I have written many times about the incredible depth of biological diversity that exists in Costa Rica. However, it is in the variety of bird species where that diversity is displayed most dramatically. Have you ever wondered why out of all the creatures, God made birds the most delicate and beautiful of all? Maybe it is because they are the closest of all the species to angels, both of whom are not bound by the constraints of gravity like the rest of us. I ventured up into the Talamanca mountains to Cerro de la Muerte and San Gerardo de Dota this past weekend. There is something so serene and peaceful about this place deep in the heart of Costa Rica’s highest range. San Gerardo de Dota has the reputation as the best place to see the mythical Resplendent Quetzal. However, even if you aren’t lucky enough to catch a Quetzal early in the morning midst dining on the fruit of the aguacatillo tree, a whole host of other species also await the bird watching enthusiast. Some regard “bird watching” as a recreational activity relegated to “old folks.” Well I guess I am kind of old, so maybe that is why this past-time has great appeal to me these days. But I believe it is also because as we age we also become wiser and more in tune to those little things that make life more meaningful. Costa Rica’s natural diversity is colorfully represented in the many sights and sounds of its seemingly countless variety of birds. I believe there are something like 1,000 different species. Can you imagine what life would be like without the birds? I can’t. We sometimes jokingly say that “life is going to the birds” But the truth is that birds are one of those little things that if we take time to notice will bring a deeper realization of how amazing, complex and simple life really is. And here in Costa Rica if you’re not noticing then you’re just not paying attention. The birds of Costa Rica have captivated me as have many things in this amazing little piece of paradise I call home. I don’t believe I will ever grow tired of learning more about them. They seem to be creatures that exist, among other purposes, for the express reason of adding a little color to the sometimes olive-drab of life. Like the “controlled chaos” of a really good Grateful Dead tune, the birds of Costa Rica present a mesmerizing mosaic of colors and sounds that make life in Costa Rica all the more rich and rewarding.
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