 |
 |
|
| Trip reports | Birding magazines | Bird names | About us | Links | ||
Birdwatching trip report - BelizePeriod: 23.2.2007-4.3.2007Author(s): Paul Jones Key sites visited: A Camping Excursion Belize Camping Excursion - February 23 to March 4, 2007
Paul Jones - Ottawa, Canada pauljodiATmagma.ca - Photos at end of report
My brother Ian Jones and I spent late February, early March in Belize on a “do-it-yourself” bird tour, renting a vehicle at the international airport and camping at a variety of locations across the country. We had eight full days and two half days to work with and found 282 species. Highlights included Boat-billed Heron, Jabiru, Spotted Wood-Quail, Barred and Collared Forest Falcon, Orange-breasted Falcon, Ruddy Crake, Northern Potoo, Scarlet Macaw, Lovely Cotinga, Great Ant Shrike, Yucatan Jay and Slate-coloured Solitaire.
Belize is a small, friendly, English-speaking country with a relatively low crime rate, easy driving conditions, advanced eco-tourism infrastructure and substantial areas of protected habitat. All this makes it a fine place to get your feet wet as an independent traveler in the tropics.
Travel and Transportation - We flew Delta Airlines Ottawa-Atlanta-Belize and picked up our vehicle, a standard diesel Hyundai “Terracan” 4X4 SUV, from Budget at the airport. The rental agencies are a short stroll across a parking lot from the airport’s main entrance doors. Belize’s highway system is good, but a truck with high and low four and extra ground clearance is needed for remoter forests tracks. The road culture is sensible and traffic is light, so the driving experience was quite relaxed. To navigate we used International Travel Maps’ 1:250,000 chart, a serviceable resource that kept us basically on course.
Accommodations - Except at one location, we camped. For shelter we pitched simple screen tents over which we strung tarps to ward off the morning shower of condensation dripping from the forest (it never rained during our stay). Head lamps, light sleeping bags and therma-rest mattresses rounded out the kit. Belize has many parks and almost all of them offer camping facilities, so we had no trouble finding places to stay. If tenting isn´t your choice, there are other accommodations near all the birding areas, ranging from rustic to luxurious. For food we stocked up on basic supplies at supermarkets in Belize City and Belmopan and purchased fresh produce from local market stalls. To avoid the airport security hassles associated with gas stoves and fuel bottles, we brought along two Trangia burners. Small, convenient and harmless-looking, they burn wood alcohol and produce a nice flame. We had some trouble finding the recommended fuel, but over-proof rum (available at larger grocery stores) was an excellent substitute. A 70% solution of rubbing alcohol was not. We augmented our own cooking with some very tasty barbeque chicken bought from roadside stands.
Health and Safety - Belize is generally safe, but there are a few concerns to keep in mind. Malaria and Dengue Fever - mosquito borne pathogens - create a degree of risk. Botflies and Leishmaniesis are also something to consider. We took Novo-Chloroquine to combat malaria but there is no vaccine for Dengue, so we tried our best to avoid mosquito bites. For us this meant long pants, long-sleeved shirts, hats and liberal use of DEET-based insect repellents. Chiggers, sandflys and ticks can also be a problem so we kept our pant cuffs tucked into our socks and pre-treated our clothing with a Permethrin-based spray. We ended up with no tick infestations and very few chigger bites, but did stand out amongst the shorts, sandals and tank-top clad tourist crowd.
Crime is apparently an issue in Belize City, especially at night, but we felt safe there during the day. In the west near Carocol, a reconstructed Mayan site and major tourist attraction, there have been problems with infiltrators from Guatemala, but no recent incidents have been reported. A sensible approach to the forest is called for, including staying on paths, pacing yourself in the heat and always carrying a compass and water.
Weather - We visited during the dry season and encountered no rain. Daytime temperatures hovered around 30 and were quite bearable. At night, especially at higher elevations, it was cool and sleeping bags were a definite necessity.
Birding - Key habitats in Belize include:
1) Lowland Broadleaf Forest
2) Lowland Pine Forest
3) Submontane Broadleaf Forest
4) Submontane Pine Forest
5) Savannah
6) Wetlands
7) Cayes (off-shore islands)
Two or three weeks would be ideal to properly explore Belize. In our brief stay we never made it to the cayes and didn’t spend much time in savannah or pines. We also missed the far north and deep south, which each hold a number of species found nowhere else in the country. Still, a lot can be seen in a long week and we did pretty well by concentrating on broadleaf forest. In addition to visiting a diversity of habitat types, it was worthwhile to check different samples of the same habitat, as resident birds seem to move around in complex dispersal patterns.
We found edges, such as brushy areas along roadsides, to be particularly birdy. It was hard to tear ourselves away from these easy pickings, but getting under the canopy was also rewarding. The birding is slower in the forest but it is where we had great looks at Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Spotted Wood-Quail, Crested Guan, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Rufous Piha, Mexican Antthrush and Slate-coloured Solitaire. To see nocturnal birds we brought along a powerful flashlight (Six D Cell Mag Light) and used it to good effect, obtaining stunning looks at Vermiculated Screech Owl and Northern Potoo. For trip prep we should have devoted more study to parrots, hummingbirds, doves and orioles. Not being the most disciplined birders, we had to scramble to keep up with members of these groups and undoubtedly missed a few species.
Field Guides - Jones’s "Birds of Belize" (2004), covering all the species found in the country, is the popular choice for visiting and resident birders and a great resource. The notes on range and status opposite the plates are particularly helpful. The guide works well in tandem with the “Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Belize” (2001). Another good book is Howell and Webb’s "A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America" (1995) but it is heavy and covers a wider geographic area. The bible for mammal-watchers is Fiona Reid´s "A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico" (1998).
Sound Recordings - We loaded an iPod with Moore´s "A Bird Walk at Chan Chich", Delany’s “Bird Songs of Belize, Guatemala and Mexico”, Gilardi’s “Songs from a (Vanishing) Belizean Rainforest” and Boesman’s “Birds of Mexico MP3 Sound Collection”. The first two are cassettes, available from ABA sales. A local tech services company transferred them to CD for me and I used Mac’s simple “Garageband” editing program to remove the spoken narration. The iPod allowed us to pre-learn some songs, contemporaneously identify things we were hearing in the forest and judiciously lure in skulking species. Having this tool added immeasurably to the trip.
