Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) wildlife photograph in cloud forest

Expedition 🇨🇷 Costa Rica

Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica

Start with Monteverde Cloud Forest. Finding notes below, full Resplendent Quetzal field guide one tap away.

Pharomachrus mocinno

Where to spot one

  • Monteverde Cloud Forest

    Puntarenas

    Misty canopy bridges and moss-draped trees, with sloths, quetzals, and hummingbirds in cool highland forest.

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Finding Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica

Where are resplendent quetzals in Costa Rica? The strongest odds are at Monteverde Cloud Forest, where access and habitat beat a chance roadside glimpse.

Monteverde Cloud Forest in Puntarenas is the place to begin. Misty canopy bridges and moss-draped trees, with sloths, quetzals, and hummingbirds in cool highland forest. Give yourself quiet time at dawn or dusk and keep your distance.

Costa Rica context: Sloths in the cloud forest, toucans in the canopy, and more biodiversity per square kilometre than almost anywhere on Earth.

In Costa Rica, look especially around cloud forest and montane rainforest. Those settings usually put you closest to where this species is active.

Full species guide

Biology, interesting facts, identification, and conservation live on the Resplendent Quetzal field guide. This page stays focused on finding one in Costa Rica.

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