Exotic Bird Watching Vacations

Costa Rica: Visiting Costa Rica to bird watch is must be a vacation of a lifetime. This bird watching experience is for the beginner as well as the expert. There are 874 species of birds that are divided into 64 families. There are more species in Costa Rica than in all of North America. The size of Costa Rica is roughly the size of West Virginia. Travel agents will arrange all the details so you can concentrate on enjoying the beautiful birds. This Central American country is preferred by birders not only because of the great biodiversity but the way in which visitors are treated. Bird watchers have many hotel options including forest lodges. The lodge offer bird watching hikes with expert bilingual guides. The bird that put Costa Rica on the birders map is the Resplendent Quetzal. The male quetzal is covered in emerald green iridescent feathers. The most striking feature when identifying this bird is its long tail feathers which double the bird’s length. This beautiful bird eats a fruit that is a relative to the avocado. Not only are the variety of birds visually appealing, but their songs and calls are a bonus as you trek through the dense Costa Rica’s dense foliage.

 

Australia: This continent and its territories are home to over 800 species of birds. Australia territories include Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Birding locations may be quite remote in these areas so guided tours are recommended. In the heart of Queensland, the area of Abberton offers excellent bird-watching with expert guides. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the birding opportunities offered in Australia.

 

If bird watching is your hobby, don’t forget to make your backyard a healthy environment that invites birds. Increase food and water sources for wildlife, shelter and nesting opportunities. Also important is native plantings, decrease invasive plant sprawl, pesticide use and polluted runoff. You can’t vacation year round so make your yard a place for relaxing and taking mini-vacations to study beautiful birds that are unique to your region.