It was fantastic to get back to Belize for the first time in several years and to experience the wonderful hospitality of folks at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge and enjoy the fantastic local birding talent of Eduardo Ruano and Marvin Ramirez. Belize remains a terrific introduction to neotropical birding, with an assortment of new families without too much species overload. Our trip started off with a spectacular sunset ride down the New River to Lamanai. The skies that evening were stunning. Our birding started off right at the lodge and adjacent Indian Church. We tallied more than 60 species before lunch! After breakfast, we paid our first visit to the Mayan site of Lamanai, and had a wonderful army ant swarm and mixed flock right off the bat! Great stuff. We had Ruddy, Tawny-winged, and Northern Barred- woodcreepers attending the swarm, and the mixed flock had a number of goodies. That afternoon, we took another walk into Indian Church and picked up a few more species. The next morning we took a pre-breakfast walk through some forest trails near the lodge, and after breakfast took a boat trip up scenic Irish Creek where we encountered Gray-throated Chat, Black-headed and Gartered trogons, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Bright-rumped Attila and more. That afternoon, we headed back to the Mayan site to seek out more birds and learn a bit of the history of the site. We had great studies of Chestnut-colored and Pale-billed woodpeckers among others. The following morning, we crossed the New River Lagoon and up Dawson Creek to explore the distinctive palm savanna found there. Some of the species proved furtive, but we had nice views of the local Botteri’s Sparrow, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Yucatan Woodpecker, and Yellow-lored Parrots. After another delicious breakfast, we hiked north to the Mayan site once again, seeing a nice flock that had a Gray-collared Becard and a fantastic Black-throated Shrike-Tanager among the goodies. Some nightbirding after dinner produced a great study of Mottled Owl and a few other night critters. The following morning we visited some productive rice fields near Indian Church before catching our flight southwest to Hidden Valley Inn on Mountain Pine Ridge. Here we were met by our local guide Marvin and taken to the lodge. Marvin had scouted out a wonderful Stygian Owl that we saw on our first afternoon. We spent the next morning hitting various birding stops on the HVI property and on to Douglas de Silva and the road to the Rio Frio Cave. Unfortunately, road conditions prevented us from making it all of the way to the cave. Later we went to the overlook at King Vulture Falls and had a great experience with Orange-breasted Falcon and King Vultures. Our final full morning was spent at the Green Hill Butterfly Garden where the highlight was the fantastic hummingbird display.
Thanks to all of you for sharing in the Thanksgiving in Belize Tour and special thanks to Eduardo and Marvin for their expertise. Good birding to you all.
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Spatula discors)
NORTHERN SHOVELER (Spatula clypeata)
AMERICAN WIGEON (Mareca americana)
NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anas acuta)
LESSER SCAUP (Aythya affinis)
PLAIN CHACHALACA (Ortalis vetula)
CRESTED GUAN (Penelope purpurascens)
PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
PALE-VENTED PIGEON (Patagioenas cayennensis)
SCALED PIGEON (Patagioenas speciosa)
RED-BILLED PIGEON (Patagioenas flavirostris)
PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND DOVE (Columbina minuta)
RUDDY GROUND DOVE (Columbina talpacoti)
BLUE GROUND DOVE (Claravis pretiosa)
WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi)
GRAY-HEADED DOVE (Leptotila plumbeiceps)
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
GROOVE-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga sulcirostris)
SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana)
LESSER NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles acutipennis)
COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis)
NORTHERN POTOO (Nyctibius jamaicensis)
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT (Streptoprocne zonaris)
LESSER SWALLOW-TAILED SWIFT (Panyptila cayennensis)
WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN (Florisuga mellivora)
LONG-BILLED HERMIT (Phaethornis longirostris)
STRIPE-THROATED HERMIT (Phaethornis striigularis)
PURPLE-CROWNED FAIRY (Heliothryx barroti)
GREEN-BREASTED MANGO (Anthracothorax prevostii)
WEDGE-TAILED SABREWING (Pampa curvipennis)
VIOLET SABREWING (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
SCALY-BREASTED HUMMINGBIRD (Phaeochroa cuvierii)
AZURE-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (Saucerottia cyanocephala)
RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia tzacatl)
WHITE-BELLIED EMERALD (Chlorestes candida)
SORA (Porzana carolina)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)
AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)
PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)
RUDDY CRAKE (Laterallus ruber)
LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
NORTHERN JACANA (Jacana spinosa)
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)
CASPIAN TERN (Hydroprogne caspia)
SANDWICH TERN (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
JABIRU (Jabiru mycteria)
WOOD STORK (Mycteria americana)
ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Nannopterum brasilianum)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
LEAST BITTERN (Ixobrychus exilis)
BARE-THROATED TIGER-HERON (Tigrisoma mexicanum)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
AGAMI HERON (Agamia agami)
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)
BOAT-BILLED HERON (Cochlearius cochlearius)
GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)
KING VULTURE (Sarcoramphus papa)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (Cathartes burrovianus)
Some great studies of this species in the rice fields.
