Birding in the South of Belize

Here we feature a fully customizable eight days birdwatching tour visiting essential destinations located within the south, southeast, and west of Belize. You will visit natural and cultural treasures surrounded by a tropical forest that inhabits exotic species of wildlife, including colorful Neotropical birds.

The accommodations to stay also comprise extraordinary gardens to find birds.

Resume of the program

Day 1: Arrival and Flight to Punta Gorda
Day 2: Birding at Dump
Day 3: Birding and transfer to Mayflower Bocawina National Park
Day 4: Birding at Mayflower Bocawina National Park
Day 5: Birding at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Day 6: Birding in Blue Hole National Park
Day 7: Transfer Out

Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary:

This birdwatching sanctuary is host to birds that cannot found anywhere else in Belize, such as the Paltry Tyrannulet, the Western Slaty-Antshrike, the Band-tailed Barbthroat, the Violet-crowned Woodnymph, the Bare-crowned Antbird, and the Gray-breasted Crake.

This reserve is an excellent location for birdwatchers, as it attracts several birds that are easy to spot. This sanctuary also protects breeding colonies for the Wood Stork and the Boat-billed Heron. Easily accessed within 30 minutes from Punta Gorda, this sanctuary is a must-visit.

Mayflower Bocawina National Park

The Mayflower Bocawina National Park covers over 7000 acres of beautiful broadleaf forest and jungle in semi-mountainous terrain. The Park has lent itself to some of the most exotic bird species, with over 200 different species recorded in recent years.

You can expect to see the Keel-Billed Motmot, Scarlet Macaw, and different types of parrots.

The Park also inhabits howler and spider monkeys and several other species of wildlife, including the elusive jaguar.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary:

This Park has become one of the favorite birdwatching destinations in the country, as it offers visitors the opportunity to peek numerous types of bird species. The sanctuary supports more than one ecosystem and is the habitat of birds ranging from forest, woodland, savannah, higher elevation, and river area species. Use the possibility to view the Keel-billed Motmot, the Scarlet Macaw, the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, or the Crested Guan, among others. A birdwatcher’s heaven!

Blue Hole National Park

The Blue Hole National Park is a 575-acre protected area based near the country capital, Belmopan. The reserve contains a system of trails. The Blue Hole Park is a nature lovers’ heaven that inhabits exotic plants as well as many species of tropical wildlife.

Some kind of birds that may be observed in the Park are Keel-Billed Toucan, Spotted-Wood Quail, Lovely Cotinga, White Hawk, Red-Legged Honey Creepers, Green-backed Sparrows, White-collared Manakins, Crested Guans, Orange Billed Sparrows, Great Antshrikes, and Olive-backed Sparrows, among others

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary:

This area has international importance for migratory birds as they flock to the lagoons during the wet-season, and food is difficult to find in other areas. It is also essential for non-migratory birds, and a variety of species can be seen here. In 1998, this area was listed as Belize’s first Ramsar site.

This location offers excellent birdwatching opportunities both on land and on the water, in its tributaries. Seek out the Bare-throated Tiger, Sungrebe, Jabiru, Wood-storks, Black-collared Hawk, and the American Pygmy Kingfisher. In the pine and hardwood forest habitats, seek out the endangered Yellow-headed Parrot among other migratory and resident breeds.

Itinerary

Birding in the South of Belize

Day 1 – Arrival and Flight to Punta Gorda

At your arrival, after clearing immigration and custom, you will go directly to the domestic flight company to take a short flight to Punta Gorda, where our team will be waiting to transfer you to Chaab’Il B’e Lodge

Depend on your arrival, there’s the possibility of birding around the lodge.

Dinner and Lodging at Chaab’Il B’e Lodge

Day 2 – Birding at Dump

Time for coffee, then you will head to a birding spot called the “Dump,” an area located just 6 miles from the lodge. The path driving through sits on an elevated causeway, with side trails leading to the marshy spots. Some bird species of this area are Ruddy Crake, Uniform Crake, Sora, Purple Gallinules, Least Bittern, Limpkin, White-throated Flycatcher, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Short-tailed Hawk, and Aplomado Falcon. To mention some.

We will return for breakfast to the lodge; then, you will continue the birding activities visiting Lubaantun, an archaeological site and birding spot surrounded by mature broadleaf forest.

Some birds that inhabit this ancient Maya site are Red-legged Honeycreeper, Green Honeycreeper, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Slaty – tailed Trogon, Gartered Trogon, Lineated Woodpecker, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Parrots and Toucans, among others.

Lunch and time for birding at the lodge.

Throughout the spectacular woodland across the 3 acres of gardens filled with heliconias, gingers, orchids, and blooming trees, Rufous-breasted Spine-tail, Black-crowned Antshrike, White-necked Puffbird, and Band-tailed Barbthroat are a few of the 242 bird species discovered within the property.

Day 3 – Birding and transfer to Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Today we will follow the advice of a local guide, visiting some of the hotspots around the lodge based on dates and bird activity records ( Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary, Nim Li Punit, Cattle Landing).

Then we continue toward Mayflower Bocawina National Park.

Depending on the arrival time, we will do some birding around the lodge.

Lodging at Bocawina Rainforest Lodge

Day 4 – Birding at Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Today after an early breakfast, we will take a short drive towards the Mayflower Bocawina National Park, a fantastic nature reserve composed of more than 7,000 acres of exceptional tropical forest.

This birding hotspot inhabits excellent bird assortments such as:

Tody Motmot, Keel-billed Motmot, Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Little Tinamou, Ruddy Quail Dove, Black-faced Antthrush, Black-and-white Owl, Spectacled Owls, American Pygmy Kingfisher, White-winged Becard, Cinnamon Becard, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, and Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, to mention some of the neotropical birds that inhabit this reserve.

Day 5 – Birding at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

We are going to spend the morning birding within the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in the quest of exciting bird species such as:

Chestnut-headed Oropendola, White-collared Manakin, Crested Guan, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Crimson-collared Tanager, Orange-billed Sparrow, Dusky Antbird, Dot-winged Antwren, Black-faced Grosbeak, and Hook-billed Kite, to mention some of 200 different types of birds documented here.

Day 6 – Birding in Blue Hole National Park

On route to the Belize City area, we will stop by Blue Hole National Park. The reserve has lots of trails that provide an excellent opportunity for birding.

Some of the birds that we expect to find out here are: Spotted-Wood Quail, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Crested Guan, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Northern Royal Flycatcher, Purple-crowned Fairy, Barred Antshrike, Great Antshrike, Orange-billed Sparrow, and Emerald Toucanet, among other.

Lodging at Biltmore Plaza

Day 7 – Transfer Out

Transfer our on time to your flight back home