The 5 Most Common Owls in Costa Rica

Owls! We always want to see them but they hide so well. In Costa Rica, we have 18 owl species on our official bird list but they aren't your everyday birds. A few on that list are rare migrants and some others are uncommon or have behaviors that make them a challenge to see. However, several of the owls in Costa Rica are more common than most folks realize. Birders might not run into the following five owl species on a daily basis but, if you know where to look or go birding with experienced local guides, you should see them!

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

This fierce mini raptor is a common bird in most any area with dry and moist forest, primarily on the Pacific slope. In Costa Rica, that translates to the northwestern part of the country (Guanacaste) south to around Jaco and also in the Central Valley.

Although Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls seem have to have declined in parts of the Central Valley (probably from loss of habitat), they are pretty common in other areas, especially sites just north of Carara. In some places, we have counted three to five pygmy-owls calling from one spot! Thanks to their diurnal behavior, these cool little owls are probably the easiest owl species to see in Costa Rica.

Mottled Owl

Although this owl isn't the easiest bird to see, if you go owling just about anywhere in Costa Rica, you'll probably hear it. In Costa Rica, Mottled Owls seem to live in any place with woodlands from sea level up to at least 1,700 meters and maybe even higher. We have heard them giving their gruff "Woof!" call from remnant riparian zones in the urbanized Central Valley, from lowland rainforest, hotel grounds, and other places. They might be especially common in cloud forest.

Despite possibly being the most common owl in Costa Rica, since Mottled Owls hide so well, they are surprisingly tough to see! Luckily, there have been reliable roosting birds at the Hotel Bougainvillea, a couple other sites, and, if you spend time looking for the at night, you have a fair chance of seeing one.

Spectacled Owl

Oh yes, this impressive big tropical owl is pretty common. It just knows how to hide during the day and avoid people. However, once birders learn its peculiar vocalization, they realize how frequent this special bird is. We find Spectacled Owls in wooded areas from the lowlands all the way to the highlands, even in parts of the Central Valley!

Perhaps attracted to rodents or other small creatures, Spectacled Owls are a regular feature at eco-lodges in Costa Rica and elsewhere. They might also be partial to riparian zones. We often know of roosting birds but, in a fix, can also find them during nocturnal owling sessions.

Pacific Screech-Owl

Getting back to smaller owls, this species is the most common screech-owl in Costa Rica. It is pretty common in any dry and moist forest from the Jaco area north to Nicaragua, around Cano Negro, and in drier parts of the Central Valley (mostly the western part).

Listen in the evening or just before dawn in any of those areas and there's a good chance you'll hear this bird. We also see them on roosts in the Cano Negro areas, at Ensenada Lodge, and elsewhere, and often find them at night.

Bare-shanked Screech-Owl

Yes! This neat regional endemic is pretty common! Bare-shanked Screech-Owls live in any highland wooded habitat from around 1,500 meters to the treeline. In some areas, we have also heard several from one spot. Although they are very difficult to find in the day, we sometimes know about day roosts and they are pretty easy to see at night.

On occasion, we also see Bare-shanked Screech-Owls active at dawn, in the early morning, and in the late afternoon.

American Barn Owl, Black-and-White Owl, Striped Owl, and Tropical Screech Owl

These four species get an honorable mention because, although they aren't quite as abundant as the birds mentioned above, they are still fairly common. Barn Owls live at most elevations and although their populations have declined from easting poisoned rodents, pairs still live in many a church steeple, town park, and many other places.

Black-and-White Owls occur from sea level to fairly high up but are most common in low elevations. We sometimes see them hunting by street lights or on several known day roosts. Speaking of day roosts, we often know of a day roost or two for the Striped Owl and see them perched on roadside wires around Cano Negro, Jaco, and other places with open, marshy fields.

As for the Tropical Screech-Owl, we hear and see quite a few of these small owl species in gardens and second growth in the General Valley and other parts of the southern Pacific slope. We also find them in the Central Valley but they might be most common on the southern Pacific slope.

On our birding and bird photography tours in Costa Rica, we also see the uncommon species not mentioned above. It's a matter of knowing where the birds are and how to see them. Which owls would you like to see and photograph in Costa Rica? Tell us about it and we'll see how we can help!