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Republic of Honduras

Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Honduras is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa.  The country spans almost 112,500 km2 (c. 43,400 square miles) and has a population exceeding 11 million people, 1,650,000 of whom live in the capital. Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century. The Spanish introduced Catholicism and the now predominant Spanish language.

It is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the most economically unequal. The nation’s economy is primarily agricultural, making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters. Honduras is known for its rich natural resources, including minerals (gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony & coal), coffee, tropical fruit, and sugar cane, as well as for its growing textiles industry, which serves the international market.

Honduras consists mainly of mountains, with narrow plains along the coasts. A large undeveloped lowland jungle, La Mosquitia lies in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland Sula valley in the northwest.

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve – ©Marcio Martínez CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

In La Mosquitia lies the UNESCO world-heritage site Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, with the Coco River which divides Honduras from Nicaragua. The Islas de la Bahía and the Swan Islands are off the north coast. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank, 130 to 150 kilometres north of the Swan Islands, fall within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Honduras. The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The Pacific coast is generally drier than the Caribbean.

Yojoa Lake – ©Frank Domínguez 15 CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly 9,800 feet above sea level), mangroves, and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Meso-american Barrier Reef System. However, deforestation resulting from logging is rampant in Olancho Department. The clearing of land for agriculture is prevalent in the largely undeveloped La Mosquitia region, causing land degradation and soil erosion. Lake Yojoa, which is Honduras’s largest source of fresh water, is polluted by heavy metals produced from mining activities. Some rivers and streams are also polluted by mining.

Birding Honduras

The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot because of the many plant and animal species found there. Like other countries in the region, it contains vast biological resources. Honduras hosts more than 6,000 species of vascular plants, of which 630 (described so far) are orchids; around 250 reptiles and amphibians, nearly 800 bird species, and 110 mammalian species, of which half are bats.

Blue-and-white Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus – ©Dubi Shapiro

Honduras, may be Central Americas best kept natural secret. A mid 1990s estimate put Honduras at having the largest percentage of forest covered land in all of Central America, more even than our famous neighbours Costa Rica and Belize. The Honduras geography means that these forest areas cover a wide range of eco systems. Over 30 cloud-forest areas can be found in Honduras, more than in any other Central American country. Honduras is also home to many areas of tropical rainforest, pine forest, savannas, mangroves and coastal lagoons. A lot of the larger forested areas of Honduras have been made into National Parks or Protected Areas over the last 10 years.

Honduras has recorded 797 bird species that cover 60 families, and we are still counting. The wide range of forested areas in Honduras offer something for the novice, experienced birders or even the most adventurers. There are though, a few hot spots that should not be missed and these are set out below.

Not only is the birding good, but tourist facilities and services in Honduras provide something for everyone. Honduras is also home to some top rate birding guides. For more information on birding, birding tours and accommodation in Honduras see the links below.

This page is sponsored by Naturalist Journeys

Top Sites

  • La Tigra National Park

    InformationSatellite View
    La Tigra National Park is one of the most popular cloud-forests in Honduras. The park is home to 171 species, 42 of which only live in cloud-forests and 27 migratory species. Some of these species are endangered or threatened, as is the case with the great curassow and numerous species of the trogon family, which includes the Resplendent Quetzal. Visitors interested in viewing the Quetzal will have better luck in the breeding season between March and May. They are normally completely hidden in the dense vegetation of the cloud forest, but, during this time both the males and females are very active.

  • Pico Bonito National Park

    InformationSatellite View
    Pico Bonito National Park is one of the most visually spectacular places in Honduras, in recent years tourist developments, which haven`t affected the surrounding environment, have made this area one of the most comfortable and enjoyable places to visit in Honduras. A large variety of species are found in and around Pico Bonito including hawks, eagles, kites, doves, parrots, motmots, hummingbirds, wood-creepers, swallows and loons, which all inhabit the park and surrounding area. Also you will find Keel Billed Tucans, Highland Guan, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Blue-crowned Motmot, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, White-collared Manakin, Slaty-tailed trogon, and many others.

