Dates: March 19-26, 2026

Leaders: Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis

E-bird

Total Species: 247 birds

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Overall Summary

As the chill of winter lingers at home, Belize always beckons as a delightful early spring getaway. The abundance of birdlife in Belize is astounding, and this year’s tour was bountiful as usual. This tour is based at two very comfortable lodges, Bird’s Eye View Lodge at Crooked Tree and Lamanai Outpost Lodge, both with abundant birdlife right outside the doorstep. In keeping with our “relaxed and easy” style, one could almost skip all the outings and still have a fabulous time!

Upon arrival at Crooked Tree, we were delighted to see that water levels were perfect and wading birds were abundant. The pleasure of staying at Bird’s Eye View Lodge starts with a wonderful staff, but watching breathtaking sunrises over a lagoon crowded with birds puts it over the top.

Short walks from the lodge regularly yielded 70+ species of birds, including Plain Chachalaca, Pale-vented Pigeon, Groove-billed Ani, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (including a chick on a nest!), Yucatan Woodpecker, three species of Amazon parrots, Olive-throated Parakeet, 15 species of flycatchers, a dozen warblers, and four orioles. Visits to the nearby pine savanna and west causeway yielded even more birds, such as Pinnated Bittern, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Yucatan Jay (particularly abundant this year), and Altamira Oriole. On night walks around the lodge, we enjoyed close views of Common Pauraque as well as a variety of frogs.

Our boat trip to Crooked Tree Lagoon and Spanish Creek was a nonstop highlight reel, with sightings of Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Purple Gallinule, Northern Jacana, American Golden-Plover, Jabiru, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Agami and Boat-billed Herons, Black-collared Hawk, and four species of kingfishers—all among hundreds of herons, egrets, ibises, whistling-ducks, terns, cormorants, and more.

On our day trip to Altun Ha, we barely made it past the bathrooms before finding a tree full of birds. A Gartered Violaceous Trogon at point-blank range was there the whole time as we watched a feeding frenzy of warblers, hummingbirds, and Red-legged Honeycreepers in a flowering tree. As we toured the Maya site with Ann Marie, we also enjoyed sightings of Great Black Hawk, Black-headed Trogon, American Pygmy-Kingfisher, Collared Aracari, several species of warblers, and multiple butterflies.

The second phase of our trip began with a peaceful cruise down the New River. Numerous herons, egrets, raptors, kingfishers, and swallows kept us company as we wove south along the waterway before settling into our accommodations at Lamanai Outpost Lodge. With so many wonderful things to do at Lamanai, our three full days there seemed to fly by quickly. Our optional pre-breakfast walks right around the lodge were just as productive as at Crooked Tree. In fact, on our first morning, we never made it past the parking lot! Some highlights included Red-billed Pigeon, Short-tailed Hawk, Keel-billed Toucan, Lineated and Pale-billed Woodpeckers, Barred Antshrike, Northern Barred-Woodcreeper, Spot-breasted Wren, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Green-backed Sparrow, Yellow-breasted Chat, Yellow-billed Cacique, Blue Bunting, Yellow-winged Tanager, and three species of saltators. Evening visits to the pond near the dining room produced various frogs and turtles, and an exciting sighting of a Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine!

Our visit to the Mayan ruins yielded many classic sights of the Belizean lowland broadleaf forest, such as Plumbeous Kite, White-necked Puffbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, White-crowned Parrot, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Northern Plain-Xenops, Northern Bentbill, Eye-ringed and Yellow-olive Flatbills, Kentucky Warbler, and Black-throated Shrike-Tanager. We also enjoyed nice views of Yucatan Black Howler Monkey, White-nosed Coati, and several interesting butterflies. When wildlife wasn’t distracting us, Ruben provided some fascinating information about the ruins and Mayan culture.

For a change of pace, we also ventured out into the Mennonite farm country and rice fields around Indian Creek to seek out grassland species and migratory waterbirds, as well as learn about the Mennonite culture. A few highlights included Blue-winged Teal, Plain-breasted Ground-Dove, Purple Gallinule, Killdeer, Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers, White-tailed and Gray-headed Kites, Aplomado Falcon, Fork-tailed and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grassland Yellow-Finch.

As wonderful as all those bird walks and drives were, some of our top highlights at Lamanai were while birding by boat. An early morning visit to Dawson’s Creek and adjacent savannah produced Least Bittern, Brown Pelican (at the dock; a local rarity), Yellow-headed and Yellow-lored Amazons, Black Catbird, and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat. A fabulous evening “Spotlight Safari” on the New River, under a star-filled sky, yielded sightings of Common Pauraque, Yucatan Nightjar, Northern Potoo, Sungrebe, Boat-billed Heron, American Barn Owl, three species of kingfishers, a variety of roosting diurnal birds (including a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird!), several Morelet's Crocodiles, and both Greater Fishing Bat and Proboscis Bat. To cap things off, on our last evening we did a delightful “Cocktail Cruise” on the New River, enjoying a tranquil atmosphere, more fine birding, and a beautiful sunset with a happy group.

