Where to Find Toucans in Costa Rica (And How to Photograph Them)
Discover where Costa Rica's four toucan species live, how to find them in the wild, and the techniques I use to photograph these iconic rainforest birds.
The Sound That Stops Me Every Time
There are few sounds in the Costa Rican rainforest that make me stop walking as quickly as the deep, croaking call of a toucan.
It doesn't matter how many times I've heard it. Whether I'm leading an early morning bird walk or quietly exploring a forest trail with my camera, that unmistakable call always grabs my attention. Somewhere above the canopy, one of Costa Rica's most charismatic birds is announcing its presence.
Most visitors imagine toucans are easy to find because they're large and brightly coloured. The reality is quite different. They spend much of their time high in the canopy, often remaining surprisingly hidden among dense foliage. I've watched people walk directly beneath a perched toucan without ever noticing it.
The secret isn't luck.
It's learning how toucans use the forest.
Once you understand what they're looking for, where they feed and how they move through the canopy, finding them becomes far more predictable. The same knowledge also helps you capture photographs that go beyond a simple record shot.
This guide brings together the lessons I've learned while photographing toucans across Costa Rica.
Meet Costa Rica's Four Toucan Species
Costa Rica is home to four members of the toucan family, each with its own personality and preferred habitat.
Keel-billed Toucan
Perhaps the country's most recognisable bird, the Keel-billed Toucan is famous for its rainbow-coloured bill. Despite its bright appearance, it can disappear remarkably well among green leaves.
You'll usually find this species in the Caribbean lowlands, northern rainforests and many protected reserves.
Yellow-throated Toucan
Larger and slightly more elusive than the Keel-billed Toucan, this impressive bird is often heard before it's seen.
Its loud calls can travel hundreds of metres through the forest, making your ears just as important as your eyes.
Collared Aracari
The smallest member of Costa Rica's toucan family is often overlooked, which is a shame because it's one of the most entertaining birds to watch.
Unlike the larger toucans, Collared Aracaris frequently travel in small groups, hopping through fruiting trees and interacting constantly with one another.
Fiery-billed Aracari
Found mainly on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast, this beautiful species is one of the country's true birding treasures.
If you're visiting the Osa Peninsula, keep an eye out—you may be rewarded with one of the most colourful birds in the rainforest.
Stop Looking for Toucans. Start Looking for Trees.
One of the biggest mistakes I see visitors make is searching for birds instead of searching for food.
Toucans don't randomly appear in the forest.
They're following fruit.
When I arrive at a new location, I rarely spend my first few minutes scanning the canopy. Instead, I look for fruiting trees.
Some of the best include:
Wild figs (Ficus species)
Cecropia trees
Fruiting palms
Lauraceae trees
Native almond trees
If a tree is heavy with ripe fruit, there's a good chance it will attract more than just toucans. Tanagers, oropendolas, parrots and aracaris often gather at the same feeding sites, creating fantastic wildlife photography opportunities.
I've spent over an hour beside a single fruiting fig tree watching wave after wave of birds arrive.
Sometimes patience is far more productive than walking another kilometre.
Learn to Listen Before You Look
Bird photography often teaches us to rely on our eyes.
Birding teaches us to trust our ears.
Long before you spot a toucan, you'll often hear it.
The deep croaking calls carry across the forest, especially during the early morning.
I've also learned to listen for smaller clues:
fruit dropping through leaves
branches shaking high in the canopy
excited calls from smaller birds
wingbeats as toucans glide between trees
When I hear any of these signs, I stop walking.
More often than not, the forest reveals something special.
The Best Places to Find Toucans in Costa Rica
While toucans can be found across much of the country, a few regions consistently produce excellent sightings.
Sarapiquí
Sarapiquí remains one of my favourite locations for both toucan photography and general birding.
The combination of mature rainforest, forest-edge habitat and fruiting trees makes it incredibly reliable.
Early mornings around eco-lodges can be surprisingly productive before you even enter the forest.
Boca Tapada
Less visited than many destinations, Boca Tapada offers outstanding opportunities for photographing Keel-billed Toucans and Collared Aracaris.
The quieter atmosphere means birds are often more relaxed around photographers.
Arenal
The forests surrounding Arenal Volcano support several toucan species.
Cloudy mornings here often provide beautiful soft light, helping preserve detail in both the birds' dark feathers and colourful bills.
Carara National Park
Carara sits where northern and southern ecosystems meet, making it one of Costa Rica's richest birding destinations.
Its mixture of habitats means toucans regularly move between the forest and surrounding fruiting trees.
The Osa Peninsula
If you're visiting the Osa Peninsula, you're entering one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth.
The forests here support healthy populations of toucans alongside Scarlet Macaws, trogons and dozens of other spectacular birds.
How to Photograph Toucans
Finding a toucan is only half the challenge.
Photographing one well takes patience.
My basic approach is simple.
I wait.
Rather than chasing birds through the forest, I stay near fruiting trees where I know they will eventually return.
When photographing toucans, I generally aim for:
Fast shutter speeds to freeze movement.
Continuous autofocus for feeding behaviour.
Exposure compensation to protect detail in black feathers.
Natural backgrounds rather than distracting branches.
Most importantly, I wait for behaviour.
A toucan feeding its mate.
Stretching its wings.
Throwing fruit into the air.
Calling across the canopy.
Those moments tell a story.
Five Mistakes That Make Toucans Harder to Find
After years of watching visitors search for toucans, I've noticed the same mistakes appear again and again.
Walking too quickly through excellent habitat.
Looking only at the highest branches.
Ignoring fruiting trees.
Talking loudly while searching.
Leaving the forest once the first birds disappear.
The rainforest rewards patience.
Some of my favourite toucan encounters have happened after twenty or thirty quiet minutes in exactly the same place.
More Than a Colourful Bill
It's easy to admire a toucan because of its extraordinary bill.
But the longer I spend with these birds, the less that remarkable feature matters.
What keeps drawing me back is their behaviour—the quiet interactions between pairs, the playful way they toss fruit into the air, the deep calls echoing through the forest before sunrise.
Those are the moments that stay with me long after the photographs have been edited.
If you're hoping to find toucans in Costa Rica, don't simply search the canopy.
Slow down.
Listen.
Watch the fruiting trees.
Learn the rhythm of the forest.
Do that, and you'll discover that finding toucans isn't about being in the right place at the right time.
It's about understanding the forest well enough that the forest begins to share its secrets.
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