Limonal Scarlet Macaws (1 Viewer)

[sbradfield]

Just returned from a fantastic two week family holiday in CR. Will be posting some ID photo queries in the relevant forum later this week....

One bird I was not really expecting was Scarlet Macaw as we were not in the main areas and I understand them to be rare. However we came across 3 apparently free flying Scarlet Macaws in trees in the town of Limonal. Can anyone advise as to whether these were wild birds (perhaps from Palo Verde where there is apparently a small population) or were they likely to be escapes?

Thanks
Simon

 

[njlarsen]

Looking at Ebird there seems to be a cluster of observations in that area: http://ebird.org/ebird/map/scamac1?...mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2015

Niels

 

[gdhunter]

One bird I was not really expecting was Scarlet Macaw as we were not in the main areas and I understand them to be rare. However we came across 3 apparently free flying Scarlet Macaws in trees in the town of Limonal. Can anyone advise as to whether these were wild birds (perhaps from Palo Verde where there is apparently a small population) or were they likely to be escapes?

The updated Garrigues & Dean range map seems to indicate three disjunct Pacific Slope populations in CR, the northernmost of which could well be within the daytime foraging range of the location indicated for Limonal at Google Maps (near the northernmost point of Golfo Nicoya). The Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app suggests a somewhat more continuous distribution from about Tarcoles southward, but it too notes an isolated population in the northernmost Golfo Nicoya region.

Gary H

 

[sbradfield]

Thanks for the responses. Looks like other people have been ticking them as wild birds.

 

[Birdingcraft]

With Scarlet Macaw on the increase in CR, the range maps could probably show them occurring in most of the Tempisque basin and nearby, from Tarcoles south to the Osa and Golfito, and in parts of the northern Caribbean slope. I was at Laguna del Lagarto a couple of years ago and instead of Great Greens, we had at least 20 Scarlets. Nice to have them really coming back in many parts of CR!

 

[Hamhed]

The recent word from Sarapiqui area is that they are seen on an irregular and infrequent basis but they are there at times.

Steve

 

[gdhunter]

The recent word from Sarapiqui area is that they are seen on an irregular and infrequent basis but they are there at times.

The Sarapiqui region is among our favorite CR destinations, especially the somewhat elevated terrain at and around Tirimbina and the somewhat lower forest at and around La Selva. Great Green Macaws were invariably added to our triplists after birding that area, but not once during perhaps five trips did we encounter Scarlet. The updated Garrigues & Dean guide seems to suggest a possible recolonization trend. Looking at the map, I suspect Laguna del Lagarto might prove a reliable site if that's true.

Gary H

 

[Birdingcraft]

The Sarapiqui region is among our favorite CR destinations, especially the somewhat elevated terrain at and around Tirimbina and the somewhat lower forest at and around La Selva. Great Green Macaws were invariably added to our triplists after birding that area, but not once during perhaps five trips did we encounter Scarlet. The updated Garrigues & Dean guide seems to suggest a possible recolonization trend. Looking at the map, I suspect Laguna del Lagarto might prove a reliable site if that's true.

Gary H

Yes, it seems to be rather recent, maybe more so in the past 5 years?