GUATEMALA & HONDURAS – The ultimate ‘Central America with a difference’ tour

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: Guatemala City-Flores-Guatemala City and (for those taking the extension) Guatemala City-Tegucigalpa.

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)

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.

There are only a few rooms at the guesthouse at Huehuetenango Chiabal and single rooms are not normally 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 & HONDURAS BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Guatemala: Day 1  Our Guatemala birding tour will begin this evening at Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala, where we will stay overnight.

Guatemala: Day 2  This morning we will catch an early 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!

First, we will visit the nearby 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 localized Botteri’s Sparrow.

More widespread species are likely to include Plain Chachalaca, Plain-breasted and Ruddy Ground Doves, Striped Cuckoo, the beautiful Laughing Falcon, the glorious Piratic Flycatcher, the stunning Vermillion Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Brown and Green Jays, Montezuma Oropendola, Black-cowled Oriole, Blue Grosbeak and Yellow-faced Grassquit.

Afterwards, we will head for Tikal for a three nights stay. We will reach Tikal in time for lunch and commence our birding in the national park this afternoon.

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

Other birds we are likely to encounter today include White Ibis, Crane Hawk, Snail Kite, Ladder-backed and Lineated Woodpeckers, Aplomado Falcon, Great Antshrike, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Blue-grey Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Thick-billed Seed Finch and Bananaquit.

Guatemala: Days 3-4  The incredible Tikal National Park is best known for its amazing historical sites, yet it is also a famous birding locale in its own right.

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.

We will be birding in the heart of the historical site 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. Probably the first 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 here at Tikal 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 historical site!

We will also be wanting to track down two Yucatan endemics, specifically Yucatan Flycatcher and the beautiful Rose-throated Tanager, and if we are very fortunate, one of the rare and difficult species such as Yucatan Woodpecker or Yucatan Jay.

There are some more regional specialities to look for while we will be birding among the ruins, 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 at Tikal, but we would be extremely fortunate to come across one!

The park is home to a nice variety of parrots, most of which are restricted to Central America. The highly-localized Northern Mealy Amazon will also be a major target, while the much-wanted Brown-hooded and White-crowned Parrots, the rare White-fronted and Red-lored Amazons, and Olive-throated Parakeet also occur in the park. Another Yucatan endemic speciality is the Yucatan Amazon, a species generally difficult to see in Guatemala but we will keep our fingers crossed.

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

Though they are more widespread, other charismatic species at Tikal include White-necked and White-whiskered Puffbirds, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, the good-looking Pale-billed Woodpecker, the beautiful Keel-billed Toucan, and 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, Tawny-crowned and Lesser Greenlets and the sought-after, restricted-range Black-throated Shrike-Tanager (which is often a leader of the ‘bird waves’) may well join the party.

As a truly great Neotropical birding spot, a host of tyrant-flycatchers inhabits Tikal 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 the much-wanted Northern 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 restricted-range Ruddy Crake (easier to hear than see), Rufous-naped Wood Rail and the monotypic Limpkin. Nearby drier habitat holds Thicket Tinamou, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Short-billed and Scaled Pigeons, Blue Ground Dove, Pheasant Cuckoo, Canivet’s Emerald, Barred Antshrike and the restricted-range Northern Bentbill.

After dusk, we will hope to connect with Yucatan Poorwill and, if we are very fortunate, Yucatan Nightjar. Both species are Yucatan endemics but the latter is rare in Guatemala. Finding a Middle American Screech Owl will also keep us busy.

Additional species we may well come across at Tikal include Great Tinamou, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Grey-headed Dove, Stripe-throated Hermit, White-necked Jacobin, Buff-bellied and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Purple-crowned Fairy, White-tailed, Plumbeous and Grey-headed Kites, Bicolored Hawk, Slaty-tailed and Black-headed Trogons, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Couch’s Kingbird, White-eyed and Mangrove Vireos, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Wood Wren, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Grey Catbird, 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, White-collared Seedeater, Blue Bunting and Green Honeycreeper.

Guatemala: Day 5  After some final birding in the Tikal region we will return to Flores (Mundo Maya) airport to catch a flight back to Guatemala City. From there we have a short drive to Antigua Guatemala, the old capital, where we will spend two nights.

Guatemala: Day 6  Antigua Guatemala is a historic city in the central highlands of the country. Built 700 years ago, the city is known for its preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture as well as a number of ruins of colonial churches.

