The Ultimate In Birding Tours

North/Central America & The Caribbean

GUATEMALA – The ‘Central America with a difference’ endemics tour, with Honduras Extension

Thursday 13th February – Monday 24th February 2025

Leaders: Fito Downs and skilled local bird guides

12 Days Group Size Limit 7
Tikal Extension

Sunday 9th February – Thursday 13th February 2025

5 Days Group Size Limit 7
Honduras Extension

Monday 24th February – Friday 28th February 2025

5 Days Group Size Limit 7
Wednesday 11th February – Sunday 22nd February 2026

Leaders: Leo Garrigues and skilled local bird guides

12 Days Group Size Limit 7
Tikal Extension

Saturday 7th February – Wednesday 11th February 2026

5 Days Group Size Limit 7
Honduras Extension

Sunday 22nd February – Thursday 26th February 2026

5 Days Group Size Limit 7

GUATEMALA BIRDING TOUR WITH HONDURAS: OVERVIEW

Birdquest’s Guatemala birding tours, combined with our Honduras extension, offer a wonderful birding adventure to some of the most extraordinary but still comparatively seldom-visited places in Central America, with a superb selection of special birds. With more than 750 species of birds having been recorded from Guatemala, this country is now recognized as one of the most important, bird-rich areas in the world. As well as having great avian diversity, Guatemala is included within the range of numerous bird species with a distribution restricted to Mexico and Northern Central America and a large number that are endemic to Northern Central America and adjacent Mexico only.

A large number of highly desired specialities, mostly with very restricted ranges, are the major targets of our Guatemala birding tour. These include the incredible Horned Guan, White-bellied Chachalaca, Yucatan Bobwhite, the striking Ocellated Quail, the wonderful Ocellated Turkey, Bearded Screech Owl, Fulvous Owl, Unspotted Saw-whet Owl, Yucatan Poorwill, Green-throated Mountaingem, Rufous Sabrewing, Wine-throated, Emerald-chinned and Azure-crowned Hummingbirds, the ethereal Resplendent Quetzal, Blue-throated and Tody Motmots, the sought-after Orange-breasted Falcon, Mayan Antthrush, Guatemalan Tyrannulet, Yucatan Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Wren, Black-capped Swallow, Rufous-collared Thrush, Bushy-crested, Unicoloured and Black-throated Jays, Black Catbird, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, the handsome Pink-headed Warbler, the near-endemic Goldman’s Warbler, the beautiful Grey-throated Chat, Azure-rumped (or Cabanis’s) and Rose-throated Tanagers, Prevost’s and White-eared Ground Sparrows, Green-backed Sparrow and Black-capped Siskin.

The Horned Guan, probably one of the most spectacular bird in the world, is a good enough reason alone to visit Guatemala, as nowadays the locations of the species are more accessible than in southern Mexico. As accessibility is a major concern for many less energetic participants when it comes to seeking out such a ‘must-see’ bird, Guatemala undoubtedly has a great advantage.

Guatemala’s national bird, the incredible Resplendent Quetzal, is considered by many to be the most stunning bird in the world, and this ‘stunner’ can be seen at several places in the Guatemalan highlands. The species is known to have an even longer tail here than the better-known form in Costa Rica, which makes it even more spectacular and ‘other-worldly’!

The exceptional topography of Guatemala, ranging from sea level to around 4200m (13780ft), is responsible for an extremely wide range of forest types. We shall go birding in montane broadleaf cloud forests at the highest points, while both montane coniferous forests and subtropical humid forests will be covered at mid-elevation, and in addition, we will explore tropical rainforest and tropical humid savanna in the lowlands.

Guatemala was affected by political conflicts until the early 1980s, so it was only long afterwards that the country started to be considered a primary birdwatching destination. Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico were always regarded as more ‘reliable’ destinations for birdwatching in Central America. However, in more recent times, the tourism infrastructure has been impressively improved all over Guatemala and many accommodations are of a high standard. Nowadays, it is safe to travel throughout the country, with a wide choice of comfortable lodges and natural reserves equipped with a good system of trails.

Our Guatemala birding tour starts at Guatemala City, the capital and largest city of the country, from where we rapidly head into more natural habitats.

Our first birding will be at some hummingbird feeders where we should come across two near-endemics; Rufous Sabrewing and Green-throated Mountaingem among other ‘hummers’.

We shall then move on to the famous and amazingly bird-rich Los Tarrales area, where many new species are waiting for us. White-bellied Chachalaca, Blue-throated Sapphire, Blue-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Spot-breasted Oriole, White-eared Ground Sparrow and Yellow-breasted Chat (the latter now a monotypic family) are all good birds that we should find in this extraordinary place.

Our next base is at the edge of Lake Atitlan, an important place in ornithological history as the lake was the refuge of the only Guatemalan endemic, the now-extinct Atitlan Grebe.

