Bicentennial Pájaro Campana

Bicentennial Pájaro Campana Biological Reserve is located on the Pacific slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca in the canton of Coto Brus, Costa Rica's Puntarenas province, established to protect critical cloud forest habitat for the endangered three-wattled bellbird and other wildlife. ^[1] The reserve, whose name translates to "Bicentennial Bellbird," was created on August 24, 2021, by Executive Decree No. 42615-MINAE to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Costa Rican independence and to address a critical gap in the country's protected area network along the bellbird's migratory corridor. Encompassing 5,075 hectares of premontane and lower montane forest, the reserve is bordered by La Amistad International Park to the south and the Las Tablas Protected Zone, connecting protected areas across the Pacific slope of the Talamanca mountain system. ^[2]

The reserve's primary conservation target is the three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus), a cotinga species listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, whose males produce one of the loudest bird calls on Earth—an explosive metallic bonk audible more than 0.5 kilometers through dense forest. ^[1] The bellbird is a Central American migratory bird that breeds primarily in highland cloud forests and descends to lower elevations to feed on fruits of the Lauraceae family during the non-breeding season. Beyond the bellbird, the reserve supports a rich avifauna including the resplendent quetzal, bare-necked umbrellabird, long-tailed manakin, and various species of trogons, tanagers, and hummingbirds. Mammal diversity includes jaguar, puma, ocelot, Baird's tapir, and several monkey species, along with kinkajous, tayras, and a variety of bat species. The reserve's streams harbor populations of freshwater crabs, aquatic insects, and several amphibian species, including glass frogs.

The reserve's forests are classified as very humid premontane forest, very humid lower montane forest, and pluvial montane forest—three life zones that form a transitional belt between the lowland tropics and the high-elevation cloud forests of the Talamanca mountains. ^[1] The canopy is dominated by tall broad-leaved trees including several species of Lauraceae, the avocado family, whose fruits are the primary food source for bellbirds and quetzals during their seasonal visits to mid-elevations. Epiphytic communities are abundant, with orchids, bromeliads, aroids, and ferns colonizing the branches and trunks of canopy trees, while mosses and liverworts drape the understory in the more humid ravines. Tree ferns are a prominent feature of the forest understory, along with palms, heliconias, and dense shrub layers. The forest structure includes both primary stands that have never been logged and recovering secondary forest on areas that were previously cleared for pasture.

The reserve sits on the volcanic and sedimentary terrain of the Cordillera de Talamanca, a mountain range composed primarily of Tertiary-age igneous and volcanic rocks including andesites, basalts, and intrusive formations from ancient magmatic activity that built up the range. The deeply weathered soils are rich in iron and aluminum oxides, giving them a characteristic reddish color and supporting the lush forest growth despite their relatively low nutrient availability. The reserve's topography is characterized by steep slopes, narrow ridgelines, and deeply incised stream valleys carved by the abundant rainfall that characterizes this windward slope of the Cordillera. Numerous small waterfalls occur where streams drop over resistant rock formations. The volcanic and metamorphic substrate weathers into clay-rich soils that retain moisture but are prone to landslides on steep slopes, particularly during intense rainfall events.

The reserve experiences a wet tropical climate strongly influenced by its position on the Pacific-facing slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca, receiving annual precipitation of approximately 3,500 to 5,000 millimeters. A dry season of variable intensity occurs from December through April, during which rainfall is reduced but not eliminated, and the forest remains green and humid thanks to lingering moisture and fog at higher elevations. The wettest months are September and October, when heavy afternoon thunderstorms and multi-day rain events can deposit substantial monthly totals. Temperatures at the reserve's mid-elevation range average 18 to 24 degrees Celsius, cooler than the lowlands below but warmer than the highland cloud forests above, creating comfortable conditions for the forest's diverse biota. The orographic lifting of moist air masses against the mountain slopes drives cloud formation and precipitation, and the reserve is frequently enveloped in mist during the late afternoon and evening hours.

The Pacific slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca have been used by indigenous peoples and later by colonial and modern agricultural communities for centuries, with the mid-elevation zone occupied by the reserve historically serving as a transition between lowland farming areas and the rugged highlands above. The Ngöbe-Buglé, Boruca, and other indigenous groups historically maintained small settlements and utilized the forest resources for food, medicine, and building materials. During the 20th century, much of the mid-elevation forest on the Pacific slope was cleared for cattle ranching, coffee cultivation, and dairy farming, fragmenting what was once a continuous belt of forest. This deforestation was particularly harmful to the three-wattled bellbird and other migratory birds that require intact forest corridors to complete their seasonal movements between elevation zones. Conservation awareness in the Coto Brus region grew through the influence of La Amistad International Park and related biodiversity programs.

The Bicentennial Pájaro Campana Biological Reserve was established on August 24, 2021, Costa Rica's National Parks Day and the 200th anniversary of independence from Spain, through Executive Decree No. 42615-MINAE, making it one of the newest additions to the country's protected area system. ^[1] The reserve was carved from the Las Tablas Protected Zone (originally 19,600 hectares), with its creation supported by national and international conservation funding including contributions from Costa Rica's payments for environmental services program and the UNDP-GEF Productive Landscapes project. The biological reserve designation provides strong legal protections, restricting activities to scientific research, environmental education, and carefully managed ecotourism. The reserve fills a key link in the protected area network between La Amistad International Park and the broader Talamanca–La Amistad corridor, one of the largest contiguous blocks of protected forest in Central America.

As a recently established protected area, the reserve's trail infrastructure is still in development, but existing paths provide access to the premontane forest and its outstanding birdlife. The primary activity is birdwatching, with the reserve offering opportunities to observe the three-wattled bellbird during its seasonal presence, typically from March through June when males establish calling territories in the canopy of tall trees. The bellbird's extraordinary call, among the loudest of any bird species, is an unforgettable experience that can be heard long before the bird is spotted high in the canopy. Quetzals, umbrellabirds, and a variety of trogons and tanagers add to the birdwatching appeal. Forest walks through the reserve reveal impressive old-growth trees with massive buttressed trunks, waterfalls cascading through fern-lined ravines, and dense epiphyte gardens on canopy branches.

The reserve is located in the canton of Coto Brus in southern Puntarenas province, accessible from communities near La Amistad International Park or from towns in the Coto Brus valley including San Vito, the nearest significant town. ^[1] Given its recent establishment, formal visitor facilities are limited, and access is best arranged through local conservation organizations or guides familiar with the area. San Vito offers accommodations, restaurants, and services for visitors exploring the southern Pacific region. Roads to the reserve may be unpaved and challenging, particularly during the wet season, often requiring four-wheel drive vehicles. Visitors should bring rain gear, waterproof hiking boots, and binoculars for birdwatching. As the reserve's management plan continues to develop, more formal visitor access and educational programs are expected to be established.

The reserve's primary conservation mission is maintaining the integrity of the bellbird's migratory corridor and the broader Talamanca–La Amistad biological corridor, ensuring that iconic species can continue their seasonal movements across the Pacific slope's elevation gradient. ^[1] The three-wattled bellbird is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with habitat loss and fragmentation being the primary threats, and the reserve directly addresses the most critical gap in habitat protection along its migratory route. ^[2] Forest restoration efforts within the reserve target former pasture lands and degraded areas, using native tree species to accelerate the recovery of forest structure and connectivity. The reserve works in coordination with La Amistad International Park and the Las Tablas Protected Zone, engaging private landowners, farming communities, and tourism operators in maintaining forest cover across a broader landscape than the reserve alone can protect.