Looking like a fairly large but slow-moving warbler, the Yellow throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) is the second most common of the three migrant vireos that you will find in Costa Rica. My first Yellow-throated of the year arrived yesterday. It’s a very pretty bird sporting yellow spectacles and a yellow breast (not just throat) that contrasts with the white underparts. The white wing-bars aid further in identification.

This Yellow-throated Vireo was found by John Beer in his garden in nearby Santa Rosa at the end of the last migration season.

Unlike the Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), which simply passes through the country and is not found here at all from December to late March, this species will now be able to be seen until late April 2017. The third migrant vireo that you can expect to find is the Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus), while any others (4 in total, pp. 284-7 in Garrigues & Dean’s The Birds of Costa Rica) are pretty much rarities. I am hoping for a return this year of the White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) that stayed faithful to my garden for many weeks last season.