While based at Atitlan, we will visit nearby areas for numerous regional endemics and near-endemics including Highland Guan, Fulvous Owl,  Wine-throated and Emerald-chinned Hummingbirds, Slender Sheartail, Blue-throated Motmot, Belted Flycatcher, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Bushy-crested Jay, Rufous-collared Thrush, Black-headed Siskin, Bar-winged Oriole, Azure-rumped (or Cabanis’s) Tanager and Prevost’s Ground Sparrow. The extraordinary Resplendent Quetzal is also possiblew.

We will then continue further west until we reach the spectacular Volcán Tacaná, where we will search for the incredible Horned Guan in some pristine high-altitude cloud forest on the volcano’s slopes.

In the wider region, we will also be looking for such specialities as Barred Parakeet, Guatemalan Pygmy Owl, Garnet-throated Hummingbird, Guatemalan Tyrannulet, Rufous-browed Wren, Black-capped Swallow, Black-throated Jay, Mountain Thrush, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, the superb Pink-headed Warbler, Yellow-eyed Junco and Black-capped Siskin.

Afterwards, we will visit the famous Todos Santos National Park. There, we will explore some pine-oak-juniper woodlands that are home to the sought-after, near-endemic Goldman’s Warbler (which just extends into Mexico from Guatemala, but which is not seen on tours to southern Mexico) and the regionally endemic Ocellated Quail. Here, we will stay at a lovely accommodation that provides some excellent birding, with Broad-tailed Hummingbird often seen nearby, while one of the more difficult owls of the Neotropics, the Unspotted Saw-whet Owl, can be found in the area.

Finally, we will travel to Finca Rubel Chaimm., a private ranch in the Tactic area where we have a good chance of seeing the range-restricted Bearded Screech Owl. Not far away we will look for the range-restricted Unicoloured Jay and Resplendent Quetzal and may also find the range-restricted Golden-cheeked Warbler.

During the optional extension in Guatemala, we will explore the Flores area and the world-famous Tikal National Park, situated in the northern Caribbean lowlands of Guatemala at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Here, a splendid series of specialities will keep us busy among one of the most extraordinary ruins of the great Mayan civilization. The two most famous of these specialities are the magnificent Ocellated Turkey (positively tame at Tikal, wandering around in bands) and the much-sought-after Orange-breasted Falcon (Tikal is surely the most reliable and the most spectacular site for this very rare and localized species!).

Although not the classic region for seeing the Yucatan endemics (for most of them you need to visit Mexico), northern Guatemala holds a selection, including Yucatan Bobwhite, Yucatan Poorwill, Yucatan Flycatcher and Rose-throated Tanager. Yucatan Jay is a rare possibility.

Additional specialities of slightly wider distribution in the Tikal area include the secretive Mayan Antthrush, Black Catbird, the lovely Grey-throated Chat and Green-backed Sparrow.

During the optional Honduras extension, we explore parts of a splendid, friendly, underpopulated Central American country that still has large tracts of original forest and other natural habitat surviving, things that are but memories in much of the region. Our Honduras extension focuses on the endemic Honduran Emerald and the near-endemic Red-throated Parakeet and Green-breasted Mountaingem.

Honduras is a largely undiscovered birding gem that straddles northern Central America, stretching from the Pacific to the Caribbean. With a low population of just eight million, it still has extensive areas of natural habitat. People often think of Costa Rica as being the exemplar of the percentage of land put aside as reserves in Central America, but Honduras has achieved even more, with the highest percentage of protected lands in the region and the greatest area of remaining wilderness in Central America in its far northeast.

We start our Honduras birding tour at the city of San Pedro Sula in the northwest and from there head eastwards into the remote Olancho district.

Our prime targets in the cloudforests, pine-oak woodlands and evergreen forest patches at La Muralla will be the near-endemic Green-breasted Mountaingem (a species shared only with Nicaragua) and Red-throated Parakeet (a species that barely reaches Guatemala).

There are a number of other regional endemics and specialities here, including Spot-bellied Bobvwhite, Great Swallow-tailed Swift, Lovely Cotinga, Slate-coloured Solitaire and Painted Whitestart.

Not far from the Lake Yojoa region, a major highlight of our visit to Honduras will be a visit to some dry woodland where the endemic Honduran Emerald can easily be found. This endangered species is known only from scattered dry forest locations in the northern half of the country, a habitat that is rapidly being cleared for ranching.

Other good birds here with restricted distributions are Lesser Roadrunner and the secretive Lesser Ground Cuckoo.

Honduras offers some specialities that are not seen on any other birding tour. Join us for some frontier birding in this little-known country.

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are of good or medium standard. Road transport is by minibus/passenger van and roads are mostly good, although there are some poor stretches.

Walking: The walking effort during our Guatemala & Honduras birding tour is mostly easy, sometimes moderate.

Climate: Generally warm or hot, dry and sunny at lower altitudes, but cool to warm in upland areas. Whilst overcast weather is quite regular, rain is infrequent at this season. It will be rather humid in the lowlands.

Bird Photography: Opportunities during our Guatemala & Honduras birding tour are worthwhile (sometimes quite good).

