Republic of Guatemala

• Knut Eisermann

  Guatemala Ciudad, Guatemala | ke@cayaya-birding.com

  Cayaya Birding

• Number of bird species: 762

  (As at September 2018)

  National Bird: Resplendant Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno

• The Atitlan Grebe Podilymbus gigas, was endemic but is now extinct.

• A Birders Checklist of the Birds of Guatemala

  | By Dave Sargeant | Dave Sargeant | 1995 | Spiralbound | 22 pages, 720+ species | #82597 | ISBN: Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Guatemala

  | By Knut Eisermann & Claudia Avendaño | Lynx Edicions | 2007 | Paperback | 175 pages, Tabs, distribution maps, figs | ISBN: 9788496553408 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of Central America

  | (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama) | By Andrew Vallely & Dale Dyer | Princeton University Press | 2018 | Paperback | 560 pages, 260 plates with colour illustrations; 1190+ colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780691138022 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of Guatemala

  | (The Quetzal, Trogons and Hummingbirds) | By Milton Martínez G | Milton Martínez G | 2013 | Paperback | 113 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781493503506 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of the West Indies

  | Guy M Kirwan, Anthony Levesque, Mark W Oberle & Christopher J Sharpe | Lynx Edicions | 2019 | Flexibound | 400 Pages | 1600+ colour illustrations, 650+ colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9788416728176 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Collins Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Central America

  | By Ber van Perlo | HarperCollins| 2006 | Hardback | 336 pages, 98 colour plates ISBN: 9780007134908 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Guatemala: Pacific Slope Birds

  By Robert Dean & Mark Wainwright | Rainforest Publications | 2011 | Unbound | 14 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9781888538182 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Museo Nacional de Historia Natural

  Information
  Colectar, estudiar, preservar y exhibir muestras representativas de la biodiversidad y de otros recursos naturales de Guatemala…

• Guatemala Birding Club

  Facebook Page
  Observación de aves y naturaleza en Guatemala, descubriendo destinos,apoyando y desarrollando proyectos orientados a la conservaciòn de los recursos naturales y la educacion ambiental en Guatemala.

• Guatemalan Birding Resource Center

  Website
  Our mission at GBRC is to promote quality birding in Guatemala, making it as affordable, accessible, rewarding and fun as possible for both resident and visiting birdwatchers, while at the same time advancing environmental education and conservation efforts through workshops and donations…

• Proeval Raxmu - Bird Monitoring Program

  Website
  Proeval Raxmu Bird Monitoring Program, based in Cobán, Alta Verapaz, focuses on bird studies in Guatemala, including distribution status of birds, evaluations of local avifaunas, natural history of selected bird species, evaluations of threatened species, and identification of critical areas for conservation. The program has contributed to Guatemalan ornithology in numerous publications since 2002, helps to develop environmental awareness among local people, and provides information for conservation projects.

Abbreviations Key

• BR Maya

  InformationSatellite View
  The park is home to a large number of species of fauna including Morelet's crocodile and the ocellated turkey.

• BR Sierra de las Minas

  InformationSatellite View
  One of the truly wild places in Guatemala is the east-western mountain range that runs through the country’s southeast highlands. The mountains encompass part of the Baja Verapaz and Izabal departments at the eastern part of Guatemala City.

• BR Trifinio

  InformationSatellite View
  The Montecristo massif is an area where the borders of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador meet, and its protection was a joint initiative of these three countries. The Trifinio biosphere reserve is located where El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet their border, thus the prefix tri in its name. It covers an area of 221 km2 and was created in 1987 to protect the Montecristo's cloud forest and its rare flora and fauna.

• BR Visis Cabá

  InformationSatellite View
  The Visis Cabá biosphere reserve is a 450 km2 (170 sq mi) protected area in the department of El Quiché

• NP El Rosario

  InformationSatellite View
  he park is named after laguna El Rosario, a small lake within its boundaries, and was formerly a state owned finca managed by the National Forestry Institute (INAB).

• NP Lachuá Lake

  InformationSatellite View
  The park and adjacent buffer zone is noted for its high biodiversity. With 120 species of mammals (50% of mammal species found in Guatemala), 30-40 species of reptiles, 177 bird species (40% of bird species in Guatemala), and 36 fish species it is a sanctuary for a varied fauna population.

• NP Laguna El Pino

  InformationSatellite View
  In 1955 the lake, and a minor part of the lake shores, were designated a national park. The park, including the lake, covers an area of 0.73 km² and is managed by the National Forestry Institute (INAB) in conjunction with representatives of the local population. Species of waterfowl breeding in the lake area include Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Egret (Bubulcus ibis), Waterhen (Gallinula galeata), American Coot (Fulica americana) and Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa).

• NP Laguna del Tigre

  InformationSatellite View
  Laguna del Tigre National Park is located in northern Guatemala, in the municipality of San Andrés, department of Petén. Covering an area of 337,899 ha, makes it the largest Core Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) and the largest National Park in Guatemala and the largest protected wetlands in Central America.

• NP Las Victorias

  InformationSatellite View
  Las Victorias National Park is located in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, on the north-western outskirts of the city of Cobán.

• NP Naciones Unidas

  InformationSatellite View
  Naciones Unidas National Park is a forested park area of 4.91 km2, located 21 km south of Guatemala City.

• NP Pacaya

  InformationSatellite View
  Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish invasion of Guatemala.

• NP San José la Colonia

  InformationSatellite View
  Formerly a nationalized finca, San José la Colonia was designated a national park in 1976. The park covers an area of 54 ha, and is managed by the National Forestry Institute (INAB)

• NP Sipacate-Naranjo

  InformationSatellite View
  The park includes mangrove forests, lagoons and sandy beaches and covers an area of 20 km long and 1 km wide, stretching between the coastal towns of Sipacate and Naranjo. Over 90 bird species -both migratory and resident- have been reported.

• NP Tikal

  WebsiteSatellite View
  The avifauna comprises 333 species, representing 63 of the 74 families in Guatemala, and includes ocellated turkey Agriocharis ocellata, Sarcorhamphus papa, Crax rubra, Penelope purpurascens, red macaw Ara macao, jaribu stork Jaribu mycteria and many others, including crested eagle Spizaetus ornatus…

• NR IBA Los Tarrales Reserve

  WebsiteSatellite View
  The spanish word tarral means amount of bamboo stands. Los Tarrales Reserve was named after the abundant bamboos, which occur in various species in this area. Los Tarrales was declared protected area by the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) in 2000. Bird Watching Los Tarrales reserve ranges from the lowlands at 750 m elevation to the top of the volcano at 3500 m, providing different bird habitats. More than 350 bird species have been recorded in Los Tarrales. The preserve is part of the Atitlán Important Bird Area (IBA GT015), designated by BirdLife International.

• WR Punta de Manabique

  InformationSatellite View
  The peninsula was declared a wildlife reserve in 1999. The reserve is covered with tropical rain forests and mangrove forests. Many species of seabirds are found in the reserve, from the orders of Charadriiformes), Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes.

• Wetlands of International Importance

  WebpageSatellite View
  Guatemala currently has seven sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 628,592 hectares.

• Bird Watching Guatemala

  Tour Company
  There are more than 700 species in Guatemala, thirty five a regional endemics and 40 others only occur in Central America…

• Birding Ecotours

  Tour Operator
  Guatemala is blessed with some amazing habitats for birds, from the steaming volcanoes of the highlands of southern Guatemala to the hot jungles of the Mayan empire. Birding in Guatemala is an unforgettable experience….

• Cayaya Birding

  Tour Operator
  We offer tailored (including target bird trips) and scheduled birding tours in Guatemala since 2003, as well as assistance for independent birding travellers. We are passionate birders and guides, live and study birds in Guatemala and have published numerous contributions to Guatemalan ornithology, including an Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Guatemala.

• Maya Expeditions

  Tour Company
  Paul Scharf has been an avid birder for more than 36 years. He is a member of the American Birding Association (ABA) and since his retirement from the U.S. Armed Forces Paul has dedicated more time to his passion

Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…

• 2015 [03 March] - Tim Mitzen

  PDF Report
  I made a quick week-long trip down to Guatemala in search of the Northern Central American Highlands endemic bird species. I have previously birded Mexico as far south as Chiapas before butnever made it into the highlands there, so there were loads of new birds for me to look for.

• 2015 [12 December] - David A Showler - Belize and Tikal area, Guatemala

  Report
  We spent 16 days birding in Belize and Guatemala in December 2015. Upon arrival we travelled by bus from Belize City to the Guatemalen border, and onwards to El Remate village/ Tikal National Park where we spent three very enjoyable days. Upon return to Belize City we hired a 4-wheel drive jeep for 10 days, exploring as far north as Tower Hill Bridge (near Orange Walk), south to The Dump and Pueblo Viejo, with our last two nights on the island of Caye Caulker...

• 2016 [01 January] - Adam Walleyn

  PDF Report
  A highlight here was scoping up several Turquoise-browed Motmot and we also saw a number of widespread Central American lowland species such as Keel-billed Toucan, Montezuma Oropendola and Laughing Falcon, alongside an impressive list of North American migrants that included Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird and Chestnut-sided Warbler...

• 2016 [02 February] - Geoff Upton - Guatemala & Belize

  PDF Report
  Following enjoyable trips to Costa Rica and the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, we wanted to see some more of Central America and particularly to experience the birds and Mayan temples at Tikal. As we researched Guatemala we realised the country has a great deal more to offer besides Tikal, so we decided to start there and finish up on the Caribbean coast of Belize...

• 2016 [02 February] - Jesse Fagan

  Report
  ...There were lots of favorites, including Resplendent Quetzal (Sid especially liked this one), King Vulture (Bonnie's favorite), Fulvous Owl (wow!), the oh-so-cute Wine-throated Hummingbird singing his little heart out (Judy just melted), Pheasant Cuckoo (I will have to agree with David on this one; amazing experience!), Gray-necked Wood-Rail (Mary Lou's favorite), and what about Rick? Do you remember the Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo? Hard not to. However, it was pretty unanimous within the group: the "frosty-headed" Pink-headed Warbler won by a landslide....

• 2017 [01 January] - Dušan Brinkhuizen

  PDF Report
  ...A few stops en route produced nice sightings of White-fronted Amazon, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Velasquez's Woodpecker and a perched Laughing Falcon. Targets, including White-lored Gnatcatcher, Nutting’s Flycatcher and Plain-capped Starthroat, were fairly easily found. Karen spotted a superb Russet-crowned Motmot that we saw really well...

• 2017 [02 February] - Jesse Fagan

  Report
  ...Guatemala is a super birdy country, and this year was no exception. With 364 bird taxa we had an awesome total! There were a bunch of highlights, including Highland Guans (do you all remember the sound of their wing rattle?!), Ornate Hawk-Eagle (soaring over us at Las Guacamayas), Fulvous Owl (that cackling pair at Finca Las Nubes), Black-and-white Owl (two different sites), the tiny Wine-throated Hummingbird, Resplendent Quetzal (new for Simone!), wild Scarlet Macaws, and Pink-headed Warbler (really "Frosty-headed" Warbler).....

• 2017 [03 March] - George Lin

  PDF Report
  While we waited for the guan to show up, we also saw and heard several species like the Mexican Violetear, GreenthroatedMountain-gem, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Rufous Sabrewing, Black-throated Jay, and Hammond’s Flycatcher. The beautiful melodious calls of a Brown-backed Solitaire echoed in the gully all morning. It was a very good start to this Guatemala trip...

