Raptor migration
FollowIn autumn 2000 the Migratory Raptor Conservation Project began standardized, full-season counts at a single watch site in the Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve in southern Caribbean-slope of Costa Rica. Kèköldi, is one of the very few of places in the world – together with Veracruz, Mexico, and Eilat, in Israel – where it is possible to observe many thousands of raptors migrating in one season.
Most migrant raptors migrants that pass through Costa Rica come from North America. All 33 species of raptors that occur in the United States are migratory and all but six regularly migrate into Latin America and the Caribbean.
Seven species observed in October 2011 show numbers that make a good example of how numerous the migration can be in five days:
Broad-winged Hawk 22737
Swainson´s Hawk 12977
Turkey Vulture 18475
PeregrineFalcon9
Osprey15
This year not only the indigenous people and ornithologist in Kekoldi, but all birders in the country are very excited about the new visitors. But not only raptors take this long journey to the warm tropical weather. A very wide range of all sorts of birds from many different familias are found in Costa Rica from late October to May.
No wonder why so many birders from all over come to Costa Rica in birdwatching trips and tours to see their migrants wintering here.
