No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsPoliticsLaura Chinchilla's post-presidential hobby? Caring for a baby bird

Laura Chinchilla’s post-presidential hobby? Caring for a baby bird

After leading an entire country what does an ex-president do in her or his spare time?

Well, it you’re U.S. President George W. Bush you start painting cats and world leaders. If you are former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi you record an album of Elvis Presley covers.

And what has former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014) been doing the past two months (aside from tweeting, a lot)? Adopting a baby bird.

From Chinchilla’s Facebook page:

WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM SUPPORTING THE COSTA RICAN NATIONAL TEAM IN BRAZIL, I WAS SURPRISED NOT ONLY TO FIND MY HUSBAND AND SON WAITING FOR ME AT THE AIRPORT, BUT ALSO A NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. HIS NAME IS BABY CHARLIE.

According to the Facebook post, the girlfriend of Chinchilla’s son found Baby Charlie in the middle of the road where it had fallen from a tree. The family is now caring for the baby chick, which followers of Chinchilla’s Facebook page have identified as a clay-colored thrush, the national bird of Costa Rica.

Since his Facebook debut, Baby Charlie has been a continued feature on Chinchilla’s page:

They feed him
Watch him grow new feathers 

And even dress him up for Costa Rica’s World Cup games

For more Baby Charlie updates that are sure to follow, visit Laura Chiinchilla’s Facebook page.

Trending Now

Latin American Governments Violate Human Rights Under Cover of Trump Policies

Far from curbing Donald Trump’s assault on the global human rights system, several Latin American governments are using the U.S. president’s policies as an...

Lawmakers Question Chaves’ Move to Appoint President-Elect Fernández as Minister

Lawmakers from multiple parties have raised concerns over President Rodrigo Chaves' recent appointment of president-elect Laura Fernández as Minister of the Presidency. The decision,...

Costa Rica Seeks Independent Check on Protected Forest

Costa Rica's Ombudsman’s Office has raised doubts about a report from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) on the boundaries of forested lands...

What First Round Victory Means for Costa Rica’s New President

Laura Fernández secured the presidency of Costa Rica on February 1, 2026, with 48.3 percent of the vote. She cleared the 40 percent mark...

Costa Rica Voted for Change Now It Must Decide What Kind

The people have spoken. Laura Fernandez is our new president. The next four years in Costa Rica will be interesting. As the handpicked successor...

Two Costa Ricans Headed to US After Court Upholds Extradition Ruling

Judges on the Court of Appeals in San José have confirmed the extradition of two Costa Rican citizens to the United States to face...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica