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Belize Travel and Country Guide

Belize Travel and Country Guide

Belize guide for vacation, diving, caving, fishing, scuba, the Caribbean sea, Maya temples, friendly people, islands, snorkel, best tourist attractions, what to do..

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Birds Of Belize

With over 587 different, colorful species of birds in the country, Belize is a must for the professional or amateur bird-watcher and those into eco tourism. In the Orange Walk District alone, over 400 species of birds have been recorded. Of these, approximately 20 percent are migrants from North America during he winter season. Almost every year new species are reported. Eight new records were confirmed in 2009, including the Crested Caracara, Canada Goose, and Spot-breasted Oriole.

Belize blue crowned motmot bird
Belize blue crowned motmot bird

The Blue-crowned motmot, (Motmotus motmota), can be seen throughout the country. Its habitat is in the rainforests below the canopy, or top, of the rainforest. The length of the Blue-crowned motmot is between 11 and 18 inches (28-45 cm). This length includes the tail.

The one feature that most distinguishes almost all motmots is their long tails. Close to the tip of the tail, the barbs are missing for about one inch or more. This gives the appearance not unlike that of a tennis racket. The only explanation for the feathers being like this is that they are used for display

More so than anywhere else in the country, the Orange Walk District is the country’s leader as a birder’s paradise. With its unusually diverse habitats, the famous Maya Ruin area of Lamanai is a must for professional ornithologists or casual bird watchers. 366 bird species have been recorded at Lamanai, and this figure is expected to reach 409 shortly

birds-of-central-america-and-belize
Belize Birds – Neotropic Cormorants, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egrets, Wood Stork and Raptor. Photo by Eva W. Casey

The uncommon nocturnal Yucatan nightjars, as well as the long-tailed hermit hummingbird, have been spotted at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Cruising the New River by boat to the Lamanai ruins is also a birder’s paradise. The waterway teems with bird life. Rare birds abound, like the roseate spoonbills, sun grebes and long-necked anhinga. Near the mouth of the lagoon is a large ceiba tree with a huge nest, home to a five-foot jabiru stork, the largest bird in the country which has a wingspan of approximately eight feet.

collared toucan
Collared Toucan in western Belize Picture: Manolo Romero.

Inland jungle resorts offer delights for Belize bird watching. Colors abound: the blue-crowned motmot, the brightly colored flocks of ocellated turkeys or the emerald toucanet are only some of the birds visitors will see.

The Collared Toucan, also known as the Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus torquatus, is almost as flamboyant as its cousin the Keel Billed Toucan which is the national bird of Belize. This bird is all over Belize and can be easily spotted as they tend to flock.

The Collared Toucan can also be found in Mexico,and South America. They roost socially, usually in groups of about six, and nest in tree holes or abandoned woodpecker nests. They are primarily fruit eaters but will take prey such as insects and small lizards.

Programme for Belize , with over 400 recorded species, also offers world class birding. The nonprofit organization with offices in both Belize and the United States , manages the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area in the northern district.

It is a reserve that covers 280,000 acres. It is a tropical forest area that is home to all of the Belizean cats and numerous other animals, including king vultures, and over 80 species of bats.

A Field Guide to the Birds of Belize” by Jones and Gardner will help visitors familiarize themselves with many of the species to be seen. The Gallon Jug Conservation Society, the Belize Audubon Society, the Lamanai Field Research Center or any of the lodges in the area here also appreciate field notes from visitors who record rare, unexpected sightings.

Great Belize Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus
Great Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus.

The Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) can be seen all over the country including home gardens and in urban centers. This little fellow is a resident of the City of Belmopan. The Great Kiskadee is aggressive especially in looking for a meal.

“I found a lizard in my hall one morning and opened my door to shoo him out. The lizard ran outside. I then heard a flapping noise and the lizard ran back inside. Annoyed I shooed it out again and went outside my entrance to make sure it was really gone. Another flapping noise and now a flash of yellow. A Great Kiskadee swooped in and retrieved his meal right between my feet. I stood on my Welcome mat too surprised to do anything. That was the last I saw of the lizard.” – Manolo Romero – Belize.com editor.

belize-parrot-clarissa-falls-1
Belize parrot at western Belize.

Bird Watching In Belize – The Easy Way

“Watching birds in the tropical forests of Belize can tend to be very frustrating at times, and extremely rewarding at others. The thick vegetation of tropical forests, and the typical behavior of quick, seemingly random movements of many forest birds, make them often difficult to see. Many birds also live in the upper canopy of the forest, making it a strain to be constantly looking upward. But early morning and late afternoon are excellent times to bird watch, as most bird species are feeding or moving to new locations during these times.”

“Birds thrive in all of Belize’s habitats. Wading birds congregate along the coastline and inner lagoons. The grasslands and savannas provide seeds for the many finches, and nesting trees for the giant jabiru Stork. And the tropical forests There is an astonishing diversity of bird species.” – The Belize Zoo.




Bird Ownership In Belize

Hidden in the underbelly of an otherwise tropical paradise lifestyle that is promoted to immigrants and retirees, are a slew of draconian laws and regulations than can make life miserable for the unwary. Among these are Belize laws relating to bird ownership which fall under the remit of the Forestry Department. Owning any indigenous animal or bird species in Belize requires a license. Thousands of Belizeans have traditionally kept animals such as parrots, iguanas, monkeys and other species as pets for centuries without any bother. But in 2014, as part of an exercise to raise revenue, the government and crusading animal rights groups from the U.S. and England began raiding the homes of private citizens in search of unlicensed birds. This is an industry, and for the keen observer, a living example of how poor immigrants from developed countries can create a lucrative income in poor countries such as Belize.

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Belize ranks No. 10 out of 52 countries on Fodor’s 2018 Travel list

Belize has ranked number 10 out of 52 countries on the Fodor’s Travel Go List for 2018, underscoring the efforts of the Belize.com group and others to market Belize as a growing, viable and must-visit destination in Central America and the Caribbean. The announcement was made last week on Fodor’s Travel’s Website. In its introductory […]

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Legislation Proposed For Traditional Healing and Alternative Medicine

Officials are looking at recommending legislation to give more recognition to traditional healing and herbal remedies as part of a new National Cultural Policy, according to bureaucrats from the National Institute of History and Culture. At the bi-annual Traditional Healers Conclave in Belize held this month in the City of Belmopan officials from the National […]

Expat Heroic Stand Against Marauding Sea Pirates

Austrian national and Placencia resort owner Christian Gigi Gusenbauer is lucky to be alive this morning. He successfully underwent surgery to remove shotgun pellets after he was attacked by pirates on his island home Friday 19 February. It happened at about 6:45 pm when Christian was alone on his Private Haven island located in the […]

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John Carr Reflects On Ranching, Taxes, Business and Life In Belize

John Carr is a cowboy from Montana who emigrated to Belize and with his wife runs a cattle ranch and a resort near the City of Belmopan. He shared some of his thoughts on living and doing business here when he spoke at the opening of the National Agriculture and Trade Show.  Acting Prime Minister […]

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ADO Bus To Belize Trip Report

The ADO Bus run to Mexico has grown in popularity with tourists and locals wishing to bypass the exorbitant air travel prices to North America. The following trip report by a Belizean American businesswoman who lives between Houston and Caye Caulker, was posted on our discussion mailing list. It gives a first hand account of […]

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