Today we will visit Finca el Pilar, a private reserve on the outskirts of Antigua Guatemala. This rich reserve protected as a conservation area mostly covered by some typical Central American mixed pine-oak forest provides a great introduction to the highland specialities we will encounter during the tour.

Here we should see a number of regional endemics, such as 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.

Some attractive hummingbird feeders located in the lower part of the reserve will provide a good chance to see two very important species here, 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.

We will stay until after dark as the area is good for our major nightbird target, the splendid Fulvous Owl, which typically inhabits montane pine-oak forest in its small range in southern Mexico and northern Central America. We should also find Mexican Whip-poor-will.

We will also keep an eye out for the local subspecies of the Northern Flicker, a good candidate for a split. We should also have our first chances to see some regional endemics with a slightly wider distribution such as the uncommon White-faced Quail-Dove, the scarce Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo 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. With a bit of luck, even the elusive White-breasted Hawk will appear overhead.

Other birds we may well find at Finca El Pilar include Red-tailed Hawk, Squirrel Cuckoo, Band-tailed Pigeon, Inca Dove, Turkey and Black Vultures, Emerald Toucanet, Acorn and Velasquez’s Woodpeckers, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted, Social and Dusky-capped Flycatchers, Blue-headed Vireo, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Brown-backed Solitaire, Black and Rufous-collared Thrushes, Black-headed Siskin, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Great-tailed Grackle, Black-and-white, Townsend’s, Wilson’s and Tennessee Warblers, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Summer, Western and White-winged Tanagers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Guatemala: Day 7  Today we will have a long drive to the western part of the country, to 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.

En route, we will make a stop at Caleras de Chichavac, where we will examine the highland pine-oak forest. Here we will search for additional regional endemics such as the very attractive Pink-headed Warbler, the handsome Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Rufous-collared Thrush and Rufous-browed Wren. We should also well find other key species like Mountain Trogon, the Central American form of the Steller’s Jay and the restricted-range Black-vented Oriole. We will also keep a lookout for Hutton’s Vireo, the distinctive local race of the Plumbeous Vireo, the enigmatic Olive Warbler (nowadays treated as a monotypic bird family) and both Crescent-chested and Golden-browed Warblers.

Other birds we may well find here include White-tipped Dove, Northern Tufted and Yellowish Flycatchers, Brown-backed Solitaire, Swainson’s Thrush, Brown-capped Vireo, Slate-throated Redstart, Common Bush Tanager and Chestnut-capped Brushfinch.

We plan to arrive at Sibinal in the late afternoon, enabling us to visit the surrounding reserve of La Union 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, Tufted and Pine Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-backed Oriole and Yellow Grosbeak.

Guatemala: Day 8  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 even be seen by the roadside these days, making it surely the most accessible and easiest place to see this splendid 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. The local subspecies of the Paltry Tyrannulet (sometimes split as ‘Guatemalan Tyrannulet’) should also be found in the area, while we may well find other good birds like Barred Parakeet, Mountain and Black Thrushes, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Elegant Euphonia, Yellow-eyed (Guatemalan) Junco 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 only a few birders have ever 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 the once near-mythical 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 9  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 Union Reforma.

Afterwards, we shall transfer to our next destination, Huehuetenango Chiabal, where we will stay for two nights at the lovely Unicornio Azul lodge. Although we remain at high altitudes, we will notice a great change in habitat, as the lodge is situated in between pine-forested slopes and there is some spectacular open savanna in the highest areas.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird, American Bushtit, Grace’s and Audubon’s Warblers, Yellow-eyed Junco 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 if we missed it previously.

Guatemala: Day 10  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). Starting from our lodge, we should quickly reach an area of high-altitude grassland covered with sparse pine-oak-juniper woodlands, 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 and certainly also one of the most rarely seen of all 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 Savanna Sparrow, a species previously thought to be only a migrant visitor to Guatemala. A small breeding population has been recently located in the area and could well be a future split.

Later today, we will 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 Warbler, Hermit, MacGillivray’s and Red-faced Warblers.

Guatemala: Day 11  After some early morning birding, we shall transfer to Santiago Atitlan, located on the shores of Lake Atitlan, where we will stay overnight.

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.

We will make a stop en route at Cerro Chuiraxomolo Reserve, a well-known stakeout for the regionally endemic and absolutely stunning little Wine-throated Hummingbird. The reserve is located among the highest peaks of the mountains surrounding Lake Atitlan and we should enjoy fantastic views of this wonderful lake.

Before reaching our hotel, we will make another important stop for the regionally endemic Slender Sheartail.

