Birdwatching in Belize 2023-2024

Belize boasts an amazing variety of birds. It is home to over 600 avian species, largely thanks to a great selection of habitats: tropical jungle, savannahs, wetlands, and atolls. From colorful keel-billed toucans, yellow-headed Amazon parrot and scarlet macaw to egrets, eagles, and vultures—there's a lot to see at Belize's bird sanctuaries during any time of the year.

About 20% of Belize's avian kingdom are migratory birds vising the country during winter. Therefore, the dry season from December through April is considered to be the best time for bird-watching.

Since Belize is one of the least populated countries of Central America, birds can be spotted almost anywhere. If you stay at northern Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker, its littoral forests and mangroves give shelter to a large variety of birds, like black catbird or white-crowned pigeon. Half-Moon Caye is the sanctuary for the large red-footed boobie population. Man-O-War Caye is home to brown boobies and frigates.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is among the best birdwatching sites in Belize. This 50,000-hectare area (123,552-acre) is home to the black-collared hawk, Montezuma's oropendola, keel-billed toucan, and the white-collared manakin.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in the northwest of Belize covers vast wetlands, with about 300 avian species present, including parrots, woodpeckers, herons, storks, and black-collared hawks.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Finally, Caracol is not only the famous Mayan archeological site, it's also one of the best birding spots in Central America, where you can spot the legendary harpy eagle, one of the largest species of eagles in the world. Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve is also famous for laughing falcons, warblers, blue black grossbeaks, great curassows, keel-billed motmots, and ocellated turkeys.