Locations Visited
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (Wetland - Agricultural - Lowland Pine)(February 23 and March 3) - Internationally recognized under UNESCO’s Ramsar wetland preservation program, this area is a must stop on any birding trip to Belize. The site is just off the main north-south highway, only an hour’s drive northwest of the international airport. It is reached by a well-marked access road that runs across a bumpy causeway to the village of Crooked Tree, where accommodations and an interpretation centre are located.
Flood levels determine water-birding strategy at Crooked Tree. If the water is low, birds concentrate in the main lagoon channel and are easily observed from the causeway. When levels are high (as during our visit) birds are more widely dispersed and a boat trip into the remoter portions of the sanctuary (which have a real wilderness feel) is a good idea. We took a tour with Bird’s Eye View Lodge and were very happy with the results. Leonard, the guide, has a sophisticated knowledge of the local ecosystem and is able to find the more difficult species. Sightings on our 6:30-10:30 a.m. run included Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Boat-billed Heron, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Grey-necked Wood-Rail and Mangrove Vireo. We also had close looks at Yucatan Howler Monkey, Northern Tamandua (an anteater) and Green and Black Iguana. We missed Jabiru and Agami Heron, both of which can be tricky when the water is high. Leonard went above and beyond the call of duty to find us an Agami, but to no avail. Instructions he provided to a Jabiru nest located just off the main road back to Belize City secured us excellent views of that bird.
Land birding at Crooked Tree is good right in the town and is facilitated by a series of well-marked trails maintained by the Belize Audubon Society (a trail map is available at the visitors centre at the base of the causeway). The local residents seem to be amused to have birders wandering around their community and always had a pleasant smile or hello. Conspicuous species around the scattered houses, trees, fields and gardens included Black-headed Trogon, Vermillion, Social and Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird and Mockingbird and Blue Gray Tanager. At the pond beside Bird’s Eye View Lodge we had studying views of the commoner herons, egrets, ibises and ducks as well as a Laughing Falcon and the long-staying vagrant Southern Lapwing. Yucatan Jay was fairly easy to find early morning in the piney areas along the Trogon Trail, a road that runs north-west (or right) from the main crossroads in town. We had one family group close to the village and two more in the extensive pine forest farther down the road (bear right at the church and follow the track to get to this prime area). Other sightings on the trail included Red-vented Woodpecker, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet and Northern Cardinal.
Crooked Tree was the one place we did not camp, staying instead at Bird’s Eye View Lodge. Verna Samuels does an excellent job of running the establishment and we unhesitatingly recommend it (www.birdseyeviewbelize.com/home.htm).
Guanacaste National Park (Lowland Broadleaf) (www.belizeaudubon.org/html/parks/gnp.htm) is a small sanctuary at the junction of the Western and Hummingbird highways, just outside of Belmopan. With a well-maintained picnic area and clean washrooms, we used it primarily as a rest stop on our comings and goings across the country. The park does have a couple of short loop trails with special observation platforms built out over a riverbank. These paths were quite birdy, with northern migrants such as Hooded, Kentucky, Magnolia and Black and White Warbler as well as Ovenbird and American Redstart conspicuous. Dusky Antbird and Black-headed Trogon added a tropical flavour. We also had close views of an unwary Central American Agouti.
Five Blues Lake (Lowland Broadleaf)(www.5blueslake.org)(February 24-25) is a small national park located off the Hummingbird Highway near the village of St. Margaret (Mile 32 of the Highway). We camped two nights and enjoyed some of the best birding of the trip, but our recommendation comes with a proviso. The park’s main attraction, the lake, is no more, having drained away after springing a leak in its limestone base. As a result, maintenance of the access road, facilities and trails is diminishing. Infrastructure was still in relatively good shape during our stay, but it is unclear how long this situation will last. At the time of our visit, no admission or camping fee was charged. [Note - January 2008 - Apparently the lake has refilled!]
To reach the park, watch for the Five Blues signs along the Hummingbird Highway near St. Margaret’s Village. Follow the access road through the community and past some orange groves to a river ford (ignore the earlier ford closer to the village). Just across the river (dry at the time of our visit) the road splits. Bear right on the path less traveled and proceed to the roofed picnic/cook shelter. We set our screen tents on the shelter’s concrete floor and used the site as our base to explore the area. Our birding plan consisted of walking down the continuation of the access road to the dry lakebed and walking back out the road to the ford. An army ant swarm on the track to the lake was accompanied by Grey-headed Tanager, Red-Throated Ant Tanager, and Northern Barred and Ruddy Woodcreeper. In the same area we had cooperative Gray-throated Chats and Mexican Antthrushs. A pair of Collared Forest-Falcon nesting near the shelter provided great excitement. They raced in to inspect us when we gave a vocal imitation of their call. Another heart-stopper was a pair of Lovely Cotinga high in a dead tree in the natural amphitheatre at the (former) lake access point. The female was holding a long tendril of dry vegetation, presumably for a nest under construction nearby. At night we spot-lighted a Vermiculated Screech Owl above the shelter and called in Northern Potoo and Crested Owl on the road out to the ford. In the grassy river edge at the ford we had a Ruddy Crake walking about at our feet. Mammals seen at Five Blues included Central American Agouti and Collared Peccary. One final word of caution - the river can flood rapidly during heavy rain, so keep an eye on the ford lest you become trapped in the park.
Dangriga (Urban - Agricultural - Coastal) is a pleasant Garifuna community on the Caribbean shore. We dropped in to buy supplies, specifically wood alcohol for our trangia stoves, which we finally located at a paint store on the road into town. We also used the stop to pad our bird list with a few coastal species, picking up Double-crested Cormorant, Sandwich Tern, Royal Tern, Willet and Sanderling at the sand spit near the main bridge. We found our only House Sparrow of the trip beside the waterfront produce market. Near the crossroads of the Southern and Hummingbird highways we had Black-shouldered Kite and White-tailed Hawk.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (“The Jaguar Reserve”)(Lowland Broadleaf)(February 26) is a large area of protected forest at the base of the Maya Mountains. The access road begins at Maya Center on the Southern Highway. Park entrance tickets are sold here at the craft store (which closes at 4 p.m.). The road runs a winding ten kilometers up to the visitor center, where camping permits can be purchased. We stayed one night at the well-maintained campground and confined our birding activity to the tenting area and short trails around the visitor center. Habitat here is scrubby second growth, very rich in edge-type birds. Mid-morning we had three King Vulture and a pair of Short-tailed Hawk catching the developing thermal just above the campsite. The same location held Masked and Black-capped Tityras, Yellow-bellied Elaneia, Crimson-collared Tanager as well as a nest-building pair of Rose-throated Becard and courting groups of Blue Ground-Dove. At night the road and paths were crowded with Pauraques. A very loud but frustratingly invisible Spectacled Owl hid in a tree above our tents and serenaded (mocked?) us until almost midnight.