  • Rio Platano Biosphere

    InformationSatellite View
    On a more adventurous note the Rio Platano Biosphere offers what may be one of the best nature experiences in all Central America. The Biosphere makes up, with neighbouring national parks and forested areas, one of the largest areas of unfragmented tropical forest north of the Amazon. The Rio Platano vicinity is home to over 500 bird species. Many migratory birds are found in the area as are many rare species which are hard, if not impossible, to find in any other area of Honduras, Harpy Eagles, Aplomado Falcon, Great Green and Scarlet Macaws, Green and Rufous Kingfisher, Chestnut-mandible Toucan, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Jabiru and the Black and White Hawk Eagle are just a few of the special species found in the Biosphere.

  • Tela Bay

    Satellite View
    Tela Bay and the nearby Lancetilla Botanical Gardens are a must for all birders. Punta Sal and Los Micos Lagoon which are located on Tela Bay, offer excellent birding for lagoon, mangrove and coastal species. These wetlands are a haven for large numbers of Ibis, Herons, Gulls, Egrets, Terns, Sandpipers and the impressive Roseate Spoonbills. The Lancetilla Botancial Gardens are one of the largest tropical gardens in the world, and are home to a wide variety of trees from all over the world and a protected nature reserve. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the gardens and surroundings, toucans, tanagers, orioles, trogons, motmots, antbirds, ovenbirds and a variety of colourful parrots are but a sample of the rich bird diversity.

  • Yojoa Lake

    InformationSatellite View
    The habitat of Yojoa Lake, it's surrounding tropical forest and the forested mountains of Santa Barbara and Cerro Azul Meambar are home to over 500 species of birds. The area offers some of the best accessible birding in Honduras. Once an avid bird watcher reportedly was shocked when over the time span of a few hours he was able to sight as many as 37 species in one tree, all from the comfort of his deck chair on his hotel room lake-front terrace!
Contributors

  • Dean Milverton

    Honduras | dean@travel-to-honduras.com

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 797

    (As at March 2025)

    National Bird: Scarlet Macaw Ara macao

Endemics

  • Number of endemics: 1

    Honduran Emerald Amazilia luciae
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Honduras , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • E-Bird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    The birds of Honduras included a total of 798 species as of June 2023, according to La Asociación Hondureña de Ornitología (ASHO
Useful Reading

  • Birds of Central America

    | (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama) | By Andrew Vallely & Dale Dyer | Princeton University Press | 2018 | Flexibound | 584 pages, 260 plates with colour illustrations; 1190+ colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780691138022 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Guide to the Birds of Honduras

    | By Robert J Gallardo, John Sill, Michael DiGiorgio & Ian Griffiths | Robert Gallardo | 2015 | Paperback | 554 pages, 11 plates with 33 colour photos, 73 plates with 1000 colour illustrations; b/w distribution maps, 1 fold-out colour map | ISBN: 9789992649961 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Guide to the Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras

    | By R S Ridgely & J A Gwynne | Princeton University Press | 1992 | paperback | 534 pages, 48 colour plates, 53 line illustrations | ISBN: 9780691025124 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Useful Information

  • BirdLife

    Webpage
    Sites, issues etc
Organisations

  • ASHO - Honduran Association of Ornithology

    Website
    The ASHO - Honduran Ornithology Association , was born on July 17, 2010, as an initiative of biologists, birdwatchers, photographers and conservationists, to promote scientific research and conservation of the birds of Honduras; Also seeks to encourage birdwatching tourism and encourage birding among Hondurans.