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Searching for the spectacular Horned Guan in the most accessible place for the species, at Sibinal in Guatemala
  • Blue-throated Motmot, Fulvous Owl and Highland Guan among many more incredible highland specialities in the mystic pine-oak forests
  • Witnessing a hummigbird feast in the highlands, with Wine-throated Hummingbird, Rufous Sabrewing and Green-throated Mountaingem among many others
  • Unequalled New World warblers such as Pink-headed Warbler and the near-endemic Goldman’s Warbler in the highlands
  • Tracking down the incredible Ocellated Quail in the scenic Todos Santos National Park
  • Looking for the iconic Resplendent Quetzal
  • Slender Sheartail and Belted Flycatcher near the breath-taking Atitlan Lake
  • Azure-rumped (or Cabanis's) Tanager, one of the most wanted nerar-endemics of Guatemala
  • Looking for the tiny Unspotted Saw-whet Owl and the shy Bearded Screeech Owl at night, two of the most difficult owls of the Neotropics
  • Watching a number of the Yucatan specialities in the remains of the great Mayan civilization at Tikal National Park
  • Watching the extraordinary Ocellated Turkey at close quarters at Tikal
  • The near-endemic Green-breasted Mountaingem and Red-throated Parakeet in the Honduran mountains
  • A good chance for the sought-after Great Swallow-tailed Swift
  • Seeing the Honduras-endemic and highly-desired Honduran Emerald in the vanishing dry woodlands

OUTLINE ITINERARY

  • TIKAL EXTENSION
  • Day 1: Evening extension start at Guatemala City.
  • Day 2: Morning flight to Flores. Drive to Tikal region. Explore Tikal region.
  • Days 3-4: Tikal region.
  • Day 5: Tikal region. Flight from Flores to Guatemala City.
  • GUATEMALA MAIN TOUR
  • Day 1: Evening tour start at Guatemala City.
  • Day 2: Drive to Los Tarrales. Los Tarrales.
  • Day 3: Los Tarrales.
  • Day 4: Los Tarrales, then drive to Santiago Atitlan on Lake Atitlan.
  • Day 5: Lake Atitlan region.
  • Day 6: Atitlan region. Drive to Sibinal.
  • Day 7: Volcán Tacaná. Overnight at Sibinal.
  • Day 8: Sibinal area, then drive to Huehuetenango.
  • Day 9: Todos Santos National Park. Overnight at Huehuetenango.
  • Day 10: Todos Santos, then drive to Rubel Chaim.
  • Day 11: Parulha area, then return to Guatemala City.
  • Day 12: Morning tour end at Guatemala City.
  • HONDURAS EXTENSION
  • Day 1: Morning flight to San Pedro Sula. Drive to La Unión.
  • Day 2: Muralla National Park. Overnight at La Unión.
  • Day 3: Drive to Lake Yojoa area for overnight.
  • Day 4: Honduran Emerald and Lake Yoja areas.
  • Day 5: Drive to San Pedro Suyla airport for morning extension end.

To see a larger map, click on the square-like ‘enlarge’ icon in the upper right of the map box.

To see (or hide) the ‘map legend’, click on the icon with an arrow in the upper left of the map box.

To change to a satellite view, which is great for seeing the physical terrain (and for seeing really fine details by repetitive use of the + button), click on the square ‘map view’ icon in the lower left corner of the ‘map legend’.

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers, boatmen and accommodation/restaurant staff.

We also include these flights in our tour price:

Guatemala City-Flores

Flores-Guatemala City

Guatemala City-San Pedro Sula

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)


2025: confirmed price £3330, $4390, €3990, AUD6540. Guatema City/Guatemala City.
Tikal Extension: £1430, $1890, €1710, AUD2810. Guatemala City/Guatemala City.
Honduras Extension: £1280, $1690, €1530, AUD2510. Guatemala City/San Pedro Sula.
2026: provisional price £3410, $4490, €4080, AUD6690. Guatema City/Guatemala City.
Tikal Extension: £1480, $1950, €1770, AUD2900. Guatemala City/Guatemala City.
Honduras Extension: £1330, $1750, €1590, AUD2600. Guatemala City/San Pedro Sula.

Single Supplement: 2025: £200, $270, €240, AUD400.
Tikal Extension: £150, $200, €180, AUD290.
Honduras Extension: £90, $120, €100, AUD170.
Single Supplement: 2026: £200, $270, €240, AUD400.
Tikal Extension: £150, $210, €190, AUD310.
Honduras Extension: £90, $120, €100, AUD170.

The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

GUATEMALA BIRDING TOUR WITH HONDURAS: DETAILED ITINERARY

Guatemala: Day 1  The main section of our Guatemala birding tour will begin this evening at Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. Our hotel has an airport shuttle service.

Guatemala: Day 2  First off this morning we will visit some productive hummingbird feeders that will provide a good chance to see two very important species; the Rufous Sabrewing, a bird restricted to the Pacific slope in Mexico’s Chiapas, Guatemala and El Salvador, and the near-endemic Green-throated Mountaingem. The restricted-range Azure-crowned and Berylline Hummingbirds, the spectacular Violet Sabrewing and Rivoli’s and White-eared Hummingbirds are also regular visitors.