Jaguars are rarely seen at Cockscomb, evidenced by the apocryphal tale of a researcher who spent two years in the sanctuary studying the cat without seeing one. The elusive Jaguar aside, this does seem to be a very good place for mammal watching. Our sightings included a Common Opossum in the trees at the back of the campsite, a Nine-banded Armadillo that visited our tents at night, an attractive but unidentified orange and white rat inhabiting the thatched picnic shelters, Yucatan Howler Monkey calling back in the forest and a Northern Tamandua on the trail to the waterfall. Just prior to our arrival, visitors reported Ocelot and Baird’s Tapir.
The Coastal Highway (Lowland Pine - Savannah)(February 27) between Dangriga and La Democracia is a well-maintained sand/gravel road that offers birders the chance to sample extensive tracts of the above-noted habitats. To explore the area at dawn we pulled off the road in the late afternoon a little ways north of Gales Point. We followed a side track about a kilometer back and set our tents on the open savannah, a practice for whose safety and legality we offer no endorsement. On the downside the area was buggy, humid and not particularly birdy. More positively, the landscape was a beautiful and peaceful mix of open grassland, scattered pine and palmetto. We found our only Yellow-headed Parrots and Grey-crowned Yellowthroat of the trip here and also saw Common Black Hawk, Mangrove Vireo and Hepatic Tanager.
Thousand Foot Falls (Submontane Pine) (February 28) is a spectacular overlook in Belize’s high country and another must stop on any bird trip to the country. Access is via the Chiquibul Road, which runs south off the Western Highway at Georgeville. The initial section is rough but as the route climbs past the checkpoint at the Maya Gate conditions improve and the turnoff to the falls is well marked. Key birds at the site are Orange-breasted Falcon, White-collared Swift and Black-headed Siskin. We were fortunate to pick up all three within five minutes of our arrival. Pulling into the parking lot at 1:30 p.m., pairs of siskins were singing and displaying around the observation shelter. Bands of White-collared Swift raced overhead and dropped chattering into the gorge. A quick binocular scan revealed an Orange-breasted Falcon perching on a tree on the cliff face just to the right of the falls. At 2:30 the falcon’s mate came low over the lookout from the west and flew down to meet its partner. The pair engaged in a brief aerial display and ended up alighting on a distant dead pine to the left of the falls. If this species is not immediately apparent on your arrival, a patient and systematic search of all potential perches in the area might reveal the bird. On the drive back to the main road we stopped to check a bird flock and found a Plumbeous Vireo. We missed Grace’s Warbler, a species to be looked for in pines. We didn’t overnight at the falls but did drop in to investigate the nearby Hidden Valley Inn, a luxurious place.
Douglas da Silva (Submontane Pine - Submontane Broadleaf)(February 28) is a sizeable forestry station and the last major stop on the road to Carocol. The Belizean military operates a checkpoint at the crossroads where it is compulsory for travelers to stop and register. Camping permits are purchased from the forestry department in a separate building. In addition to Belizean forces, the British Army’s 22nd Cheshire Regiment was present on a training mission, giving the area a rather martial feel. The campground, currently undergoing improvements, is located to the right of the crossroads in an open field amid tall pine. A large group of Swallow-tailed Kite has a colony near the campground and we spent a long time watching them engage in various aerial activities. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl is also here, but we didn’t see one.
From our campsite we walked and drove the main road back out into the pine forest. At the edge of the station two Rufous-capped Warbler as well as large numbers of Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak were present in the roadside scrub. We found three or four Rusty Sparrow several kilometres farther out near a fairly dense stand of pine. The forest, which had been devastated by an insect infestation, is coming back but is still a bedraggled mix of thriving saplings, dead snags and a few remaining mature trees. We back-tracked towards 1,000 Foot Falls as far as the Rio Ons Pools, where we had Bat Falcon, Yellow-throated Warbler, Golden-headed and Hepatic Tanager and Black-headed Siskin. The campsite also has good access to submontane broadleaf forest along the road down to the Rio Frios Cave. We walked the road twice and picked up Buff-throated Foliage Gleaner, Green Honey Creeper, Tropical Gnatcatcher and, most spectacularly, a Barred Forest Falcon that we called in near the top of the road. Slate-coloured Solitaire has been seen in this area.
Las Cuevas (Submontane Broadleaf)(March 1-2) is a remote scientific research station located off the road to Carocol in the vast Chiquibul forest. Birders should definitely try to make this a stop. We found Las Cuevas to be a relaxed, friendly place with excellent facilities (including a campsite, dorm and individual rooms) and amazing birding. The food, prepared by Celia, was especially good. That said, this is not a tourist resort and a degree of planning is required for any visit. Information on staying at the station is thoroughly set out at www.mayaforest.com/index.htm. Some things to be aware of include the fact that prior to the dry season solidly setting in, the final five kilometres of the access road contains vast mud holes. I am still not sure how I managed to navigate through one particularly viscous 100 metre section. Apparently keeping the vehicle in first gear and high four is the secret to traversing mud. Further, the Chiquibul is suffering heavily from Guatemalan campesinos who cross the border to loot the forest of various plants and animals. The Guatemalans are shy and generally retreat at the sight of people, but an amiable squad of Belizean soldiers maintains an outpost at the station to keep an eye on things (in addition to mining plants and animals, the intruders carry off any un-watched equipment). Finally, because of the border issue, the remoteness of the region and the fact that various scientific studies are ongoing, it is necessary to register the departure time, route and return time of any hike you make into the forest. All this shouldn’t dissuade a serious visitor to Las Cuevas, but one should be aware of the special nature of the place.
Birding begins on the shaded veranda at the back of the main station building, which overlooks a clearing in the forest. A lone tree by the veranda attracts a variety of species and even in my final seconds at the station it still added new species to the trip list (Green-breasted Mango, Boat-billed Flycatcher and a male Green Honey Creeper). Earlier, the soldiers directed my attention to a “big red parrot” at the edge of the clearing and I got my life Scarlet Macaw. A walk out the access road revealed Slate-headed Tody Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Blue Bunting and a pair of impressive Great Antshrike. A short distance from the station a well-marked trail leads off the access road and runs up a hill to a fire lookout, now aptly renamed “The Bird Tower”. In the forest leading to the tower we had good views of Slaty-breasted Tinamou, a covey of Spotted Wood-Quail, Rufous Piha, Black-throated Ant-shrike, Northern Bentbill and Slate-coloured Solitaire. The tower itself offers a panoramic 360 degree view of the Chiquibul forest. In a half hour period from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. we saw six Plumbeous Kite, six White Hawk, two Great Black Hawk, one Short-tailed Hawk and one Black Hawk-Eagle. A Lovely Cotinga was reported at the tower just prior to our visit.
