Field guide for Costa Rica's wildlife

[james_harrison]

Can anyone recommend a field guide on Costa Rica's wildlife? I've looked both in the states and in San Jose, no luck. (I've done a search too, with no results. Thank you for your reply in advance.

[steve_kaufman]

James:

 

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For birds, get: A guide to Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles & Alexander F Skutch 1989 Comstock/ Cornell Press

 

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Another good one is the Guide to the Birds of Panama by Robert S. Ridgely & John A Gynne, Jr. 1989 Princeton University Press

 

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A book which has lots of information is: Costa Rican Natural History Edited by Daniel H. Janzen 1983 University of Chicago Press

 

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There's a small mammal guide: "Costa Rica Mammal Flip Chart" written & illustrated by Anthony Schmitz B. published by Educacion Ambiental in San Jose.

[james_harrison]

Steve,

 

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I really appreciate your suggestions and I�ll check them out for myself, but if you don�t mind a few follow-up questions...

Know where I can find these? (the states or CR)

I think I�ve seen the Stiles and Skutch guide. Its huge, isn�t it? and fairly expensive ($80?)

 

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I was looking for a field guide, but I think I�ll have to reconsider (especially if the books you mention cover the majority of the native species.) The flip chart sounds promising though...

 

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James

[steve_kaufman]

James:

 

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I just did a search on Amazon.com for the Janzen Book. It cost's $35 and is available. They also have the bird books & other guides; the mammal flip book is probably only available in San Jose (that's where I got mine). The ISBN # for the Janzen book is 0226393348.

[doug_adama1]

James,

As already recommended by Steve, the Stiles and Skutch guide is THE

Bird Book, while Janzen's "Natural History of Costa Rica" provides an

excellent and thorough introduction to Coasta Rica's Flora, Fauna,

Agriculture and physical geography but it is better left at home as it

is too large for traveling. In addition there is also the "Neotropical

Rain forest Mammals" by Emmons and Feer (1990), University of Chicago

Press. The most recent Lonely Planet Guide also describes several

other field guides. During my breif visit I found both Chispas Books

in San Jose, and the Hummingbird Gallery in Monteverde to have best

selection of natural history/feild guides in Costa Rica.

 

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Now, if only there was a good plant id. book for Costa Ri

[doug_adama1]

James,

As already recommended by Steve, the Stiles and Skutch guide is THE

Bird Book, while Janzen's "Natural History of Costa Rica" provides an

excellent and thorough introduction to Coasta Rica's Flora, Fauna,

Agriculture and physical geography but it is better left at home as it

is too large for traveling. In addition there is also the "Neotropical

Rain forest Mammals" by Emmons and Feer (1990), University of Chicago

Press. The most recent Lonely Planet Guide also describes several

other field guides. During my breif visit I found both Chispas Books

in San Jose, and the Hummingbird Gallery in Monteverde to have best

selection of natural history/feild guides in Costa Rica.

 

<p>

 

Now, if only there were a good plant id. book for Costa Ri