Afterwards, we will transfer to Los Tarrales lodge, situated on the Pacific slope of Guatemala, where we will stay for two nights. We will be able to spend much of the day at Los Tarrales.

Guatemala: Day 3  Los Tarrales lodge is located at an altitude of 700m (2297ft), but the reserve goes all the way up to 3000m (9843ft) on the slopes of Volcán Atitlan!

Our exploration of the very bird-rich Los Tarrales Natural Reserve will encompass a variety of habitats ranging from Pacific lowland rainforest in the lower part to foothill forest higher up on the slopes of Volcán Atitlan.

The more open habitats around the lodge offer great birding as birds are abundant there. The important conservation measures taken by the local people have enabled the area’s rich avifauna to recuperate. Los Tarrales has shot to fame in recent times in the Guatemalan ornithological world as an amazing 400 bird species have been recorded in the reserve, so we are sure to be kept busy during our visit!

There are a great number of birds we will be looking for during our time here, but an important target will be the White-bellied Chachalaca, a regional endemic species. The chachalacas can be found along the very productive trails on the lower slopes at Los Tarrales and we should rapidly enjoy good views of this bird.

Along the trails, we will keep a lookout for Long-tailed Manakins at their lek and possibly enjoy views of their superb display behaviour. Unobtrusive Tody, Lesson’s and stunning Turquoise-browed Motmots should also be found, while the regionally-endemic occipitalis subspecies of the White-eared Ground Sparrow, a potential future split as Grey-crowned Ground Sparrow, will also be a primary quarry. A great diversity of hummingbirds occurs here and we may well encounter the restricted-range White-bellied Emerald, the striking Long-billed Starthroat, the charming Green-breasted Mango and Blue-throated Sapphire. With a bit of luck, we could find the secretive and restricted-range Northern Bentbill.

Two tricky specialities to find in this area are Spotted Wood Quail and Black-crested Coquette

We will spend some time around our charming lodge where birds are omnipresent and a productive feeding station attracts numerous species including Cinnamon, Blue-tailed, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, the range-restricted Rufous-backed Wren, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Red-legged Honeycreeper, the hulking Black-headed Saltator and the beautiful, ranbgew-restricted White-throated Magpie-Jay.

The open areas around our accommodation also offer a nice opportunity to locate some attractive parrots, including the diminutive Yellow-naped Amazon, Orange-chinned Parakeet and the range-restricted Orange-fronted Parakeet. We will also have to keep a lookout overhead as raptors are regularly seen and may include the beautiful White Hawk and the impressive Black and Ornate Hawk-Eagles. King Vulture and Bat Falcon are more uncommon possibilities. Interesting passerines include Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Green Shrike-Vireo, the restricted-range Spot-breasted and Altamira Orioles and the interesting Yellow-breasted Chat (a monotypic family).

A nocturnal excursion could deliver Mottled Owl and the striking Black-and-white Owl, while Northern Potoo and Pauraque are also present in the area.

Other species we may encounter at Los Tarrales include Common Ground Dove, Short-tailed and Roadside Hawks, American Kestrel, Groove-billed Ani, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Collared Aracari, Gartered Trogon, Crested Caracara, Lineated and Smoky-brown Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Barred Antshrike, Yellow-olive and Eye-ringed Flatbills, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Least, Great Crested and Brown-crested Flycatchers, Western Kingbird, Greenish Elaenia, Spot-breasted Wren, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, White-throated Thrush, Scrub Euphonia, Chestnut-sided and American Yellow Warblers, Ovenbird, Red-throated Ant Tanager and Blue-black Grassquit.

Guatemala: Day 4  After some early morning birding at Los Tarrales we will head for the nearby Lake Atitlan area, where we will stay for two nights at Santiago Atitlan. We will spend much of the day birding in the Atitlan area.

Often considered to be the most spectacular of all of Central America’s lakes, Lake Atitlan is also a famous site in ornithological history as it was the habitat of the Atitlan Grebe, the only strictly endemic species of Guatemala, but sadly now extinct. The species was first described in 1929 and quickly showed a massive decrease in its population when two invasive fishes were introduced into the lake. Food competition and predation on the chicks were the major reasons for the decline, while the 1976 Guatemala earthquakes, which provoked a fall in the lake level, only accelerated the decline. The grebe was officially declared extinct in the early 1990s but had probably vanished earlier than that.

Guatemala: Day 5  There are multiple birding locations in the Atitlan region and which ones we decide to visit will depend on the latest birding information. Our excellent local contacts will ensure we do well.

We will surely explore some nice forest patches at Mirador del Rey Tepepul, located on the southeast flanks of Volcán Atitlan.  This is the best place on the tour for finding the near-endemic and highly attractive Azure-rumped (or Cabanis’s) Tanager. It also remains one of the best places to find the marvellous Resplendent Quetzal, and with some patience, we should find this magical bird in the area.