In the entrance to Las Cuevas’s cave, located at the edge of the station clearing, Ridgeway’s Rough-winged Swallows were preparing to nest. We explored the initial portion of the cave (it goes back many kilometers) as far as daylight would allow, finding shards of Mayan pottery and admiring various geological formations. A short distance into the forest, just over the Mayan causeway, is Elegans Pond, a small pool that holds water after other sources have dried up. We sat by the pond’s edge in the late afternoon and observed a number of birds come into drink, including Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher and a beautiful Prothonatory Warbler. The finest aesthetic moment of the trip occurred here - watching a Purple-crowned Fairy hover and repeatedly drop into the sun-dappled water to bathe. A long trail leads off the back corner of the station grounds to a camp at the Monkey Tail River. The initial portion of the trail held Mexican Antthrush and Red-crowned Ant Tanager. Judging by the number of tracks, the path also seems to be a major Tapir migration route.
Mammals seen at Las Cuevas included a troop of Central American Spider Monkey brachiating in a long line off the Bird Tower Trail, three Tayras crossing the access road near the station and a family of Gray Fox basking in the morning sun in the station clearing.
Closing Thoughts - We had a great trip. Belize is a relaxed and easy place for independent travel. Nothing we encountered caused much stress (except maybe the mud on the Las Cuevas road). We seem to have timed our arrival well, with bird song and nest building activity in full swing. According to locals, for the time of year the water should have been lower at Crooked Tree and the Las Cuevas road drier, but everything worked out. Our only regret is that we weren’t able to spend at least two full weeks in the country.
Paul Jones, Ottawa, Canada
Annotated Bird List - Belize - February 23 to March 4, 2007
1. Great Tinamou - Tinamus major - Haunting call frequently heard in broadleaf forest, sounds like “oh noooo, oh nooooo, oh noooooo” to us
2. Slaty-breasted Tinamou - Crypturellus boucardi - Common at Las Cuevas, up to four seen along the forest trails in a single day, call reminiscent of a mournful train whistle “toooo-wooooooooo”
3. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps - Several seen from the causeway at Crooked Tree
4. Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis - Common along the coast, even in downtown Belize City
5. Neotropic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax brasilianus - The common inland cormorant
6. Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus - Affiliated with the coast, several seen along the Dangriga waterfront
7. Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga - Several seen at Crooked Tree
8. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens - Common along the coast in Belize City and Dangriga, one also seen at Crooked Tree
9. Bare-throated Tiger-Heron - Tigrisoma mexicanum - One seen, one heard at Crooked Tree
10. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias - Common at Crooked Tree
11. Great Egret - Ardea alba - Common in wetlands
12. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula - Common in wetlands
13. Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea - Common in wetlands
14. Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor - Common in wetlands
15. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis - Common
16. Green Heron - Butorides virescens - Common in wooded wetlands
17. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax - Several at Crooked Tree
18. Boat-billed Heron - Cochlearius cochlearius - Three sightings on the Crooked Tree Boat Tour, the guides know established roosts
19. White Ibis - Eudocimus albus - Common at Crooked Tree
20. Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus - Two seen around the Bird’s Eye View Lodge
21. Roseate Spoonbill - Ajaia ajaja - Present in small numbers in the pond at Bird’s Eye View Lodge
22. Jabiru - Jabiru mycteria - One on a nest just off the Northern Highway between the Airport and Crooked Tree, this bird is hard to find when the water is high
23. Wood Stork - Mycteria americana - Common in wetlands
24. Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus - Common
25. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura - Common
26. Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture - Cathartes burrovianus - Good numbers at Crooked Tree, including two feeding at the water’s edge by Bird’s Eye Lodge and five in one tree on the boat tour - the yellow, blue and red on the head of this bird can merge into a pinkish cast at any distance, so a good second look is sometimes needed to pick one out
27. King Vulture - Sarcoramphus papa - Not uncommon, we had excellent views of this great bird at Five Blues Lake, Cockscomb, 1,000 Foot Falls and Las Cuevas
28. Black-bellied Whistling Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis - Common at Crooked Tree
29. American Wigeon - Anas americana - One - at Crooked Tree in the pond at Bird’s Eye View Lodge
30. Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors - Common at Crooked Tree
31. Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - Common at Crooked Tree, also seen along the coast and at Cockscomb
32. Hook-billed Kite - Chondrohierax uncinatus - One at Cockscomb
33. Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus - Common at Douglas da Silva
34. Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus leucurus - Uncommon in agricultural/savannah areas
35. Snail Kite - Rostrhamus sociabilis - Common at Crooked Tree
36. Plumbeous Kite - Ictinia plumbea - Common
37. Black-collared Hawk - Busarellus nigricollis - Four on the Crooked Tree boat tour
38. White Hawk - Leucopternis albicollis - Pairs at Five Blues and Rio Frios Cave, six seen from the Bird Tower at Las Cuevas
39. Gray Hawk - Asturina nitida - One in the pines near da Silva
40. Common Black-Hawk - Buteogallus anthracinus - Singles at Crooked Tree and on the Dangriga coastal road
41. Great Black-Hawk - Buteogallus urubitinga - Pairs at Crooked Tree, da Silva and Las Cuevas, the key field mark, an extra white band on the upper tail coverts, is surprisingly easy to see
42. Roadside Hawk - Buteo magnirostris - Common, the default vehicle-spotted raptor
43. Short-tailed Hawk - Buteo brachyurus - A forest dweller, we had soaring birds at Cockscomb, Rio Frios Cave and Las Cuevas
44. White-tailed Hawk - Buteo albicaudatus - Two sightings, one just east of the Southern Highway on the road to Sitti, the other on the Southern Highway just before the junction with the Hummingbird Highway