  • Birdlife Honduras

    Website
    R Sherry Thorne, c/o Cooperacion Tdcnica, Apdo 30289 Toncontin, Tegucigalpa Honduras. + 504 341869; pili@ns.unah.hondunet.net

  • Friends of Celaque National Park

    Website
    We hope to attract ecologists, biologists, and other scientists interested in studying the park's ecosystems, restoring degraded surrounding areas, and linking it to nearby natural areas through green corridors

  • Patuca Foundation

    Website
    The Patuca Foundation's mission is the conservation and sustainable development of the remaining tropical forests in Honduras, cooperating with local non-profit organization Grupo Ecol

  • Prolansate

    Website
    Mejorar la calidad de vida de los pobladores de las cuencas hidrogr
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • *Protected areas of Honduras

    InformationSatellite View
    Interactive list of Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, RAMSAR sites etc.

  • BR Río Plátano

    InformationSatellite View
    Located on the watershed of the Río Plátano, the reserve is one of the few remains of a tropical rainforest in Central America and has an abundant and varied plant and wildlife. In its mountainous landscape sloping down to the Caribbean coast, over 2,000 indigenous people have preserved their traditional way of life. Thirty-nine species of mammals, 377 species of birds and 126 of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded. Threatened species include giant anteater…

  • NP Capiro Calentura

    InformationSatellite View
    It covers an area of 50 square kilometres.

  • NP Celaque

    InformationSatellite View
    Many bird species, particularly migratory ones, reside in the pine-oak forest between September and May. These include several species of warbler, woodpeckers, vultures, vireos, the American swallow-tailed kite…

  • NP Cerro Azul Meámbar

    InformationSatellite View
    The park covers an area of 300 square kilometres. It has an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,047 metres.

  • NP Cerro Azul de Copán

    InformationSatellite View
    The park was established on 1 January 1987 and covers an area of 154.6 square kilometres. It has an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,285 metres.

  • NP Cusuco

    InformationSatellite View
    Cusuco National Park is a 23,400 hectares (58,000 acres) protected area in the Merendon mountains of northwest Honduras. Cusuco supports exceptional biodiversity. Some of the key features of the park include the globally threatened taxa which the park protects - especially amphibians.

  • NP Jeanette Kawas

    InformationSatellite View
    You step off the boat over the seaweed-filled water and onto the sandy beach of Punta Sal. With every step you take, crabs scatter away, trying to avoid being stepped on…

  • NP La Muralla

    InformationSatellite View
    Nature abounds and if you're lucky you'll see a great diversity of wildlife. The most common bird life are the local Central American species, but the area also attracts North American migrants. The resplendent quetzal is a year-round resident. Some people say quetzals are more abundant and more easily observed here than in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica. Quetzals are most observable February-April when they are breeding and raising their chicks…

  • NP La Tigra

    InformationSatellite View
    The magic of the cloud forest, combining the complexity of a mixed pine, oak and liquidambar forest, is the main attraction in this unique protected area. The park has a wide variety of flora and fauna and plays a major role in water production for the capital city and surrounding communities…

  • NP Montaña Santa Bárbara

    InformationSatellite View
    It was established on 1 January 1987 and covers an area of 121.3 square kilometres. It has an altitude of 2,777 metres.

  • NP Montaña de Comayagua

    InformationSatellite View
    The park is home of many waterfalls. The Río Gavilán has a 50 metre high water fall called the Cascada de los Ensueños.

  • NP Montaña de Yoro

    InformationSatellite View
    t was established on 1 January 1987 and covers an area of 154.8 square kilometres. It has an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,245 metres.

  • NP Montecristo Trifinio

    InformationSatellite View
    The Montecristo massif is an area where the borders of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador meet, and its protection was a joint initiative of these three countries, which resulted in the creation of the national parks in Honduras and El Salvador, as well as the Guatemalan Trifinio biosphere reserve.

  • NP Patuca

    InformationSatellite View
    The park covers an area of 3755.84 square kilometres.

  • NP Pico Bonito

    InformationSatellite View
    Pico Bonito National Park is a bird watcher's paradise. Nearly 200 species of birds have been identified. Who can ever forget the hanging nests of the Montezuma Oropendola. Giant black cowbirds are often seen around oropendola colonies. The bright red and black of the Scarlet-Rumped Tanager is a sight never to be forgotten. When you hear a loud wing-snapping noise strain your eyes to see the White-Collared Manakin.