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus)
HOOK-BILLED KITE (Chondrohierax uncinatus)
SNAIL KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis)
DOUBLE-TOOTHED KITE (Harpagus bidentatus)
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
GREAT BLACK HAWK (Buteogallus urubitinga)
This one had us speculating on Solitary Eagle for a short while.
ROADSIDE HAWK (Rupornis magnirostris)
GRAY HAWK (Buteo plagiatus)
SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus)
MIDDLE AMERICAN SCREECH-OWL (Megascops guatemalae) [*]
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium brasilianum)
An exciting encounter with a pair of birds on the Hidden Valley property.
MOTTLED OWL (Ciccaba virgata)
STYGIAN OWL (Asio stygius)
One staying well hidden in pine tree on the HVI property.
BLACK-HEADED TROGON (Trogon melanocephalus)
GARTERED TROGON (Trogon caligatus)
The smallest of the trogons we encountered. This one was split a number of years ago from Violaceous Trogon, but is found by that name in older field guides.
COLLARED TROGON (Trogon collaris)
One was on the road to the Rio Frio Cave.
TODY MOTMOT (Hylomanes momotula)
Great study of one of these at Lamanai.
LESSON'S MOTMOT (Momotus lessonii exiguus)
RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquata)
BELTED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle alcyon)
AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona) [*]
AMERICAN PYGMY KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle aenea)
Our boat trip up Irish Creek proved productive for this tiny species.
GREEN KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle americana)
WHITE-NECKED PUFFBIRD (Notharchus hyperrhynchus)
A couple of these were in the trees right at the boat dock one afternoon.
WHITE-WHISKERED PUFFBIRD (Malacoptila panamensis)
RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbula ruficauda)
COLLARED ARACARI (Pteroglossus torquatus)
KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)
YUCATAN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes pygmaeus)
GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER (VELASQUEZ'S) (Melanerpes aurifrons dubius)
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Dryobates scalaris)
SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER (Dryobates fumigatus)
PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER (Campephilus guatemalensis)
LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus)
CHESTNUT-COLORED WOODPECKER (Celeus castaneus)
GOLDEN-OLIVE WOODPECKER (Colaptes rubiginosus)
BARRED FOREST-FALCON (Micrastur ruficollis) [*]
COLLARED FOREST-FALCON (Micrastur semitorquatus) [*]
LAUGHING FALCON (Herpetotheres cachinnans)
Well heard at HVI and then spotted perched in the pine forest.
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
One in the rice fields near Indian Church.
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
We saw a perched bird on our drive back to Belize City at the end of the tour.
BAT FALCON (Falco rufigularis)
A daily sight at Lamanai.
ORANGE-BREASTED FALCON (Falco deiroleucus)
Wow! Nice encounter with a pair of birds.
BROWN-HOODED PARROT (Pyrilia haematotis)
WHITE-CROWNED PARROT (Pionus senilis)
RED-LORED PARROT (Amazona autumnalis)
WHITE-FRONTED PARROT (Amazona albifrons)
YELLOW-LORED PARROT (Amazona xantholora)
OLIVE-THROATED PARAKEET (AZTEC) (Eupsittula nana astec)
BARRED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus doliatus)
Point blank views of this striking species.