45. Black Hawk-Eagle - Spizaetus tyrannus - One at Las Cuevas from the Bird Tower
46. Barred Forest-Falcon - Micrastur ruficollis - One called in at the start of the road to Rio Frios Cave, da Silva, their highish-pitched “ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ca” was heard several other locations
47. Collared Forest-Falcon - Micrastur semitorquatus - A pair near the Five Blues cook shelter responded vigorously to a vocal imitation of their call (a very, very loud “Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow! …). We quickly realized they were nesting in a nearby tree and left them alone after that, but they continued to put in appearances hunting along the access road - both the forest-falcons are amazing birds
48. Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans - One sighting only, at Bird’s Eye View Lodge
49. Merlin - Falco columbarius - Two, one at the Five Blues ford, the other on the road just before da Silva
50. Bat Falcon - Falco rufigularis - A pair on the Crooked Tree boat tour and a single perching on a dead pine at the Rio Ons Pools
51. Orange-breasted Falcon - Falco deiroleucus - The pair at 1,000 Foot Falls
52. Plain Chachalaca - Ortalis vetula - Fairly common
53. Crested Guan - Penelope purpurascens - A group on the “50 Hectare Plot” at Las Cuevas, also heard at Cockscomb
54. Spotted Wood-Quail - Odontophorus guttatus - A covey of five on the hill trail to the Bird Tower at Las Cuevas, responded vigourously to iPod
55. Ruddy Crake - Laterallus rubber - One walking around at our feet on the dry riverbank at the ford to Five Blues - two other noisy birds in tall grass nearby responded well to an imitation of their call
56. Gray-necked Wood-Rail - Aramides cajanea - One on the shore near Bird’s Eye View Lodge
57. Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus - Several in the Bird’s Eye View Lodge pond
58. American Coot - Fulica americana - Several in the Bird’s Eye View Lodge pond
59. Limpkin - Aramus guarauna - Common at Crooked Tree
60. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola - One on the beach at Dangriga
61. Killdeer - Charadrius vociferous - Common
62. Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis - One, the long-staying vagrant at the Bird’s Eye View Lodge pond
63. Northern Jacana - Jacana spinosa - Abundant at Crooked Tree
64. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca - Two at Crooked Tree
65. Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria - One at Crooked Tree
66. Willet - Catoptrophorus semipalmatus - One on the beach at Dangriga
67. Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia - Uncommon
68. Sanderling - Calidris alba - Several on the beach at Dangriga
69. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla - Common around Bird’s Eye View Lodge
70. Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago - One on the coast road north of Dangriga
71. Laughing Gull - Larus atricilla - Common along the coast
72. Gull-billed Tern - Sterna nilotica - Seen along the coast and at Crooked Tree
73. Caspian Tern - Sterna caspia - Seen along the coast and at Crooked Tree
74. Royal Tern - Sterna maxima - Dangriga
75. Sandwich Tern - Sterna sandvicensis - Dangriga
76. Rock Dove - Columba livia - Dangriga and Belize City
77. Pale-vented Pigeon - Columba cayennensis - Common, seen well on the Dangriga Coastal Road
78. Scaled Pigeon - Columba speciosa - Seen at Five Blues and Las Cuevas
79. Red-billed Pigeon - Columba flavirostris - Five Blues
80. Short-billed Pigeon - Columba nigrirostris - Common, the frequently heard song, a querulous, spoken, “who cooks for you?” is a signature sound of the broadleaf forest
81. Common Ground-Dove - Columbina passerine - Two by the road near Sitti River
82. Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti - Common by open roadsides
83. Blue Ground-Dove - Claravis pretiosa - One at Five Blues but common at Cockscomb
84. White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi - Seen at Crooked Tree
85. Gray-fronted Dove - Leptotila rufaxilla - A pair at the base of the Las Cuevas Bird Tower
86. Ruddy Quail-Dove - Geotrygon montana - Several sightings at Cockscomb
87. Olive-throated Parakeet - Aratinga nana - Sitti Road, Las Cuevas
88. Scarlet Macaw - Ara macao - One seen, one heard at Las Cuevas - if this bird is a must see a place called Red Bank just south-west of Maya Center is apparently good for them in February and March
89. Brown-hooded Parrot - Pionopsitta haematotis - A small flock at Five Blues
90. White-crowned Parrot - Pionus senilis - Small flocks at Five Blues and Las Cuevas
91. White-fronted Parrot - Amazona albifrons - Small flocks at Crooked Tree
92. Red-lored Parrot - Amazona autumnalis - Common
93. Mealy Parrot - Amazona farinose - Common
94. Yellow-headed Parrot - Amazona oratrix - Two sightings of this impressive parrot along the coast road between Dangriga and La Democracia
95. Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana - Sightings at Crooked Tree, Five Blues and Las Cuevas
96. Groove-billed Ani - Crotophaga sulcirostris - Common at Crooked Tree
97. Vermiculated Screech-Owl - Otus guatemalae - Common, we called one in at the Five Blues cook shelter and heard lots there and at Cockscomb and Las Cuevas - note that this Owl’s trill bears a passing resemblance to the more wooden call of the Cane Toad, Bufo marinis
98. Crested Owl - Lophostrix cristata - Heard and called in at Five Blues, but provided shilouette views only
99. Spectacled Owl - Pulsatrix perspicillata - Responded vigorously to a vocal imitation at the Cockscomb campground, but chose to fly into an impenetrable tree, also heard at the Coastal Highway campsite
100. Mottled Owl - Ciccaba virgata - Common, heard at night at Five Blues, Cockscomb and Las Cuevas, would not respond to imitations
101. Pauraque - Nyctidromus albicollis - Common, seen every night of the trip, eyes glowing red on gravel roads, approachable to less than one metre
102. Northern Potoo - Nyctibius jamaicensis - One seen and heard on a night walk at the Five Blues access road a short distance from the cook shelter, “rasssssssssssp poc poc”
103. White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris - Groups of five to 25 racing around the gorge at 1,000 Foot Falls
104. Vaux´s Swift - Chaetura vauxi - Seen at Las Cuevas and Crooked Tree, the wintering Chaetura swift
105. Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift - Panyptila cayennensis - Five Blues, Cockscomb, Rio Frios, Las Cuevas, flying high above canopy
106. Long-tailed Hermit - Phaethornis superciliosus - Fairly common, extraordinary views of lekking males obtained at Cockscomb on the Wari Trail
107. Little Hermit - Phaethornis longuemareus - Uncommon, seen at Five Blues, Cockscomb and Las Cuevas