  • NP Pico Pijol

    InformationSatellite View
    Pico Pijol covers an area of 122.1 square kilometres. It has an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,282 metres.

  • NP Punta Izopo

    InformationSatellite View
    This is a national park located in the municipality of Tela, on the northern Caribbean coast of the Atlántida department of Honduras. It has an altitude of 118 metres.

  • NP Sierra de Agalta

    InformationSatellite View
    Sierra de Agalta National Park covers an area of 207.85 square kilometres. It has an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,354 metres.

  • NR Macaw Mountain

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Located on ten acres of forested terrain in a stream-fed valley, our multifaceted eco-tourism project is only 10 minutes away by vehicle from the central square of Copán Ruinas, Honduras. Our mission is to educate and to connect our visitors with the rescue, rehabilitation and release programs for the birds under our care, to promote the conservation of our cultural and natural heritage and to lobby for an environmentally responsible society.

  • WII IBA Lake Yojoa

    InformationSatellite View
    The west side of the lake is bordered by steep mountains and Santa Bárbara National Park while the east side is adjacent to Cerro Azul Meambar National Park. Lake Yojoa is a popular fishing destination and the surrounding area has a rich biodiversity—almost 400 species of birds and 800 plant species have been identified in the region. However, it also is threatened by deforestation, cattle ranching, and development.

  • Wetlands of International Importance

    WebpageSatellite View
    Honduras currently has 10 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 271,767 hectares.
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Coco Tours

    Local Tour Operator
    Tour operator in Honduras. Birding, trekking and rainforest packages…

  • Honduran Birds

    Local Tour Operator
    We are the first official Honduran nature travel company for Birding, the leading birding and nature specialists for Honduras.

  • La Moskitia Ecoaventuras

    Local Tour Operator
    Birdwatching or birding has become one of the favorite activies for outdoor enthusiasts. The rainforest jungles, secondary forests, pine forests, beaches, marshes and mangroves of Honduras provide an opportunity to see many of the hundreds of bird species that inhabit these spectacular Central American ecosystems. La Moskitia Ecoaventuras - located in La Ceiba, Honduras - can take you to the areas with the best possibilities for seeing such birds as: parrots, toucans, macaws, quetzals, oropendulas, fly catchers, trogons, motmots, jacamars, pelicans, sandpipers, ibises, frigatebirds, roseate spoonbills, storks, etc. Join us on one of our specialized birding expeditions or ecotours in the Caribbean coast of Honduras

  • Mesoamerica Travel

    Local Tour Operator
    Mesoam

  • NatureTrek

    Tour Operator
    A rewarding 10-day birdwatching tour based at the outstanding Pico Bonito Lodge.
Trip Reports

  • 2017 [03 March] - Robert Gallardo

    PDF Report
    This year BirdQuest launched its groundbreaking tour to Honduras and it turned out to be an outstanding trip. This little known country, located in northern Central American, is visited by very few bird watchers.

  • 2018 [03 March] - Erik Bruhnke

    PDF Report
    Every day of our Honduras Pico Bonito tour was a unique birding adventure from the moment we arrived until the end of the last afternoon. The staff at Pico Bonito welcomed us with open arms andfruitful drinks. In addition to delectable dining experiences every day, our top-notch local guide, Olbin Benjarano, took extraordinarily good care of us. The entire visit to Honduras was above and beyond, andit all started with our first footsteps at the lodge entrance.

  • 2018 [04 April] - Robert Gallardo

    PDF Report
    This year marked Naturalist Journeys’ inaugural buBerfly and bird tour to Honduras with four spirited adventurers from Canada. The slow paced tour included visiting only two areas: the Lake Yojoa region and the north coast centered around a large river abuJng Pico Bonito N.P.