This afternoon we will explore the lower slopes of Volcán Toliman. We will find ourselves at lower altitudes than we have been so far and we 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 Prevost’s Ground Sparrow. We will also keep a lookout for the attractive Lesser Roadrunner.

More widespread species we should see in the area include Chestnut-collared and White-collared Swifts, Mexican Violetear, Broad-winged Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Greenish and Yellow-bellied Elaenias, Olive-sided and Boat-billed Flycatchers, Great Kiskadee, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireos, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, House Wren, Tropical Mockingbird, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cacique, Bronzed Cowbird, Melodious Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Hepatic, Blue-grey and Yellow-winged Tanagers, Indigo Bunting, Morelet’s Seedeater and Grayish Saltator.

We will stay until dark and try to locate a Whiskered Screech Owl.

Guatemala: Day 12  This morning we will explore some nice forest patches at Mirador del Rey Tepepul, located on the southeast flanks of Volcán Atitlan. This location 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. We will also examine mixed feeding flocks in the hope of finding the highly restricted-range and attractive Cabanis’s (or Azure-rumped) Tanager.

We may also come across other key birds such as Crested Guan, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Sparkling-tailed Woodstar, 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.

We should also run into more regular inhabitants of the area including White-winged Dove, White-throated Swift, Western Cattle Egret, Grey Hawk, Collared Trogon, Spotted Woodcreeper, Scaly-throated and Ruddy Foliage-gleaners, Mountain Elaenia, Ochre-bellied and Hammond’s Flycatchers, Masked Tityra, Philadelphia Vireo, Trilling Gnatwren, Cabanis’s and Rufous-and-white Wrens, Orange-billed and Spotted Nightingale-Thrushes, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush and Flame-colored Tanager.

We will have lunch close to the lakeshore and make a short stop to look for more widespread wetland species including 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 amongst others.

Afterwards, we will be searching for another major target, the scarce Belted Flycatcher at a well-known site.

In the late afternoon, we will transfer the short distance to Los Tarrales Lodge, where we will stay for two nights. The lodge is nicely located at an altitude of 700m (2297ft), but the reserve goes all the way up to 3000m (9843ft) on the slopes of Volcán Atitlan.

Guatemala: Day 13  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 this small area, 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 still missing from our bag. The species 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. There are several other regional endemics we should have already seen earlier in the tour but here we have the opportunity to enjoy better views should we need them.

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 local subspecies of the White-eared Ground Sparrow, a potential future split, 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, Blue-throated Goldentail, Rufous-naped Wren, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Red-legged Honeycreeper, the hulking Black-headed Saltator and the beautiful 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 and Orange-chinned and Orange-fronted Parakeets. We will also have to keep a lookout overhead as raptors are regularly seen and may include the beautiful White Hawk, the impressive Black and Ornate Hawk-Eagles, the elusive King Vulture and even Bat Falcon. Interesting passerines include Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Green Shrike-Vireo, the restricted-range Spot-breasted and Altamira Orioles and the monotypic Yellow-breasted Chat.

A nocturnal excursion could well 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 well 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, Northern 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, Blue-headed Vireo, 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 14  This morning we will return to Guatemala City, where our tour ends at the airport in the late morning.

HONDURAS EXTENSION

Honduras: Day 1  Our Honduras birding tour extension begins with an early afternoon flight from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, where we will spend two nights in the surrounding region.

Honduras: Day 2  Our prime target this morning will be another regionally endemic species, the Green-breasted Mountaingem. This near-endemic hummingbird is only found in cloudforest habitat in parts of Honduras and northwestern Nicaragua. Restricted-range specialities of only slightly wider distribution include Blue-diademed Motmot and Slate-colored Solitaire.

Elsewhere, where there is a mix of pine-oak woodlands and clearings, we are likely to see Red-throated Parakeet, a near-endemic speciality that is not seen during Guatemala birding tours as it barely occurs in the country. Another important target is the restricted-range Spot-bellied Bobwhite. We shall also be looking out for Common Black Hawk, Black Phoebe, Painted Redstart and Chestnut-headed Oropendola. Many other birds typical of this habitat will be found.

Honduras: Day 3  After some final birding in the Tegucigalpa region if required, we will travel northwards to the Lake Yojoa region for an overnight stay.

Our reason for coming to Lake Yojoa 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 luck, the shy Lesser Ground Cuckoo.

Honduras: Day 4  After some final birding we will transfer to San Pedro Sula airport, where our Honduras birding tour extension ends in the late morning.

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