108. Wedge-tailed Sabrewing - Campylopterus curvipennis - One at Las Cuevas
109. White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora - Five Blues and Las Cuevas, an impressive bird
110. Green-breasted Mango - Anthracothorax prevostii - One, in the veranda tree, Las Cuevas
111. White-bellied Emerald - Amazilia candida - Common, the default small, white-bellied hummingbird
112. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl - Common, the default hummingbird
113. Buff-bellied Hummingbird - Amazilia yucatanensis - One, Crooked Tree, far reaches of the Trogon Trail
114. Cinnamon Hummingbird - Amazilia rutila - One, in the ornamental plantings at the Jaguar Reef Lodge
115. Purple-crowned Fairy - Heliothryx barroti - One at Rio Frios, two at Las Cuevas
116. Black-headed Trogon - Trogon melanocephalus - All sightings north of the Western Highway, common at Crooked Tree
117. Violaceous Trogon - Trogon violaceus - Common
118. Collared Trogon - Trogon collaris - Fairly common at Las Cuevas
119. Slaty-tailed Trogon - Trogon massena - Heard at Las Cuevas and Five Blues
120. Blue-crowned Motmot - Momotus momota - Abrupt “hoot-hoot” call a regular feature of the dawn chorus at Five Blues, Cockscomb and Las Cuevas, hard to see but stunning views obtained at all of above
121. Ringed Kingfisher - Ceryle torquata - Common at Crooked Tree
122. Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon - Common at Crooked Tree
123. Green Kingfisher - Chloroceryle americana - Sightings at Crooked Tree and Five Blues
124. White-whiskered Puffbird - Malacoptila panamensis - One at Five Blues near the cook shelter and one at Las Cuevas near the campground
125. Rufous-tailed Jacamar - Galbula ruficauda - Fairly common in broadleaf forest
126. Collared Aracari - Pteroglossus torquatus - Just a few sightings
127. Keel-billed Toucan - Ramphastos sulfuratus - Common
128. Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus - Common in pines
129. Black-cheeked Woodpecker - Melanerpes pucherani - Common, likes Cecropia Trees
130. Red-vented Woodpecker - Melanerpes pygmaeus - A Yucatan endemic, we had three sightings at Crooked Tree - two down the Trogon Trail and one in the big tree opposite the pond at Bird’s Eye View Lodge, listen for the typical Melanerpes tree-frog trill
131. Golden-fronted Woodpecker - Melanerpes aurifrons - Seen at Crooked Tree
132. Smoky-brown Woodpecker - Veniliornis fumigatus - Seen at Five Blues and Rio Frios Cave
133. Golden-olive Woodpecker - Piculus rubiginosus - Seen at the Five Blues ford and Cockscomb
134. Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus - A pair at Five Blues
135. Pale-billed Woodpecker - Campephilus guatemalensis - Crooked Tree and Las Cuevas
136. Rufous-breasted Spinetail - Synallaxis erythrothorax - Common but skulky in trailside brush
137. Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner - Automolus ochrolaemus - Sightings at Rio Frios and Las Cuevas
138. Plain Xenops - Xenops minutus - Singles at Five Blues, Rio Frios and Las Cuevas
139. Scaly-throated Leaftosser - Sclerurus guatemalensis - One along the Bird Tower Trail, Las Cuevas, lives up to its name
140. Tawny-winged Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla anabatina - Five Blues, Cockscomb, Las Cuevas
141. Ruddy Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla homochroa - Five Blues at ant swarm
142. Olivaceus Woodcreeper - Sittasomus griseicapillus - Five Blues, Cockscomb, Las Cuevas
143. Wedge-billed Woodcreeper - Glyphorynchus spirurus - Five Blues and Rio Frios
144. Strong-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus - Five Blues
145. Northern Barred-Woodcreeper - Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae - Five Blues at ant swarm
146. Ivory-billed Woodcreeper - Xiphorynchus flavigaster - Seen at Crooked Tree on the Trogon Trail, Cockscomb and Five Blues
147. Great Antshrike - Taraba major - A cooperative pair was on the Las Cuevas access road near the station by a gravel pit - the song is similar to Barred Antshrike, but lacks the final “ka-wuck”
148. Barred Antshrike - Thamnophilus doliatus - Common in scrubby areas, the rising “ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-k-k-k- ka-wuck” song is a signature Belize sound
149. Slaty Antwren - Myrmotherula schisticolor - A pair on the Las Cuevas access road
150. Dot-winged Antwren - Microrhopias quixensis - Common
151. Dusky Antbird - Cercomacra tyrannina - Five Blues, Guanacaste, Rio Frios
152. Mexican Antthrush - Formicarius monileger - Fairly common in mature broadleaf forest, once you figure out the song
153. Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet - Ornithion semiflavum - Sightings at Five Blues, Rio Frios and Las Cuevas, a very inconspicuous little bird
154. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet - Camptostoma imberbe - One at Crooked Tree on the Trogon Trail in dry open scrubby forest
155. Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Elaenia flavogaster - Cockscomb at the campground and da Silva at the edge of the station
156. Ochre-bellied Flycatcher - Mionectes oleaginous - Five Blues
157. Sepia-capped Flycatcher - Leptopogon amaurocephalus - Five Blues
158. Northern Bentbill - Oncostoma cinereigulare - One seen and heard on the Las Cuevas Bird Tower Trail, we realized retrospectively that we had been hearing the distinctive note at other locations on the trip
159. Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher - Poecilotriccus sylvia - A pair on the Las Cuevas access road
160. Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum - Crooked Tree on boat tour, Cockscomb at campground
161. Eye-ringed Flatbill - Rhynchocyclus brevirostris - Five Blues, a retiring species
162. Yellow-olive Flycatcher - Tolmomyias sulphurescens - Rio Frios
163. Stub-tailed Spadebill - Platyrinchus cancrominus - Fairly common in broadleaf forest but seldom seen, the “dippity dunk” call signals its presence
164. Royal Flycatcher - Onychorhynchus coronatus - Three along the access road to Five Blues past the ford
165. Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher - Myiobius sulphureipygius - Fairly common under the broadleaf canopy
166. Tropical Pewee - Contopus cinereus - One seen calling at Cockscomb along the river
167. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - Empidonax flaviventris - Common
168. Least Flycatcher - Empidonax minimus - Uncommon
169. Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans - Three at the Five Blues ford, seems to have a preference for dry, rocky riverbeds
170. Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus - Common in open areas
171. Bright-rumped Attila - Attila spadiceus - Heard at Crooked Tree and Cockscomb campground