MAYAN ANTTHRUSH (Formicarius moniliger moniliger)
OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (Sittasomus griseicapillus)
RUDDY WOODCREEPER (Dendrocincla homochroa)
TAWNY-WINGED WOODCREEPER (Dendrocincla anabatina)
NORTHERN BARRED-WOODCREEPER (Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae)
IVORY-BILLED WOODCREEPER (Xiphorhynchus flavigaster)
PLAIN XENOPS (Xenops minutus)
WHITE-COLLARED MANAKIN (Manacus candei)
RED-CAPPED MANAKIN (Ceratopipra mentalis)
MASKED TITYRA (Tityra semifasciata)
NORTHERN SCHIFFORNIS (Schiffornis veraepacis)
GRAY-COLLARED BECARD (Pachyramphus major)
One of the highlights of the mixed flocks at Lamanai.
ROSE-THROATED BECARD (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
STUB-TAILED SPADEBILL (Platyrinchus cancrominus)
OCHRE-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Mionectes oleagineus)
NORTHERN BENTBILL (Oncostoma cinereigulare)
COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum cinereum)
EYE-RINGED FLATBILL (Rhynchocyclus brevirostris)
YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias sulphurescens)
YELLOW-BELLIED TYRANNULET (Ornithion semiflavum)
NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma imberbe)
GREENISH ELAENIA (Myiopagis viridicata)
YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster)
TROPICAL PEWEE (TROPICAL) (Contopus cinereus bogotensis) [*]
This is actually a recent split, with this one we heard called Northern Tropical Pewee, Contopus bogotensis.
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Empidonax flaviventris)
LEAST FLYCATCHER (Empidonax minimus)
VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
BRIGHT-RUMPED ATTILA (Attila spadiceus)
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer)
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus crinitus)
GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus)
BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarynchus pitangua)
SOCIAL FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes similis)
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)
COUCH'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus couchii)
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus)
A crowd-pleasing few were in the rice fields.
RUFOUS-BROWED PEPPERSHRIKE (Cyclarhis gujanensis) [*]
TAWNY-CROWNED GREENLET (Tunchiornis ochraceiceps)
LESSER GREENLET (Pachysylvia decurtata)
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus)
MANGROVE VIREO (Vireo pallens)
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Vireo flavifrons)
BROWN JAY (Psilorhinus morio)
GREEN JAY (Cyanocorax yncas)
YUCATAN JAY (Cyanocorax yucatanicus)
This one was exclusively for Joanne and guide Mark while the rest of us were exploring the savanna.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
TREE SWALLOW (Tachycineta bicolor)
MANGROVE SWALLOW (Tachycineta albilinea)
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
WHITE-BROWED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila bilineata)
The new name for the Central American population of former Tropical Gnatcatcher.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
HOUSE WREN (SOUTHERN) (Troglodytes aedon musculus)
SPOT-BREASTED WREN (Pheugopedius maculipectus)
CABANIS'S WREN (Cantorchilus modestus)
Recently Plain Wren was broken up into three species, with this being the northernmost member.
WHITE-BREASTED WOOD-WREN (Henicorhina leucosticta)
GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis)
TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus gilvus)
SWAINSON'S THRUSH (Catharus ustulatus)
WOOD THRUSH (Hylocichla mustelina)
CLAY-COLORED THRUSH (Turdus grayi)
YELLOW-THROATED EUPHONIA (Euphonia hirundinacea)
OLIVE-BACKED EUPHONIA (Euphonia gouldi)
BLACK-HEADED SISKIN (Spinus notatus)
BOTTERI'S SPARROW (Peucaea botterii)
Scope views in the savanna across from Lamanai. Local birds are really dark in coloration.
