More than 600 species of birds have been recorded in Belize, and the Audubon Society plays a very active role in the country. The Audobon Society has identified no fewer than six Important Birding Areas (IBAs) in the country, pristine environments where a wide variety of avian species thrive.

Unlike most parts of North America, it’s extremely easy to spot a wide gamut of different birds in a small area even if you don’t have binoculars or extensive training. Whether it’s enormous Jabiru storks or tiny, iridescent hummingbirds, birds find Belize an excellent place to call home.

One of the best places to see birds is in and around the Belize Boutique Resort and Spa. Located on a pristine, 1000-acre property in northern Belize just a few miles from the Belize international airport, the resort is a fantastic place to begin a birdwatching tour as two of the IBAs are located just a short distance from the resort.

Beginning even before the sun rises, the birds of Belize make their presence known with joyous song and merry tweeting. Birds sip nectar from tropical flowers, crack open seeds and nuts, hunt for fish, and catch insects on the fly in the dense ecosystem of the jungles, coastal areas, and rainforests of Belize.

You don’t need special training to spot many of the birds in Belize, but when you hire a local expert to guide you, you’ll be astonished by the density and variety of birds all around you. Some birds, like scarlet macaws and keel-billed toucans, are easy to spot with their brightly colored plumage. Other birds, however, like the ocellated turkey or tiny warblers can be difficult to find. But with a little bit of patience and the assistance of an experienced local expert, even first-time birders will be able to spot hundreds of species of birds in a single morning.

Birds aren’t just up in the trees; they’re everywhere whether it’s hawks flying high in the sky to plovers darting for snails on the coastline. Birds inhabit the wetlands, jungles, rainforests, offshore islands, and even the savannah in countless numbers. But don’t let the sheer number of birds fool you. Some bird species in Belize are on the endangered list, including the Great Curassow, the harpy eagle, and the slate-colored seedeater.

If you’re ready to explore the amazing world of birds in Belize, be sure to book your tour with the Belize Boutique Resort and Spa.