172. Dusky-capped Flycatcher - Myiarchus tuberculifer - Common and small
173. Great Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus - One heard at Five Blues
174. Brown-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus tyrannulus - Uncommon
175. Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus - Common
176. Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua - One sighting in the veranda tree at Las Cuevas, not a blazingly obvious bird (to us)
177. Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similes - Common
178. Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus - The default Tyrannus, we never got it together to pick out a Couch’s
179. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus forficatus - One in Belize City
180. Fork-tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus savanna - Common at Crooked Tree, seen in other open, agricultural area
181. Thrushlike Schiffornis - Schiffornis turdinus - Distinctive song heard frequently in broadleaf forest, only a few sightings
182. Rufous Piha - Lipaugus unirufus - Seen and heard high in the canopy on the trail to the Bird Tower, Las Cuevas
183. Rose-throated Becard - Pachyramphus aglaiae - A nest-building pair at the Cockscomb campground
184. Masked Tityra - Tityra semifasciata - Fairy common atop the broadleaf canopy, listen for the funny grunting calls
185. Black-crowned Tityra - Tityra inquisitor - Uncommoner than Masked, we saw two at the Cockscomb campground sitting by a semifasciata
186. Lovely Cotinga - Cotinga amabilis - A rare and charismatic broadleaf resident, we were lucky to find a pair at Five Blues Lake - a female (briefly joined by its mate) was perching atop a dead tree in the natural amphitheatre at the (former) lake entry point
187. White-collared Manakin - Manacus candei - Common in broadleaf forest, listen for the wing snap of lekking males, who allow close approach and study
188. Red-capped Manakin - Pipra mentalis - Same as above
189. White-eyed Vireo - Vireo griseus - Common and singing in tangles
190. Mangrove Vireo - Vireo pallens - Common at Crooked Tree and along the coast road north of Dangriga
191. Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons - One at the Five Blues ford
192. Plumbeous Vireo - Vireo plumbeus - One in a bird flock along the road to 1,000 Foot Falls
193. Tawny-crowned Greenlet - Hylophilus ochraceiceps - Uncommon in broadleaf forest
194. Lesser Greenlet - Hylophilus decurtatus - Common in broadleaf forest
195. Brown Jay - Cyanocorax morio - Common and loud
196. Yucatán Jay - Cyanocorax yucatanicus - Fairly easy to find early morning at Crooked Tree along the Trogon Trail and its extensions
197. Gray-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea - Uncommon, seen on telephone wires at Crooked Tree and along the coast highway
198. Mangrove Swallow - Tachycineta albilinea - The commonest swallow
199. Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis - A large group of swallows milling about the limestone walls and mud puddles of the former Five Blues Lake were definitively identified as this species, the complete white-undertail coverts and absence of “head-lights” are fairly easy to distinguish on flying and perched birds
200. Ridgeway’s Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ridgwayi - This species was nesting in the cave by the research station at Las Cuevas, the white spots on the forehead and darkened undertail coverts are very distinctive
201. Spot-breasted Wren - Thryothorus maculipectus - Common but hard to see, listen for finger on comb “z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-zip” call
202. House Wren - Troglodytes aedon - Common around the village of Crooked Tree
203. White-bellied Wren - Uropsila leucogastra - Five Blues
204. White-breasted Wood-Wren - Henicorhina leucosticte - Common in broadleaf forest but hard to see, listen for loud “klink” call
205. Long-billed Gnatwren - Ramphocaenus melanurus - Hides in viney tangles along roads and trails through broadleaf forest, we finally had to call one in
206. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea - Crooked Tree, Five Blues
207. Tropical Gnatcatcher - Polioptila plumbea - One on the road to the Rio Frios Cave, black cap easy to pick out
208. Slate-colored Solitaire - Myadestes unicolor - Seen and heard (beautiful song) on the Bird Tower Trail and access road, Las Cuevas
209. Wood Thrush - Catharus mustelina - Common winterer in broadleaf forest
210. Clay-colored Thrush - Turdus grayi - Common
211. White-throated Robin - Turdus assimilis - Heard at Las Cuevas
212. Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis - Common
213. Tropical Mockingbird - Mimus gilvus - Abundant in urban and agricultural areas
214. Blue-winged Warbler - Vermivora pinus - Two sightings, Rio Frios Cave Road and Las Cuevas
215. Northern Parula - Parula americana - Three sightings, Crooked Tree, Cockscomb and Las Cuevas
216. Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia - Uncommon
217. Chestnut-sided Warbler - Dendroica pensylvanica - Uncommon
218. Magnolia Warbler - Dendroica magnolia - Common
219. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata - Uncommon
220. Black-throated Green Warbler - Dendroica virens - Uncommon
221. Yellow-throated Warbler - Dendroica dominica - Uncommon
222. Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia - Common
223. American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla - Common
224. Prothonotary Warbler - Protonotaria citrea - One at Elagans Pond, Las Cuevas
225. Worm-eating Warbler - Helmitheros vermivorus - Uncommon
226. Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapillus - Uncommon
227. Northern Waterthrush - Seiurus noveboracensis - Common
228. Louisiana Waterthrush - Seiurus motacilla - Two only, Five Blues and Las Cuevas
229. Kentucky Warbler - Oporornis formosus - Common
230. Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas - Uncommon
231. Gray-crowned Yellowthroat - Geothylpis poliocephala - One sighting, Coastal Highway north of Dangriga, a neat bird
232. Hooded Warbler - Wilsonia citrine - Common
233. Wilson´s Warbler - Wilsonia pusilla - Uncommon
234. Golden-crowned Warbler - Basileuterus culicivorus - Uncommon
235. Rufous-capped Warbler - Basileuterus rufifrons - Fairly easy to find at da Silva and Las Cuevas
236. Yellow-breasted Chat - Icteria virens - Three sightings, Five Blues ford, Coastal Highway north of Dangriga and Cockscomb
237. Gray-throated Chat - Granatellus sallaei - Seen at Five Blues and Las Cuevas, all sightings in a dense “alder-type” brush
238. Gray-headed Tanager - Eucometis penicillata - Uncommon, seems to like ant swarms
239. Black-throated Shrike-Tanager - Lanio aurantius - Fairly common at Las Cuevas
