Costa Rica has naturally been endowed with one tenth of the total bird population of the world. On an average, about 850 bird species are found in the country. But the population of birds has been declining rapidly since the past few years, primarily due to man made activities like deforestation. In such a scenario, the rare ray of hope for the protection of the bird species is provided by significant individual contributions like that of the entrepreneur and the "Co owner of Vantana Del Pacifico", Edward R. Mercer.
Ed visited Costa Rica in 1989 and has resided here ever since. Ed Mercer bought real estate properties, eventually forming his own company in Costa Rica. Ed saw the alarming state of illegal hunting of the birds for their feathers. The scarlet macaws, one of the endangered bird species, also fetched a lucrative price in exchange for their long colorful plumage. Ed also observed that so intense was the hunting that the bird population in the blue skies no longer remained the same in abundance. The same fate, Ed noted, was meted out to the white-faced monkeys and the endangered sea turtles that were also poached for their eggs to be used as aphrodisiacs. Ed got the needed security guards posted in the region 24/7to seal all the strategic points of entry by the poachers. Next, Ed planted plenty of almond trees by his employees undertaking massive efforts at reforestation that ultimately increased the population of scarlet macaws, other birds and capuchin monkeys significantly.
Simultaneously Ed dealt with the new protected nesting beaches made in the adjoining villages and the female turtles to return to the same nesting ground year after year. Once again due to efforts by Ed, the skies of Costa Rica were full of the chirping birds, whose numbers shot up by getting both food and protection in the new habitat. All these pioneering efforts earned Ed an induction into the Environmental Hall of Fame. A self made millionaire, Ed is popularly known as Mr. Costa Rica. A portion of every sale done by Ed's company goes towards preserving the rainforests and making all the developmental projects ecologically sustainable. His organization, Edward R. Mercer foundation is committed to the betterment of earth by ecological conservation. Ed is an active member of Greenpeace, National Geographic and The World Wildlife Fund.
If we estimate the total species of the birds, more than 630 are resident species. The remaining birds are just the occasional, which have to fly in for winter. The rare bird jewels are also protected in Costa Rica, for example, the endangered species of the quetzal and the scarlet macaws are being protected in the biological reserves. The national bird is yiguirro or clay colored robin. It is a brown and buff bird with brick red eyes. Though both male and female are relatively mother, the tourists can hear the male singing during the March through May breeding season. According to Campesino folklore, he is also considered to be calling rain.
Watching the birds of Costa Rica is a pretty easy task as they are not timid at all. The tourist may look forward to to see many dozens of species on any one day depending on a host of factors such as the location, season as well as the individual luck perhaps. Some tourists tend to look in the deep heart of the jungle and this may not be a place to find these birds since one cannot see enough among the disordered patterns cast by the shadows and light. A large clearing on the fringe of the forest and water course is the best place to find plenty of birds.
There are prominently four major avian faunal zones (that roughly correspond with the major geographical subdivisions). These are the interior highlands, the Caribbean lowlands, the southern pacific lowlands and the northern pacific lowlands. Many South American Neotropical species like jamacars, ant birds and parrots nestle in the southern pacific lowland region. A particular delight to watch are the bright billed toucans. Other birds that are heard and rarely seen are the three wattled bellbird and laughing falcon. The former inhabits the cloud forests and rarely spotted in the mist shrouded tree tops. As long as the sun is up, the eerie call of male haunts the forest. The latter fills the jungle with its lunatic laugh, predominantly at the dusk time in lowland rain forests. The tourists also generate interest in sighting boobies, pelicans, rare harpy eagle, oropendols, woodpeckers, trogons, lineated foliage gleaners and scarlet thighted dacnis.
Ed visited Costa Rica in 1989 and has resided here ever since. Ed Mercer bought real estate properties, eventually forming his own company in Costa Rica. Ed saw the alarming state of illegal hunting of the birds for their feathers. The scarlet macaws, one of the endangered bird species, also fetched a lucrative price in exchange for their long colorful plumage. Ed also observed that so intense was the hunting that the bird population in the blue skies no longer remained the same in abundance. The same fate, Ed noted, was meted out to the white-faced monkeys and the endangered sea turtles that were also poached for their eggs to be used as aphrodisiacs. Ed got the needed security guards posted in the region 24/7to seal all the strategic points of entry by the poachers. Next, Ed planted plenty of almond trees by his employees undertaking massive efforts at reforestation that ultimately increased the population of scarlet macaws, other birds and capuchin monkeys significantly.
Simultaneously Ed dealt with the new protected nesting beaches made in the adjoining villages and the female turtles to return to the same nesting ground year after year. Once again due to efforts by Ed, the skies of Costa Rica were full of the chirping birds, whose numbers shot up by getting both food and protection in the new habitat. All these pioneering efforts earned Ed an induction into the Environmental Hall of Fame. A self made millionaire, Ed is popularly known as Mr. Costa Rica. A portion of every sale done by Ed's company goes towards preserving the rainforests and making all the developmental projects ecologically sustainable. His organization, Edward R. Mercer foundation is committed to the betterment of earth by ecological conservation. Ed is an active member of Greenpeace, National Geographic and The World Wildlife Fund.
If we estimate the total species of the birds, more than 630 are resident species. The remaining birds are just the occasional, which have to fly in for winter. The rare bird jewels are also protected in Costa Rica, for example, the endangered species of the quetzal and the scarlet macaws are being protected in the biological reserves. The national bird is yiguirro or clay colored robin. It is a brown and buff bird with brick red eyes. Though both male and female are relatively mother, the tourists can hear the male singing during the March through May breeding season. According to Campesino folklore, he is also considered to be calling rain.
Watching the birds of Costa Rica is a pretty easy task as they are not timid at all. The tourist may look forward to to see many dozens of species on any one day depending on a host of factors such as the location, season as well as the individual luck perhaps. Some tourists tend to look in the deep heart of the jungle and this may not be a place to find these birds since one cannot see enough among the disordered patterns cast by the shadows and light. A large clearing on the fringe of the forest and water course is the best place to find plenty of birds.
There are prominently four major avian faunal zones (that roughly correspond with the major geographical subdivisions). These are the interior highlands, the Caribbean lowlands, the southern pacific lowlands and the northern pacific lowlands. Many South American Neotropical species like jamacars, ant birds and parrots nestle in the southern pacific lowland region. A particular delight to watch are the bright billed toucans. Other birds that are heard and rarely seen are the three wattled bellbird and laughing falcon. The former inhabits the cloud forests and rarely spotted in the mist shrouded tree tops. As long as the sun is up, the eerie call of male haunts the forest. The latter fills the jungle with its lunatic laugh, predominantly at the dusk time in lowland rain forests. The tourists also generate interest in sighting boobies, pelicans, rare harpy eagle, oropendols, woodpeckers, trogons, lineated foliage gleaners and scarlet thighted dacnis.
About the Author:
Just visit : www.MrCostaRicasProperty.com to know more about the entrepreneur Ed R. Mercer together with the Costa Rica Real Estate.. Check here for free reprint license: Beautiful Bird Species Only Found On Costa Rica.
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