The Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis), which had never been recorded in Costa Rica until 1967, is continuing to expand its range from South America. Garrigues and Dean’s Costa Rican bird guide found it to an elevation of only 800 m on both coasts but our village of San Antonio is at between 1200 to 1300 m above sea level. Yesterday I found two individuals in a pasture in the lower village. The attached photographs are file photos taken locally but I had no camera for yesterday’s sighting.

It’s a beautiful bird but unfortunately its range expansion simply matches increased deforestation in Panama and Costa Rica. It can now be found very easily in the lower parts of the Turrialba area, where it is now a nesting resident.