  • 2019 [05 May] - Ann Duff

    PDF Report
    Our tour to Honduras was booked with Alexander Alvarado who had been recommended by Michael Carmody of Legacy Tours with whom Stuart Keenan, Ann and Andrew had travelled previously. Consequently their target lists were shorter than Sonia’s and Stuart White’s lists.

  • 2019 [12 December] - Andy Smith

    PDF Report
    Over 200 bird species on this gentle 10-day tour of Honduras, including a flock of 23 Lovely Cotinga (including 18 males!) assembled in a tree-top – what a sight!

  • 2020 [11 November] - v

    PDF Report
    Report and systematic list...

  • 2023 [12 December] - Alexander Alvarado

    PDF Report
    ...Other birds in the vicinity included Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Rufous-naped Wren, Indigo Bunting, Blue-Black Grassquit, and Blue Grosbeak. While there was a diverse array of birds, our focus was the cuckoo...

  • 2023 [12 December] - Sue Bryan

    Report
    It was a 4 hour drive to Pico Bonito lodge through heavy traffic where we saw Great-tailed Grackle, Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Tropical Kingbird and White-winged Dove before it got dark.

  • 2024 [02 February] - Leonardo Garrigues

    PDF Report
    Several near-endemic species or specialties that we saw during this tour included the Ocellated Turkey, White-bellied Chachalaca, Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated and Green-breasted Mountaingems, Blue-tailed Hummingbird, Slender Sheartail, Wine-throated Hummingbird, White-breasted Hawk...

  • 2024 [02 February] - Robert J Gallardo

    PDF Report
    Annotated List

  • 2024 [04 April] - Daniel Aldana Schumann

    PDF Report
    ...we started seeing our first target species like the nearendemic Rufous Sabrewing, White-eared Hummingbird, and Azure-crowned Hummingbird. We also saw several widespread species like Acorn Woodpecker, Grey Silky Flycatcher, Bandtailed Pigeon, Bronzed Cowbird, Velasquez Woodpecker, Townsend’s Warbler and our first female Rufous-collared Thrush.

  • 2025 [02 February] - Robert J Gallardo

    PDF Report
    Annotated List

  • 2025 [02 February] - teve Howell

    Report
    Steve Howell reports from the conclusion of another wonderful tour to Honduras, where the very first afternoon this handsome Lesser Ground Cuckoo made for a great start...
Places to Stay

  • D&D Brewery Lodge & Restaurant

    Accommodation
    We’re the first microbrewery in Honduras, located near picturesque Lake Yojoa in central Honduras. Our draft beer, hand-crafted on site, is a refreshing change from the bottled stuff you find elsewhere in Honduras! Our accommodations feature 3 private cabins, 6 standard rooms, a mixed dorm, and camping–all tucked away inside of lush jungle vegetation. Amenities include a swimming pool, free WiFi, netbook rental, laundry service, book exchange, full-service restaurant, and of course, our tap room!

  • Eco-Hacienda San Lucas

    Accommodation

  • Pico Bonito Lodge

    Accommodation
    Honduras offers the birdwatcher, amateur and professional alike, an incredible opportunity to observe its avian fauna in a wide variety of habitats. To date, at least 740 bird species have been recorded here. The country is dotted with national parks and reserves which alone harbor most of the species at one time or another throughout the year…
Other Links

  • Community Cloud Forest Conservation

    Website
    In traditional Q'eqchi' Maya expression it is said "the forest catches the clouds (li kiche' naxchap li choq)." This is exactly what a cloud forest does. Cloud forests catch clouds. Or in the parlance of biologists, cloud forests filter clouds in a process called lateral cloud filtration. Clouds blow in among the trees as moisture from the ocean moves inland, encountering mountains. Water droplets (like the one pictured below) collect on the leaves of the trees of these forests through the process of lateral cloud filtering. In many cases, cloud filtration accounts for more than half of the annual precipitation in cloud forests.

  • Hondubirding

    Website
    Some sightings in Honduras…

  • Honduran Birds

    Website
    We are the first official Honduran nature travel company for Birding, the leading birding and nature specialists for Honduras.

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