OLIVE SPARROW (Arremonops rufivirgatus)
GREEN-BACKED SPARROW (Arremonops chloronotus)
RUSTY SPARROW (Aimophila rufescens)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Sturnella magna)
YELLOW-BILLED CACIQUE (Amblycercus holosericeus)
MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius montezuma)
BLACK-COWLED ORIOLE (Icterus prosthemelas)
ORCHARD ORIOLE (Icterus spurius)
HOODED ORIOLE (Icterus cucullatus)
YELLOW-BACKED ORIOLE (Icterus chrysater)
YELLOW-TAILED ORIOLE (Icterus mesomelas)
ALTAMIRA ORIOLE (Icterus gularis)
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Icterus galbula)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
BRONZED COWBIRD (Molothrus aeneus)
MELODIOUS BLACKBIRD (Dives dives)
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapilla)
WORM-EATING WARBLER (Helmitheros vermivorum)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (Vermivora cyanoptera)
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia)
TENNESSEE WARBLER (Leiothlypis peregrina)
GRAY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis poliocephala)
KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
HOODED WARBLER (Setophaga citrina)
AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla)
NORTHERN PARULA (Setophaga americana)
MAGNOLIA WARBLER (Setophaga magnolia)
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Setophaga pensylvanica)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Setophaga coronata)
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Setophaga dominica)
GRACE'S WARBLER (Setophaga graciae)
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Setophaga virens)
RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER (Basileuterus rufifrons)
GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (Basileuterus culicivorus)
HEPATIC TANAGER (Piranga flava)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
RED-CROWNED ANT-TANAGER (Habia rubica)
RED-THROATED ANT-TANAGER (Habia fuscicauda)
BLACK-FACED GROSBEAK (Caryothraustes poliogaster)
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
GRAY-THROATED CHAT (Granatellus sallaei)
BLUE-BLACK GROSBEAK (Cyanoloxia cyanoides)
BLUE BUNTING (Cyanocompsa parellina)
GRAY-HEADED TANAGER (Eucometis penicillata)
BLACK-THROATED SHRIKE-TANAGER (Lanio aurantius)
CRIMSON-COLLARED TANAGER (Ramphocelus sanguinolentus) [*]
BLUE-GRAY TANAGER (Thraupis episcopus)
YELLOW-WINGED TANAGER (Thraupis abbas)
GOLDEN-HOODED TANAGER (Stilpnia larvata)
RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER (Cyanerpes cyaneus)
GREEN HONEYCREEPER (Chlorophanes spiza)
BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina)
THICK-BILLED SEED-FINCH (Sporophila funerea)
VARIABLE SEEDEATER (BLACK) (Sporophila corvina corvina)
MORELET'S SEEDEATER (Sporophila morelleti morelleti)
YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris olivaceus)
BLACK-HEADED SALTATOR (Saltator atriceps)
CINNAMON-BELLIED SALTATOR (Saltator grandis)
LONG-NOSED BAT (Rhynchonycteris naso)
GREATER BULLDOG BAT (Noctilio leporinus)
Also known as Greater Fishing Bat.
YUCATAN HOWLER MONKEY (Alouatta pigra)
CENTRAL AMERICAN SPIDER MONKEY (Ateles geoffroyi)
YUCATAN SQUIRREL (Sciurus yucatanensis)
DEPPE'S SQUIRREL (Sciurus deppei)
MEXICAN HAIRY PORCUPINE (Coendou mexicanus)
CENTRAL AMERICAN AGOUTI (Dasyprocta punctata)
GRAY FOX (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
WHITE-NOSED COATI (Nasua narica) [*]
GREEN IGUANA (Iguana iguana)
A few living in the trees near the boat dock.
STRIPED BASILISK (Basiliscus vittatus)
COMMON HOUSE GECKO (Hemidactylus frenatus) [I]
MORELET'S CROCODILE (Crocodylus moreleti)
A regional endemic.
CANE TOAD (Rhinella marina)
This species is now Giant Toad, R. horribilis.
ROSE-BELLIED LIZARD (Sceloporus variabilis)
YUCATAN BANDED GECKO (Coleonyx elegans)
Seen by a few on the owling outing.
Totals for the tour: 251 bird taxa and 10 mammal taxa