• 2017 [04 April] - Jacob Drucker

  PDF Report
  This report serves as an overview for anyone interested in traveling through the Guatemalan Highlands in search of regionally endemic bird species without the use of a rental car or private tour. As of March 2017, the only independent trip reports on cloudbirders from the region utilized these more costly resources. From the last few days of March into the first few of April, my partner Lila Fried and I embarked on a 9-day adventure in search the several specialties, entering, traveling within, and leaving the country almost entirely by public transit.

• 2017 [04 April] - Jacob Drucker - Guatemalan Highlands

  PDF Report
  ...my eyes connected with something raspberry-colored and hover gleaning. It landed, and at the same time I processed the frosted-iridescent pink head and deep burgundy mantle of my lifer PINKHEADED WARBLER, I heard my first-ever Brown-backed Solitaire. My brain short-circuited and deep-fried itself in adrenaline at the sight and sound of these sensory novelties. Going apeshit, I followed the warbler some 20 meters up the birding trail, where it and its mate foraged at eye-level within 10 meters for about 20 minutes, saucily skirting along branches in the under-midstory,....

• 2018 [08 August] - Oscar Campbell

  PDF Report
  This short trip report details a week spent in northern Guatemala, based at Las Guacamayas Biological Station and Tikal National Park. The latter is extremely well known as a quality birding site but the former seems not to be nearly so established; however, it certainly deserves a lot more attention. Birding was superb at both sites, with a wide range of interesting species, and the forests birdy and busy much of the time.

• 2019 [02 February] - Naturalist Journeys

  PDF Report
  Annotated list

• 2020 [02 February] - Patricia Bricewño

  PDF Report
  ...We saw over 50 species in little more than an hour. Highlights included Blue Grosbeak, Blue-black Grassquit, Morelet's Seedeater, White-fronted Parrots, Crested Caracaras...

• 2022 [01 January] - Rick Weiman

  PDF Report
  ...Pygmy-Owl flew out of the scrub and perched on a branch above our heads wondering what all the commotion was about. A short distance on the trail led us to several mixed flocks of warblers (11 total species) including Hooded, Blue-Winged, Townsend’s, and Magnolia. Over 40 species of birds were counted in under 2 hours, with the highlight being a pair of the difficult to spot White-eared Ground Sparrows which Doug captured some excellent pictures of. Cerro Alux Park was our next stop and a short visit resulted in several new species like Hermit Warbler, Hutton’s Vireo, Crescent-chested Warbler, and Spot-crowned Woodcreeper...

Click on WAND to see Fatbirder’s Trip Report Repository…

• Los Tarrales Reserve - Atitlán Volcano

  Eco-Lodge
  Birdwatching on the Guatemalan Pacific slope and Atitlán volcano - Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Rufous Sabrewing, Long-tailed Manakin and much more. Los Tarrales can keep you busy for some days! In order to enjoy to the full the different activities in our reserve and to get to know Los Tarrales from the tropical lowland up to the top of Atitlan volcano, we invite you to stay in our eco-lodge or if you like it more adventurous there is our camping site. We also serve excellent nutricious meals prepared with ingredients from our own organic garden and of course Los Tarrales coffee.

• Mayan Birding

  Website
  Mesoamerica is a big destination for foreign birdwatchers. It forms the bridge between the largely temperate species of North America and the tropical species of South America. It is home to a large number of endemics, many of which are much sought after by the bird watching connoisseur, such as the Resplendent Quetzal and the Horned Guan. However, the majority of birders visiting Mesoamerica confine their birding to Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica and Panama, leaving Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua as relative birding backwaters. This is a terrible shame as there is some fantastic birding to be had. Throughout the 1980s three of these countries suffered from civil wars which put off many visitors, but now the countries have stabilized it is time for birders to return and find out what they have been missing