240. Red-crowned Ant-Tanager - Habia rubica - Uncommon at Las Cuevas, seen on trail to Monkey Tail River
241. Red-throated Ant-Tanager - Habia fuscicauda - Family groups common in broadleaf forest, often scolding
242. Hepatic Tanager - Piranga flava - Seen in pines along Coastal Highway north of Dangriga, 1,000 Foot Falls and da Silva area
243. Summer Tanager - Piranga rubra - Uncommon
244. Crimson-collared Tanager - Ramphocelus sanguinolentus - Cockscomb campground and trails
245. Passerini´s Tanager - Ramphocelus passerinii - Five Blues ford
246. Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus - Common at Crooked Tree
247. Yellow-winged Tanager - Thraupis abbas - One sighting at Five Blues
248. Yellow-throated Euphonia - Euphonia hirundinacea - Small flock along road to Rio Frios Cave
249. Olive-backed Euphonia - Euphonia gouldi - Small flock along road to Rio Frios Cave
250. Golden-hooded Tanager - Tangara larvata - Common at Cockscomb, also seen at da Silva and Rio Ons Pools
251. Green Honeycreeper - Chlorophanes spiza - Female on road to Rio Frios Cave, male in the veranda tree, Las Cuevas
252. Red-legged Honeycreeper - Cyanerpes cyaneus - Common in the canopy
253. Blue-black Grassquit - Volatinia jacarina - Five Blues ford
254. Variable Seedeater - Sporophila americana - Five Blues ford, watch for the olive-brown females
255. White-collared Seedeater - Sporophila torqueola - Abundant, the default roadside finch
256. Thick-billed Seedfinch - Oryzoborus funereus - Small group along the river at Cockscomb, look for the rusty-brown females
257. Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea - Common around the Cockscomb visitor center, one at the Las Cuevas septic field
258. Orange-billed Sparrow - Arremon aurantiirostris - Five Blues and Cockscomb, in tangles under the broadleaf canopy
259. Green-backed Sparrow - Arremonops chloronotus - Five Blues and Cockscomb, thick road side scrub in broadleaf forest
260. Rusty Sparrow - Aimophila rufescens - Three 50 metres in from the road between da Siva and the Rio On Pools, they were in a loose group, next to a surviving stand of pine
261. Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerine - One small flock at the da Silva camp ground
262. Grayish Saltator - Saltator coerulescens - Five Blues
263. Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus - Five Blues at the ford
264. Black-headed Saltator - Saltator atriceps - Common and loud
265. Black-faced Grosbeak - Caryothraustes poliogaster - Common
266. Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - Two at Crooked Tree off the Trogon Trail
267. Blue-black Grosbeak - Cyanocompsa cyanoides - Fairly common, a pair was nesting at the Five Blues cook shelter, seen also at Cockscomb and Las Cuevas
268. Blue Bunting - Cyanocompsa parellina - One at Las Cuevas along the access road
269. Blue Grosbeak - Guiraca caerulea - One flock of a dozen birds in the roadside scrub just before da Silva
270. Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea - Common at da Silva and Las Cuevas
271. Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus - Seen at Crooked Tree on the Boat Tour
272. Melodious Blackbird - Dives dives - Common
273. Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus - Common and loud
274. Black-cowled Oriole - Icterus dominicensis - Crooked Tree, Five Blues, Cockscomb
275. Orchard Oriole - Icterus spurious - Common
276. Hooded Oriole - Icterus cucullatus -
277. Yellow-tailed Oriole - Icterus mesomelas - One at Crooked Tree
278. Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula - Common
279. Yellow-billed Cacique - Amblycercus holosericeus - Five Blues and Cockscomb in thick tangles (pronounced "Ca-seek", who knew?)
280. Montezuma Oropendola - Psarocolius montezuma - Common
281. Black-headed Siskin - Carduelis notata - Common at 1,000 Foot Falls and along the road to da Silva
282. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - A single bird in Dangriga
My brother Ian stayed an extra week at Las Cuevas, assisting the station in developing an annotated checklist. Additional birds during this time were:
283. Little Tinamou - Crypturellus soui
284. Bicoloured Hawk - Accipiter bicolor
285. Ornate Hawk-Eagle - Spizaetus ornatus
286. Great Currasow - Crax rubra
287. Central American Pygmy Owl - Glaucidium griseiceps
288. Tody Motmot - Hylomanes momotula
289. Streak-headed Woodcreeper - Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
290. Greenish Elaenia - Myiopagis viridicata
291. Paltry Tyrannulet - Zimmerius vilissimus
292. Rufous Mourner - Rhytipterna holerythra
293. Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius
294. Green Shrike Vireo - Vireolanius pulchellus
295. Green Jay - Cyanocorax yncas
296. Band-backed Wren - Campylorhynchus zonatus
297. Nightingale Wren - Microcerculus Philomela
298. Golden-winged Warbler - Vermivora chrysoptera
299. Tennessee Warbler - Vermivora peregrine
300. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola
301. Common Bush Tanager - Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
302. Painted Bunting - Passerina ciris
Annotated Mammal List - Belize - February 23 to March 4, 2007
1. Common Opossum - Didelphis marsupialis - two spotlighted at night near the Cockscomb campground
2. Northern Tamandua - Tamandua mexicana - Two sightings, one on the Crooked Tree boat tour, the other on the trail to the river at Cockscomb, the Cockscomb one was tracked down by the terrible racket it was making ripping apart an ant nest in the heart of a Cohune Palm
3. Nine-banded Armadillo - Dasypus novemcinctus - one, at night, Cockscomb campground
4. Yucatan Black Howler Monkey - Alouatta pigra - one seen on the Crooked Tree boat tour, heard at Five Blues, Cockscomb and Las Cuevas
5. Central American Spider Monkey - Ateles geoffroyi - a troop brachiating in a long line off the Bird Tower Trail at Las Cuevas
6. Gray Fox - Urocyon cineroargenteus - two, mid-morning basking in the sun on the station lawn at Las Cuevas
7. Tayra - Eira barbara - a family of three of this striking weasel at Las Cuevas, crossing the access road at 60 second intervals
8. White-nosed Coati - Nasua narica - one, mid-morning on the Wari Trail at Cockscomb
9. Collared Peccary - Tayassu tajacu - two on the road back to the Five Blues ford
10. Deppe’s Squirrel - Scirus deppei - one or two daily
11. Central American Agouti - Dasyprocta punctata - singles at Crooked Tree, Guanacaste and Five Blues
 Crooked Tree, Bird's Eye View Lodge  Hummingbird Highway, heading south  Five Blues Lake, the cook shelter  Collared Forest-Falcon, nesting at Five Blues  Pauraque, common and confiding  Savannah along the Coastal Road north of Dangriga  Las Cuevas, the research station at dawn |
|
  |