwest garden hummingbird.

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

White-throated Magpie-Jay

Spanish name
Urraca copetona
Scientific name
Cyanocorax formosa
Birds Forest Edge · Open Woodland · Tropical Dry Forest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Its crest curls like a little ribbon!”

Tati: “The blue tail and white throat are other good clues.”

Identification

Key Features of the White-throated Magpie-Jay

  • Long blue tail with pale tips

  • Tall curled crest

  • White throat with dark neck markings

Habitat & range

Northern Pacific dry and gallery woodland, extending toward Orotina and San Mateo. A documented Tamarindo photograph supports that local connection. The public scientific name is corrected to Cyanocorax formosa; the permanent import ID stays unchanged.

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

Yellow-throated Toucan

Spanish name
Tucán pico castaño
Scientific name
Ramphastos ambiguus
Birds Forest Edge · Tropical Rainforest

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “That bill is enormous!”

Tati: “Its yellow and chestnut areas help us compare it with the keel-billed toucan.”

Identification

Key Features of the Yellow-throated Toucan

  • Large yellow-and-chestnut bill

  • Yellow throat and upper chest

  • Mostly dark body

Habitat & range

Humid Caribbean lowlands and foothills and the southern Pacific, north toward Carara. Suitable Talamanca forest extends to middle elevations; dry Guanacaste is not 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.

View full profile →

Nature Field Guide

Zebra Longwing Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa cebra
Scientific name
Heliconius charithonia complex (ACG: H. vazquezae)
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the zebra longwing butterfly!”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Zebra Longwing Butterfly

  • Long narrow black wings

  • pale yellow stripes

  • slow deliberate flight

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

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Nature Field Guide

Zuleika Longwing Butterfly

Spanish name
Mariposa Zuleika
Scientific name
Heliconius zuleika
Butterflies & Moths Forest Edge

What Do Pico & Tati Think?

Pico: “Let's look closely at the zuleika longwing butterfly!”

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

Identification

Key Features of the Zuleika Longwing Butterfly

  • Long dark wings

  • yellow forewing patches

  • orange basal hindwing accents

Habitat & range

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

Conservation & care

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

View full profile →

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