I am editing this to include a couple of more calls . The longer I listen the more I can substitute something I can remember for the actual call.
I know more birds by their calls here in Costa Rica then I ever did back in Canada. I can’t really explain why but, perhaps it’s my handy dandy bird call system.
If you see a group of parrots flying by and, each of them seems to feel they’re being left behind and is screaming at the top of their lungs “wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait wait wait” you’re looking at “Orange-chinned Parakeets”.
If you think you hear Lucille Ball yelling “Ricky Ricky Ricky” naw, it’s a “Melodious Blackbird”.
If you hear a bird yelling “Kiss Ka Dee”, you got it, it’s a “Great Kiskidee”.
It’s not dinner time when you hear “Who Cooks For You” and, it’s not a Barred Owl, it’s just a “Red-billed Pigeon”.
Making a tiny “squeek, squeek, squeek” like your dog attacking his chew toy is the “Groove-billed Ani”.
If you hear someone yelling “Tend You’re Sleeping” you’re not under attack by a Grizzly Bear, it’s just the call of the “Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher”.
If you hear a robust “Hahahaha” like a Hairy Woodpecker on steroids, it’s a “Barred Antshrike”.
Remember when you were little, playing cops and robbers and when you would take a shot at somebody and go “Pew, Pew, Pew”? Well down here, that’s a “Brown Jay”.
If you think you hear a youngster sneezing “Chew KaChew, KaChew, KaChew” it’s likely a “Social Flycatcher”.
That cackling laughter you hear going “HA HA HA HA” isn’t your drunk uncle, it’s your friendly neighborhood “Laughing Falcon”.
So, you hear a Pepper Mill or Coffee Grinder and something calling “Red Green, Red Green, Red Green” or “Free Beer, Free Beer, Free Beer” you’re listening to a “Keel-billed Toucan”.
When you hear the cutest “peep, peep, peep” and your eyes are searching the ground for something the size of an Oven Bird you probably want to think a little bigger, perhaps the size of a good size chicken because, you’re listening to a “Gray-headed Chachalaca”.
Now, you hear “Gonna Let er Rip” and you run for cover, don’t worry, it’s just the National Bird of Costa Rica, the “Clay-colored Thrush”. It also has a call of about five or six syllables that ends in “Burrito”.
IF you hear a bird going “Chewy Chewy”, it’s not hunger setting in, it’s simply a Boat-billed Flycatcher.
I kind of like my latest addition to the list. If you should hear a bird calling “Stupid Cupid” it’s not Connie Francis with her 1958 hit, it’s just a Buff-throated Saltator.
And there you have my latest updates, stay tuned for more helpful birding tips…