b i r d i n g   b e l i z e 

with Texas Ornithology Society
Nov 13-20, 2024
FULL - ASK ABOUT WAITLIST
  • Pace -  Active, early mornings, lots of walking, warm temperatures
  •  8 days /  7 nights 
  • Scheduled dates:  2024:  Nov 13-20
  • Price:  $2,995 per person in double room for TOS members, with 8. With 6, $3,195
  • Minimum 6 to operate, maximum 10.
  • Plus $100 for non-TOS members
  • Single Supplement: $550 Singles are limited. Either a smaller room or a double at single rate.
  • Download detailed itinerary  
 For a birder with an interest in history, Belize is it; likewise for the amateur archeologist with an interest in nature. This 8-day/7 night itinerary takes you to this small English-speaking country, just a two hour flight from Houston, and almost immediately into tropical forest and lagoons.  
     You reach some of the finest tropical forest birding in Belize within a short time of arrival into the country. Lamanai Outpost Lodge, where you spend four nights, is situated on the banks of a 28-mile spring fed lagoon amid the remnants of a major Maya city.  Almost 400 species of birds have been recorded within a three-mile radius of the lodge, like Keel-billed Toucan, Barred Antshrike, Blue Ground-dove, a great number of hummingbirds, Slaty-tailed Trogon, lots of tanagers, wintering or migrating warblers. With luck you’ll see nesting Jabiru, the largest stork, and you can expect to hear howler monkeys and see lots of butterflies.   The lodge and the ruins at Lamanai are currently the #1 and #2 eBird sites in the country! 
     After a stop at the Belize Zoo, you head to Black Rock Lodge is located in the dense rainforest on the banks of the Macal River, which flows through the Maya Mountains of Belize.  Over 390 species of birds are possible to sight on Black Rock’s property, making it the current #3 eBird site in Belize!!  On the towering cliffs behind the lodge, a resident pair of Orange-breasted Falcons have made Black Rock their home. Keel-billed Toucans, Collared Aracaris, and even the rare Northern Emerald-Toucanet are a common daily sight in the trees around the lodge. Parrots of several species announce their presence each morning and evening as they pass over the river on their way to and from their favorite fruiting trees and nesting sites. The elusive but incomparably beautiful Scarlet Macaws have even been visiting lately. Scaly-throated Leaftossers, Pheasant Cuckoo, Tody Motmot, and so many other forest species make residence throughout Black Rock’s extensive trail system.
     This trip is escorted by Susan Foster, TOS member, and led by local guides from each lodge. 

  • Accommodations:  Nice jungle lodges, private baths with hot water
  • Included:  7 nights lodging with taxes, all meals from 1 night dinner to final day breakfast, touring in vans, bilingual guides, entry fees
  • Not included:  international airfare, travel insurance (required by TOS), alcoholic drinks, personal expenses, and tips for the guides.
  • Bring:   Binoculars, bug spray, hat, sunscreen, field guide (Peterson Field Guide to birds of Northern Central America, Fagan & Komar, 2016), field clothing, walking stick, rain & warm weather gear. More information upon registration.