Other good birds include Crested Guan, the near-endemic Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, the range-restricted Sparkling-tailed Woodstar, Yellow-throated (or Gould’s) Nightingale-Thrush, Golden-crowned Warbler, the elusive Scaled Antpitta (uncommon), the superb Blue-crowned Chlorophonia and, with a bit of luck, the scarce Buffy-crowned Wood Partridge.

Elsewhere, we will visit the best current sites for three more regional endemics; the absolutely stunning little Wine-throated Hummingbird, Slender Sheartail and the scarce Belted Flycatcher.

At Caleras Chichavac, we will examine the highland pine-oak forest where we will be wanting to see such regional endemics as the very attractive Pink-headed Warbler, the handsome Blue-and-white Mockingbird and Rufous-browed Wren. We should also find other interesting birds like Mountain Trogon, the Central American form of the Steller’s Jay, the restricted-range Black-vented Oriole and the enigmatic Olive Warbler (now a monotypic family). We will also keep a lookout for Hutton’s Vireo, the distinctive montanus race of the Plumbeous Vireo and both Crescent-chested and Golden-browed Warblers.

Additional regional endemics we are likely to encounter in the Atitlan area include groups of bold Bushy-crested Jays playing hide-and-seek in the canopy, the inconspicuous Highland Guan, the lovely Blue-throated Motmot and vocal Pacific Parakeets flying overhead. We will also keep a lookout for the regionally endemic Hooded Grosbeak and Black-headed Siskin.

We should also encounter the mexicanoides subspecies of the Northern Flicker, a good candidate for a split. We will also have our first chances to see some regional endemics with a slightly wider distribution such as the uncommon White-faced Quail-Dove, Emerald Toucanet, Velasquez’s Woodpecker, the scarce Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, the handsome Black Thrush and the more common Grey Silky-flycatcher, while mixed flocks may well include Golden-olive and Hairy Woodpeckers, Rose-throated Becard, Band-backed Wren, White-naped Brushfinch and Rufous-capped Warbler.

We will also explore the lower slopes of Volcán Toliman. We will find ourselves at lower altitudes than other localities we have been in the Atitlan area and will notice the change in the species composition. We hope to connect here with the regionally endemic Bar-winged Oriole, while the restricted-range Rusty Sparrow will also attract our attention. We may well find other good birds like Grey-collared Becard and the much-wanted, regionally endemic Prevost’s Ground Sparrow. We will also keep a lookout for the attractive Lesser Roadrunner.

Nightbirding in the Atitlan area will focus on the regional-endemic Fulvous Owl (unless our local contacts know of a daytime roost at the time). This impressive owl typically inhabits montane pine-oak forest in its small range in southern Mexico and northern Central America. Our other targets are Whiskered Screech Owl and Mexican Whip-poor-will.

More widespread species we should see in the Atitlan area include Western Cattle Egret, Turkey and Black Vultures, Grey, Broad-winged and Red-tailed Hawks, Band-tailed Pigeon, Whitye-tipped, White-winged and Inca Doves, Squirrel Cuckoo, Great Horned Owl, Chestnut-collared, White-collared and White-throated Swifts, Mexican Violetear, Collared Trogon and Acorn Woodpecker.

Passerines include Spotted and Spot-crowned Woodcreepers, Scaly-throated and Ruddy Foliage-gleaners, Mountain and Yellow-bellied Elaenias, Greater Pewee, Olive-sided, Hammond’s, Buff-breasted, Yellowish, Social, Boat-billed and Dusky-capped Flycatchers, Great Kiskadee, Masked Tityra, Trilling Gnatwren, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Brown-capped, Philadelphia and Warbling Vireos, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cabanis’s, Rufous-and-white and House Wrens, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Brown-backed Solitaire, Tropical Mockingbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cacique, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Melodious Blackbird, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Worm-eating, Black-and-white, Townsend’s, Wilson’s and Tennessee Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Slate-throated Whitestart, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Common Chlorospingus, Hepatic, Summer, Western, White-winged, Flame-coloured, Blue-grey and Yellow-winged Tanagers, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Morelet’s Seedeater and Cinnamon-bellied Saltator.

The lake itself is not of great interest these days, so we will only make a short stop to look for such widespread wetland species as Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Green, Great Blue and Little Blue Herons, Snowy Egret, Purple and Common Gallinules, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper and Laughing Gull.

Guatemala: Day 6  After some final birding in the Atitlan area, we have a fairly long drive to the western part of the country. Our destination is the town of Sibinal, located on the slope of the famous Volcán Tacaná, where we will stay for two nights. At 4060m (13,321ft), the volcano is the second-highest peak in Central America and is shared between Guatemala and Mexico.

We plan to arrive at Sibinal in the late afternoon, enabling us to visit the surrounding reserve of La Unión Reforma where we hope to get a few good birds just before dark. We may encounter the regionally endemic Guatemalan Pygmy Owl and we will also have our first chances here for the near-endemic Black-throated Jay and Black-capped Siskin.

We will also have our first opportunity to see such highland specialities as Amethyst-throated and Garnet-throated Hummingbirds and the restricted-range Singing Quail.

