Treasures of Western Belize:

Northern Emerald-Toucanet © Michael O'Brien

Experience some of the finest forest birding and raptor watching in Belize; many local specialties including Orange-breasted Falcon and three hawk-eagles; day trips to the unique Mountain Pine Ridge and spectacular Maya ruins at Caracol.

In the heart of western Belize, two outstanding lodges—Jade Jungle Resort and Black Rock Lodge—serve as a perfect base for exploring the Maya Mountain foothills and Mountain Pine Ridge. This interesting and complex area has a different mix of species than lowland Belize, including many regional specialties and possibilities for several very rare species.

Jade Jungle Resort lies in a private reserve along the Roaring River, adjoining the vast Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, and offers some of the best forest birding in all of Belize. A day and a half exploring the trails here will seem barely adequate to soak in the bounty of this fabulous place. From before dawn when calls of Great Tinamou and Spectacled Owl echo through the forest, to mid-morning when White Hawk and King Vulture circle overhead, we’ll amass an amazing list of species. Some highlights may include Great Curassow, Purple-crowned Fairy, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Great Antshrike, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Tropical Royal and Ruddy-tailed flycatchers, and Rufous Mourner. At St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, we’ll search for Nightingale Wren and Lesson’s Motmot, as well as such dazzling beauties as White-collared Manakin, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, and Orange-billed Sparrow.

A short distance to the west, Black Rock Lodge is one of a kind. Operating off-grid, Black Rock uses micro-hydroelectric and solar power to run its facilities and is also extremely comfortable. From the main veranda, a grand vista over the Macal River Gorge offers some of the best raptor watching in Belize, including resident Orange-breasted Falcon, Black-and-white and Ornate hawk-eagles, and often eye level Swallow-tailed Kites! When we tear ourselves away from the veranda, excellent birding along the trails and entrance road may yield Spotted Wood-Quail, Collared Trogon, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, and Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher. Day trips to Mountain Pine Ridge and the spectacular Caracol Archeological Reserve will bring us to a whole new set of birds, such as Azure-crowned Hummingbird, Green Jay, Cabanis’s Wren, Grace’s and Rufous-capped warblers, Rusty Sparrow, Yellow-backed and Yellow-tailed orioles, and Black-headed Siskin.

To make things even more exciting, this itinerary allows possibilities for some very uncommon species including Solitary Eagle, Uniform Crake, Pheasant Cuckoo, Stygian Owl, Black-crested Coquette, White-chinned Swift, Keel-billed Motmot, Scarlet Macaw, Lovely Cotinga, and Blue Seedeater. We would be thrilled to find just one or two of these, but even a chance for them adds excitement to each outing!

All nights at two outstanding lodges with excellent birding on the grounds and excellent food; fair amount of walking on forest trails and around ruins; pleasant temperatures in the 70s–80s with brief showers possible.

Caracol © Michael O'Brien