Costa Rica Wildlife: Month-by-Month Spotting Calendar

This Costa Rica wildlife calendar shows what you can see each month and where. Sloths, monkeys, toucans and scarlet macaws are around all year. The seasonal highlights follow a clear pattern. Resplendent quetzals peak from about February to April, and wetland birds gather at Palo Verde and Caño Negro in the dry season, December to April. Green sea turtles nest at Tortuguero from about July to October, and olive ridley mass nestings at Ostional peak around September and October. Humpback whales visit the South Pacific twice a year, from about July to November and December to March. If you want the widest mix in one trip, aim for July to September; for birding and easier hiking, go December to April.

This guide is for travelers planning a trip around specific animals, or wondering what they’ll see on the dates they already have. It covers a month-by-month calendar, the best places and seasons for the most-wanted species, the top parks and the rules for watching wildlife responsibly.

Wildlife event	Best months
Green turtle nesting, Tortuguero	July–October, peak August–September
Olive ridley arribadas, Ostional	Rainy season, peak September–October
Leatherback nesting, Playa Grande	October–mid-February (now rare)
Humpback whales, South Pacific	July–November and December–March
Resplendent quetzal	Late January–May, peak February–April
Migrant songbirds	Mid-September–early April, peak October–November
Wetland birds, Palo Verde and Caño Negro	December–April, peak February–March
Sloths, monkeys, toucans, macaws	Year-round

Seasons

Best Time to See Wildlife in Costa Rica

There’s no bad month for wildlife in Costa Rica, only different trade-offs. The country has two seasons, and each favors different animals.

• Dry season (about December to April): easier trails and clearer skies, the best birding and the quetzal season. On the Pacific side, the dry forest thins out and animals gather near water, which makes them easier to spot.
• Green season (about May to November): sea turtle nesting, the southern humpback season and frogs at their most active, with lower prices and fewer visitors. Mornings are usually the best time to be out.
• July to September: turtles on both coasts, whales in the south and often a short drier spell around July, which makes this the best window if you want variety.

For weather by region, see our guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica by region.

Calendar

Costa Rica Wildlife Calendar: Month by Month

Month	What to look for
January	Northern humpbacks off the South Pacific; quetzal season begins late in the month; migrant songbirds; last leatherbacks at Playa Grande; dry-season birding.
February	Quetzal peak begins; wetland birds build up at Palo Verde and Caño Negro; dry, firm trails in Corcovado.
March	Peak waterbird numbers at Palo Verde; quetzals nesting; last weeks of northern humpbacks; hot and dry in Guanacaste.
April	Quetzals still nesting; migrants leave in early April; animals concentrate near water in the dry forest.
May	Rains begin and frogs become more active; quetzal season winds down; few crowds.
June	Green, quiet month; good for frogs and night walks; lower prices.
July	Green turtle nesting begins at Tortuguero; southern humpbacks arrive; often a short dry spell; Costa Rican school holidays.
August	Green turtle and humpback peak begins; Ostional arribadas pick up.
September	Peak green turtles and humpbacks; Ostional arribadas peak; migrant birds arrive; Caribbean weather at its best.
October	Arribadas continue; humpbacks; migrant songbirds peak; leatherback season begins; wettest month on the Pacific side.
November	Southern humpbacks leave; migrants still passing; rains ease late in the month.
December	Dry season starts; northern humpbacks arrive; wetland birds return to Palo Verde; leatherbacks possible.

Species

Where and When to See Costa Rica’s Top Animals

Sea turtles

• Green turtles, Tortuguero (Caribbean): July to October, peaking in August and September. See how to get to Tortuguero.
• Olive ridleys, Ostional (Nicoya Peninsula): mass nestings called arribadas, when thousands of turtles come ashore over a few nights, mostly in the rainy season and peaking in September and October.
• Leatherbacks, Playa Grande near Tamarindo: about October to mid-February, though numbers have fallen sharply and sightings are now rare.

Night visits require a certified guide, and white lights and flash photography aren’t allowed on nesting beaches. See our guide to sea turtle nesting sites.

Humpback whales

Humpbacks from both hemispheres breed off Costa Rica’s South Pacific coast. Southern Hemisphere whales arrive from about July to November, peaking from August to October, and Northern Hemisphere whales come from about December to March. Marino Ballena National Park near Uvita and the Golfo Dulce are the main viewing areas. Tour boats must stay 100 meters from whales and 50 meters from dolphins. See our whale watching guide.

Resplendent quetzal

Quetzals live in highland cloud forest and are easiest to find during nesting, from about late January to May, with the peak from February to April. Monteverde and San Gerardo de Dota are the best-known spots. A local guide who knows where birds are feeding makes a big difference. See our quetzal guide.

Sloths and monkeys

Both two-toed and three-toed sloths live in Costa Rica year-round, and lowland parks such as Manuel Antonio, Cahuita and Tortuguero are reliable places to see them. Costa Rica has four monkey species: mantled howlers, white-faced capuchins, spider monkeys and squirrel monkeys. Squirrel monkeys live only in the Central and South Pacific, mainly around Manuel Antonio and the Osa Peninsula. See where to see sloths.

Macaws and other birds

Costa Rica’s official bird list has about 950 species, including 54 hummingbirds. Scarlet macaws are seen year-round at Carara National Park and on the Osa Peninsula. The rarer great green macaw lives in the Caribbean lowlands around Sarapiquí. Migrant songbirds arrive from North America from mid-September and stay until early April. See our bird watching guide.

Frogs

Red-eyed tree frogs and poison dart frogs live in lowland and mid-elevation rainforest. Frogs are most active in the rainy season. Guided night walks, offered in La Fortuna, Monteverde, Tortuguero and elsewhere, are the best way to find tree frogs, which are nocturnal.

Jaguars, tapirs and wetland birds

Costa Rica has an estimated 350 or so jaguars, and sightings are rare. Corcovado and Tortuguero have the best odds, and Baird’s tapirs are seen more often around Corcovado’s Sirena station, where a guide is required. See our guides to jaguars and Corcovado.

In the dry season, herons, storks, spoonbills and jabirus gather in the shrinking lagoons of Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste and Caño Negro in the north, best by boat from December to April. See our wetlands guide.

Parks

Best Parks for Wildlife by Season

Park	Best for	Best months
Corcovado	Tapirs, macaws, monkeys, rare jaguars	December–April
Tortuguero	Green turtles, sloths, caimans, river birds	July–October for turtles
Manuel Antonio	Sloths, monkeys, coatis	Year-round, early mornings
Monteverde	Quetzals, hummingbirds, night frogs	February–April
Marino Ballena	Humpback whales, dolphins	July–November, December–March
Palo Verde	Waterbirds, crocodiles	December–April
Carara	Scarlet macaws, crocodiles nearby	Year-round

For a species-by-species overview, see our Costa Rica wildlife guide.

Responsible viewing

Wildlife Viewing Rules in Costa Rica

• Never feed wild animals. It’s illegal and makes monkeys, coatis and crocodiles dependent and aggressive.
• Book turtle tours with certified guides only, and follow their rules on lights and distance.
• Don’t hold or pose with wild animals. Reputable rescue centers don’t allow it.
• Use a red light on night walks and skip flash on frogs and turtles.
• Keep your distance and stay on marked trails; animals that aren’t disturbed stay visible longer.
• Hire a naturalist guide. Guides carry spotting scopes and find animals most visitors walk past, and they’re required in Corcovado.

Binoculars make a big difference; see our compact binoculars guide.

Avoid

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Expecting nesting turtles in the dry season at Tortuguero.
• Going out at midday. Most animals are active at dawn and late afternoon.
• Skipping a guide on your first park visit.
• Counting on a jaguar. Plan for tapirs, monkeys and macaws instead, and treat a jaguar as a rare bonus.
• Booking a turtle or wildlife experience that lets you touch animals.

FAQ

Costa Rica Wildlife Calendar: FAQ