Other likely species include Vaux’s Swift, Red-billed Pigeon, Northern Tufted and Pine Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-backed Oriole and Yellow Grosbeak.

Guatemala: Day 7  The main reason we have travelled so far to reach Sibinal is to see the incredible Horned Guan, undoubtedly one of the most charismatic and spectacular birds in the world! This stunning bird could almost be considered the unicorn of the bird world. It only occurs from west-central Guatemala to the Sierra Madre de Chiapas of Mexico and needs extensive areas of untouched cloud forest, a habitat that is now rapidly vanishing. The surviving population consists of only about 2000 to 2500 individuals. The most unusual feature of this endangered and retiring species is its well-developed red ‘horn’ of bare skin that projects from the top of its head. The guan usually betrays its presence by its very low-pitched booming call or by its snorts, clicking and bill-clacking.

This very exciting day will start with an early transfer of about 45 minutes from our hotel to Vega del Volcano in 4×4 vehicles. There we will meet up with our local guide, who will know exactly where to look for the guans. Luckily, they can often be seen by the roadside these days, making it surely the most accessible and easiest place to see this splendid and once-upon-a-time ‘ghost-bird’ of the mountains!

While looking for the Horned Guan, we will be deep among a particular type of high-altitude cloud forest that has some northern temperate zone influence. Wherever there are openings in the forest, we will keep a lookout overheard as this is a good area for the regionally endemic Black-capped Swallow. Guatemalan Tyrannulet is another regional endemic that should be found in the area, while we may well find other good birds like Barred Parakeet, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Mountain Thrush, Elegant Euphonia, Yellow-eyed Junco (of the near-endemic form alticola, a potential split) and Slaty Finch.

We will keep our fingers crossed today, as the rare and highly desired Maroon-chested Ground Dove occurs in the area and is sometimes seen here. This very secretive species remains one of the most special Neotropical birds that few birders have observed!

Our meals will be served at our local guide’s house, where we will enjoy some traditional Guatemalan Mayan food, nicely cooked by his wife.

After dark, we will try for Unspotted Saw-whet Owl, which is certainly one of the most difficult Neotropical owl species to see. We will then return to our hotel in Sibinal.

Guatemala: Day 8  This morning will be our ‘back-up’ morning just in case we missed the guan the previous day. If all went well it will be back to birding at La Unión Reforma.

Afterwards, we shall transfer to our next destination, Huehuetenango, where we will spend two nights. Although we remain at high altitudes, we will notice a great change in habitat, with pine-forested slopes and some spectacular open savanna in the highest areas.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird, American Bushtit, Grace’s and Audubon’s Warblers, and Spotted Towhee will keep us busy for the rest of the afternoon. At night, we will go out and look for the tiny Flammulated Owl, a primarily North American species which breeds here at the southernmost limit of its distribution. We will also have another chance for Unspotted Saw-whet Owl.

Guatemala: Day 9  Today is another exciting day as we explore the famous Todos Santos National Park, situated in one of the highest mountain ranges in all Central America, where we will find ourselves at the highest point of the tour at an impressive elevation of 3800 meters (12,468 feet).

Areas of high-altitude grassland mixed with sparse pine-oak-juniper woodland is the typical habitat where two of the most important Guatemalan specialities occur; the stunning and near-endemic Goldman’s Warbler and the superb, regionally-endemic Ocellated Quail. Formerly considered conspecific with Yellow-rumped Warbler, the stunning Goldman’s Warbler is nowadays treated as a distinct species restricted to the highlands of western Guatemala and some adjacent areas in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The species is fairly common in this highly specific habitat and we should enjoy multiple sightings. The superb Ocellated Quail is one of the least known Neotropical birds, but here there is a good chance of finding this elusive ‘grailbird’ of Mesoamerica.

While searching for these two ‘megas’, we should see some other birds typical of high-altitude Guatemala, including Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and even Northern Raven, which is a really rare species in Central America. Most of these species are at the southernmost limit of their distributions and look distinctive compared to the other subspecies further to the north. We will also search here for the local form of the Savannah Sparrow, a species previously thought to be only a migrant visitor to Guatemala. A small breeding population has recently been located in the area and could well be a future split.

During our stay at Huehuetenango, we will also explore a temperate cloud forest at Puerta del Cielo. We have yet another chance to catch up on any highland specialities we might have missed, including the sometimes tricky Garnet-throated Hummingbird, and we should encounter a great number of migratory wood warblers including Black-throated Green, Hermit, MacGillivray’s and Red-faced Warblers.

Guatemala: Day 10  After some final birding in the Huehuetenango region we will head for Finca Rubel Chaim, near the town of Tactic, for an overnight stay.

Our main reason for coming to this private ranch is to see the near-endemic Bearded Screech Owl, which we have a good chance of seeing this evening.

Guatemala: Day 11  Today we will visit the Biotopo del Quetzal. A major target here is the range-restricted Unicoloured Jay, but of course, the extra chance for Resplendent Quetzal sightings will be very welcome!