As always, we thank the staff of both Bird’s Eye View Lodge and Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Both were extremely friendly and accommodated our every need. And to our local guides—Michael Gillet and Rudy Crawford (Crooked Tree), and Ruben Arevalo (Lamanai)—a big thank you for all the great work. See you next year!

Day-by-Day Summary

March 19 - Arrivals and transfer to Bird’s Eye View Lodge at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary; 5:30 p.m. introductory meeting followed by dinner; overnight at Bird’s Eye View Lodge.

March 20 - Early birding around Bird’s Eye View Lodge; 8:30 a.m. boat trip to Spanish Creek with Michael Gillett and Rudy Crawford; 3:30 p.m. drive to Pine Savannah with Michael and Rudy; short night walk after dinner; overnight at Bird’s Eye View Lodge.

10-boat ride

March 21 - Early birding around Bird’s Eye View Lodge; birding and ruins tour at Altun Ha with Ann Marie Arana; lunch at Big Smoothies; 5:00 p.m. lagoon watch; overnight at Bird’s Eye View Lodge.

March 22 - Early birding around Bird’s Eye View Lodge; mid-morning drive to Pine Savannah with Michael and Rudy; 12:30 p.m. transfer to Tower Hill dock; boat transfer along the New River to Lamanai with Ruben Arevalo; overnight at Lamanai Outpost Lodge.

March 23 - Lamanai (all outings with Ruben): early birding near the lodge; 8:30 a.m. birding and ruins tour at Lamanai Maya site (museum, Jaguar Temple, and High Temple); 3:30 p.m. drive to Indian Creek Mennonite fields; overnight at Lamanai Outpost Lodge.

11-Ruben at Jaguar Temple

March 24 - Lamanai, including early birding near the lodge; 8:30 a.m. birding and ruins tour at Lamanai Maya site (Mask Temple and briefly to High Temple and Jaguar Temple); 3:30 p.m. drive to Indian Creek rice fields; 7:30 p.m. Spotlight Safari on the New River; overnight at Lamanai Outpost Lodge.

March 25 - Lamanai, including 6:00 a.m. boat ride to Dawson’s Creek and the Lamanai savannah; 10:00 a.m. walk to Floyd’s Pond; 4:30 p.m. sunset cocktail cruise; overnight at Lamanai Outpost Lodge.

March 26 - Lamanai, including early birding near the lodge; 9:00 a.m. departure from Lamanai for Belize City via the New River (arriving 12:00 noon); afternoon departures from Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport.

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS

Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)

Lamanai Yucatan Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra) – Seen or heard every day

Yucatan Squirrel (Sciurus yucatanensis) – Seen on five days; increasing

Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine (Coendou mexicanus) – by the pond at Lamanai

Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) – A few at Lamanai

Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso) – Several at Lamanai

Alvarez's Mastiff Bat (Molossus alvarezi) – One stuck to a fence at Indian Creek; liberated by Ruben and Louise

Greater Bulldog (Fishing) Bat (Noctilio leporinus) – One hunting over New River on the Spotlight

Safari Tayra (Eira barbara) – One seen by Mary at Lamanai

White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica) – Two at Lamanai

AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES

Giant Toad (Rhinella horribilis) – Crooked tree and Lamanai

Yellow Treefrog (Dendropsophus microcephalus) – Heard at Crooked Tree

Stauffer’s Treefrog (Scinax staufferi) – Crooked Tree

Mexican Treefrog (Smilisca baudinii) – Crooked Tree

Mahogany Treefrog (Tlalocohyla loquax) – Crooked Tree

Brown’s Leopard Frog (Lithobates brownorum) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

Morelet's Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

White-lipped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon leucostomum) – Lamanai

Meso-American Slider (Trachemys venusta) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) ( I ) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai; numerous around our lodgings

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei) – Crooked Tree

Brown Basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus) – Crooked Tree and Lamanai

Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus chrysostictus) – Altun Ha

Rainbow Ameiva (Holcosus undulatus) – Lamanai

Chicken (Thunder and Lightning)

Snake (Spilotes pullatus) – Lamanai

Yucatan Neotropical Rattlesnake (Crotalus tzabcan) – Indian Creek

BUTTERFLIES

Thoas Swallowtail (Heraclides thoas)

Large Orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe)

Mimosa Yellow (Eurema mimosa)

Cassius Blue (Leptotes cassius)

Ruddy Hairstreak (Electrostrymon hugon)

Tropical Greenstreak (Cyanophrys herodotus)

Mexican Cycadian (Eumaeus toxea)

Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia)

Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa)

Gulf Fritillary (Dione incarnata)

White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)

Banded Peacock (Anartia fatima)

Gray Cracker (Hamadryas februa)

Plain Satyr (Cissia pompilia)

Hermes Satyr (Hermeuptychia hermes)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus plexippus)

Queen (Danaus gilippus thersippus)

White-tailed Longtail (Urbanus doryssus)

Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Burnsius oileus)

Gold-snouted Sootywing (Staphylus vulgata)

Dorante’s Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)

Gallery