A Guest's Guide to Wildlife at Hacienda La Palma

The property sits at the edge of the cloud forest, surrounded by rivers, fruit trees, and undisturbed canopy. You do not need to go on a guided tour to see wildlife here. You just need to look up.

Birds: The Morning Chorus

The Southern Zone of Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse birding corridors in Central America, and the Hacienda sits right in the middle of it. Guests regularly spot species from their terrace before breakfast is served.

Toucans

The fiery-billed aracari and the chestnut-mandibled toucan are the two species most commonly seen around the property. They tend to travel in small flocks of four to eight birds, moving through the canopy in the early morning. Their calls are unmistakable — a sharp, repeated yelp that carries across the valley. Look for them in the cecropia and fig trees along the river corridor.

Tanagers and Honeycreepers

Scarlet-rumped tanagers, blue-gray tanagers, and green honeycreepers are among the most colorful daily visitors. They frequent the fruit trees near the casitas, especially when guava and papaya are in season. The red-legged honeycreeper, with its vivid electric blue plumage, is a favorite among guests who bring binoculars.

Raptors and Forest Specialists

Broad-winged hawks circle the ridgeline in the mornings. On quieter days, you may spot a laughing falcon perched on an exposed branch near the river. Deeper in the forest, motmots sit perfectly still on mid-canopy perches, their distinctive racket-shaped tail feathers swaying beneath them.

Monkeys: Howlers and Capuchins

Two species of monkey are resident in the area. Mantled howler monkeys are heard far more often than they are seen — their territorial calls roll through the valley at dawn and dusk, deep and resonant enough to feel in your chest. When you do spot them, they are typically resting in the canopy, barely moving, draped across a high branch like they own the place.

White-faced capuchins are the more animated species. They travel in troops of ten to twenty, moving quickly through the mid-canopy, pulling fruit, turning over leaves, and occasionally pausing to investigate anything new in their territory. They are curious, intelligent, and endlessly watchable. Capuchins are most commonly seen on the trails that connect the property to the river.

Sloths: The Art of Stillness

Both two-toed and three-toed sloths live in the trees around the property. The three-toed sloth is the more frequently spotted of the two, usually curled into a ball high in a cecropia tree. Their fur often has a greenish tint from the algae that grows on it — a natural camouflage that makes them remarkably hard to see unless someone points them out.

Two-toed sloths are nocturnal and more difficult to find during the day. Occasionally, they are spotted in the late afternoon when they begin to stir. Both species are slow, silent, and fascinating to watch once located. Your hosts can point out known resting trees where sloths are most often seen.

Reptiles and Amphibians

The Southern Zone's humid climate supports a rich population of reptiles and amphibians. Green iguanas and basilisk lizards (sometimes called Jesus Christ lizards for their ability to run across water) are commonly seen near the river. At night, red-eyed tree frogs cling to leaves near the water, their vivid coloring on display when they open their eyes.

Several species of small, colorful poison dart frogs live in the leaf litter around the property. The strawberry poison dart frog, bright red with blue legs, is the most striking and easiest to identify. They are most active after rain, when the forest floor comes alive with movement.

Butterflies and Insects

The blue morpho butterfly, with its iridescent wings that flash electric blue in sunlight, is one of the signature sights of the Costa Rican lowlands and mid-elevation forests. They are common along the river trails and in clearings where sunlight reaches the forest floor.

Leaf-cutter ants maintain well-worn highways across the property — long lines of workers carrying precisely cut leaf fragments back to their underground gardens. Their trails are easy to spot and fascinating to follow.

Tips for Wildlife Spotting

• Early morning is the most active time. Step outside before breakfast and spend ten minutes listening. The birds will tell you where the action is.
• Dawn and dusk are when howler monkeys call. Follow the sound — they do not move far.
• After rain, the forest floor comes alive. Frogs, insects, and ground-dwelling birds become much more visible.
• Bring binoculars if you have them. Sloths and canopy birds are far easier to appreciate with magnification.
• Ask your hosts. They know where sloths are sleeping, which trees the toucans favor this week, and where the capuchins were spotted yesterday.