Another special bird here is the uncommon Golden-cheeked Warbler (a species that breeds in central Texas and winters in this region).

Other birds of interest include Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Guatemalan Tyrannulet, the range-restricted Northern Nightingale-Wren, Azure-hooded Jay, There is even a chance for Great Swallow-tailed Swift.

More widespread species include Chestnut-headed Oropendola.

Afterwards, we will return to Guatemala City for an overnight stay.

Guatemala: Day 12  Our Guatemala birding tour ends this morning at Guatemala City. Our hotel provides an airport shuttle service.

 

TIKAL EXTENSION

Guatemala (Tikal): Day 1  The extension will begin this evening at Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala, where we will stay overnight. Our hotel has an airport shuttle service.

Guatemala (Tikal): Day 2  This morning we will catch a flight to the town of Flores in northern Guatemala, situated by the shores of the Petén Itzá lake. We will arrive at the impressively named ‘Mundo Maya International Airport’ which only has a few flights a day and almost all are domestic ones!

From Flores, we will head for the Tikal region for a three nights stay. It does not take long to get there so we will have most of the day for birding.

Guatemala (Tikal): Days 3-4  Tikal National Park is best known for its amazing historical sites, yet the park itself and the surrounding area are also a famous birding locale. We will not only explore Tikal National Park itself but also the surrounding area and Yaxhá National Park.

In the heart of the forest lies one of the most important and most extraordinary complexes of the Mayan civilization. Inhabited from the 4th century BC to its apogee during the Mayan Classic Period, from circa 200 to 900 AD, Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya and it is widely believed that this remarkably elaborate complex held more than 85,000 inhabitants. The ruins have been part of a national park since the 1960s and in 1979 they were declared to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They remain one of the most famous of all the touristic destinations in Latin America.

In the Tikal region, we will be birding in the largest remaining lowland broadleaf deciduous rainforest north of the Amazon basin, where no fewer than 400 bird species have been recorded. Some of the sensational Tikal temples, which rise higher than the tops of the surrounding forest canopy, were the tallest buildings in the New World until the 19th century. The natural ambience of Tikal remains as pristine as it has been for hundreds of years and there is no doubt that it will be a memorable experience to search for birds in such an extraordinary and historic place!

We will start birding early in the morning, when the sunlight first starts to catch the sides of the imposing pyramids, offering a very atmospheric background as we seek out regionally endemic species.

Undoubtedly the most important target we will encounter in this breathtaking site will be the bizarre-looking Ocellated Turkey. This sought-after species is restricted to the Yucatan Peninsula and we should enjoy multiple sightings as these turkeys are ridiculously tame at Tikal.

Another major speciality is the widely distributed but surprisingly localized and in many areas elusive Orange-breasted Falcon. Here, a pair breeds right on top of the temple in the central plaza of the Tikal historical site!

During our visit to the Tikal area, we will also be wanting to track down two Yucatan endemics; specifically Yucatan Flycatcher and the beautiful Rose-throated Tanager. If we are very fortunate, we will come across Yucatan Jay or even Yucatan Woodpecker.

There are some more regional specialities to look for while we are in the Tikal area, including the secretive Mayan Antthrush, White-bellied Wren (often first located by its distinctive song) and the attractive but sometimes tricky Grey-throated Chat. Even the extremely rare but widely distributed Crested Eagle is sometimes recorded, but we would be extremely fortunate to come across one!

The area is home to a nice variety of parrots, most of which are restricted to Central America. The highly localized northern form of the Mealy Amazon will be a target, while the much-wanted Brown-hooded and White-crowned Parrots, the rare White-fronted Amazon, Red-lored Amazon and Olive-throated Parakeet also occur in the area.

While walking on some of the forest trails, we will hope to come across the spectacular Great Curassow.

Though they are more widespread, other charismatic species of the Tikal area include White-necked and White-whiskered Puffbirds, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, the good-looking Pale-billed Woodpecker, the beautiful Keel-billed Toucan and the charismatic White-collared and Red-capped Manakins (which give away their presence by the clicking noises made by their wings).

Mixed-species flocks and, if we are lucky, an army ant swarm should bring some good stuff, including Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Plain Xenops and Strong-billed, Ivory-billed, Ruddy, Tawny-winged, Olivaceous, Northern Barred and Wedge-billed Woodcreepers, while Dot-winged Antwren, Plain Antvireo and Tawny-crowned and Lesser Greenlets may join the party. If we are in luck we will have an encounter with the rare, range-restricted Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, which is sometimes a leader of a ‘bird wave’.

A host of tyrant flycatchers inhabits the Tikal area and we will look for the scarce Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Slaty-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, the tiny Stub-tailed Spadebill, the charismatic Rufous Piha, the canopy-dwelling Bright-rumped Atilla, Northern Shiffornis and Tropical Royal Flycatcher.

We will also visit an abandoned airstrip, where a swampy area should deliver the extraordinary Boat-billed Heron (formerly considered a monotypic family) roosting in the dense vegetation, the range-restricted Ruddy Crake (easier to hear than see), the range-restricted Russet-naped Wood Rail and the monotypic Limpkin.

Nearby drier habitat holds Thicket Tinamou (another one that is much easier to hear than see), Ruddy Quail-Dove, Short-billed and Scaled Pigeons, Blue Ground Dove, the uncommon Pheasant Cuckoo, Canivet’s Emerald and the range-restricted Northern Bentbill.

After dusk, we will try to connect with the endemic Yucatan Poorwill. Finding a Middle American Screech Owl will also keep us busy.

We will also explore the Santa Ana area. The habitat here is nowadays cattle pastures and secondary growth forest but it was once a tropical humid savannah. Nonetheless, this degraded habitat is still home to three regionally endemic species; the much-wanted Yucatan Bobwhite, Black Catbird and Green-backed Sparrow. We will search here for these three prime targets, as well as the range-restricted Plain Chachalaca and the localized Botteri’s Sparrow.

We shall also make a short stop at some wetlands that hold such species as Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropical Cormorant, Anhinga, Wood Stork, American White Ibis, Snail Kite, Green, Ringed and Belted Kingfishers, Tricolored Heron, Great Egret, Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, Wilson’s Snipe, Northern Jacana and Mangrove Swallow.

Additional species we may come across in the Tikal area include Great Tinamou, Slaty-breasted and Little Tinamnous (much easier to bhear than see), Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Grey-headed Dove, Plain-breasted and Ruddy Ground Doves, Striped Cuckoo, Stripe-throated Hermit, White-necked Jacobin, Buff-bellied and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Purple-crowned Fairy, White-tailed, Double-toothed, Plumbeous and Grey-headed Kites, Crane and Bicolored Hawks, Slaty-tailed and Black-headed Trogons, Ladder-backed and Chestnut-coloured Woodpeckers, the beautiful Laughing Falcon and Aplomado Falcon.

Passerines include Great Antshrike, the glorious Piratic Flycatcher, the stunning Vermillion Flycatcher, Sepia-capped, Scissor-tailed and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Couch’s Kingbird, White-eyed and Mangrove Vireos, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Wood Wren, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Grey Catbird, Brown and Green Jays, Montezuma Oropendola, Black-cowled Oriole, Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Bananaquit, Green Honeycreeper, Olive-backed Euphonia, Northern Waterthrush, Grey-crowned Yellowthroat, Golden-winged, Kentucky and Hooded Warblers, American Redstart, Tropical Parula, Golden-hooded and Grey-headed Tanagers, Red-crowned Ant Tanager, Blue Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Thick-billed Seed Finch and Yellow-faced Grassquit.

Guatemala (Tikal): Day 5  After spending much of the day in the Tikal region, we will catch a flight back to Guatemala City where we join up with those arriving for the main tour.

 

HONDURAS EXTENSION

Honduras: Day 1  Our Honduras birding tour extension begins with a morning flight from Guatemala City to San Pedro Sula in northwestern Honduras.

From there we head eastwards into the mountains until we reach the remote town of La Unión in the Olancho district. We will spend two nights here and we should arrive in time for some initial exploration.

Honduras: Day 2  Close to La Unión is Muralla National Park which protects a large area of pine-oak forests as well as cloud forests and lower altitude evergreen forest in places.

Our two most important targets today will be two near-endemics; Green-breasted Mountaingem and Red-throated Parakeet.

This near-endemic hummingbird is only found in cloudforest habitat in parts of Honduras and northwestern Nicaragua. Elsewhere, in the pine-oak woodlands, Red-throated Parakeet, a near-endemic speciality that is not seen during Guatemala birding tours as it barely occurs in the country, is quite common.

Restricted-range specialities of only slightly wider distribution include Lesson’s Motmot and Slate-colored Solitaire.

Other important targets are the restricted-range Spot-bellied Bobwhite, the sought-after Great Swallow-tailed Swift (this is one of the best spots for this difficult species) and the aptly named Lovely Cotinga.

We shall also be looking out for Common Black Hawk, Black Phoebe, the lovely Painted Whitestart and Chestnut-headed Oropendola. Many other birds typical of these habitats will be found.

Honduras: Day 3  After some final birding around La Unión, we will travel westwards to the Lake Yojoa region for an overnight stay.

Honduras: Day 4  Our reason for coming to the Lake Yojoa area is to use it as a base to visit a surviving area of dry woodland and cacti amongst pastures that hold the rare and endangered Honduran Emerald. This mega target, which is the country’s sole endemic, is straightforward to find in this area.

Other species in this unusual and rapidly declining habitat (which is being progressively cleared for ranching) include Lesser Roadrunner and, with a bit of luck, the shy Lesser Ground Cuckoo.

Honduras: Day 5  This morning we will transfer to San Pedro Sula airport, where our Honduras birding tour extension ends.

(There are direct international flights out of San Pedro Sula to Houston, Miami and elsewhere.)

GUATEMALA & HONDURAS TOUR REPORT 2024

by Leonardo Garrigues

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HONDURAS TOUR REPORT 2017

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Other Central America birding tours by Birdquest include: