Guatemala, Heart of the Mayan world, is also a gathering point for numerous birds, both residents and migrants. Bird watching tourism, generated by a passion for birds, is an activity that moves millions of people all over the world.

Guatemala is a privileged land, with a diversity of natural environments. One of the greatest advantages of Guatemala is that, in one single day you can travel from the beach to the mountain, going through completely different natural landscapes.

In Guatemala you will find black sand beaches on the Pacific coast, white sand beaches on the Caribbean, volcanic chains, and summits over 9,000 ft, active volcanoes, caves, sinkholes, lakes, rivers, great waterfalls, thorn scrub and dry forests with very low precipitation levels, cloud forests,  and tropical rainforests with trees over 120 – 150 ft tall.

Rainy days cover areas where the average rain period goes from 75 days to 225 days per year. Annual precipitation ranges between 500 mm in some places and over 4,000 mm in other places.

As all these factors combine, they result in a diversity of landscapes creating a place where North American species meet and cross South American ones on this natural land bridge.

Visiting Guatemala allows tourists to watch these migrant species that along with the residents make 720 species in total. Is important to notice that, through time, new species have been formed, giving birth to unique species of the region; these species are called regional endemic species, which means that their distribution is restricted and therefore they can only be seen in this region of the world. In this group you will find at least 52 species of birds.

While visiting Guatemala, you may observe resident as well as migrant bird species, which total more than 720 for the whole country.  Over 400 resident species have been recorded, with 34 of them being regional endemics to the area between Southern Mexico and Nicaragua.

These species have evolved over time in this region; their distribution is limited, which makes them unique in the world.

Among those species, you will find:

White-bellied Chachalaca	(Ortalis leucogastra)
Horned Guan	(Oreophasis derbianus)
Fulvous Owl	(Strix fulvescens)
Bushy-crested Jay	(Cyanocorax melanocyaneus)
Pink-headed Warbler	(Ergaticus versicolor)
White-bellied Chachalaca	(Ortalis leucogastra)
Cabanis Tanager	(Tangara cabanisi)

Moreover, Guatemala receives annually about 240 migrants, in search for wood and shelter, coming from four different migratory routes, mainly from North America. Small and large birds fly in these migratory groups, sometimes by day or by night, either over land or long distances over the sea.

Guatemala has developed several destinations with great opportunities for birding. Among those you will find the private, communal and public protected areas. As a result, birdwatching tourism contributes to protect important forest remnants and provides an additional income to many communities.

If you are planning to visit some of our bird watching destinations, we invite you to consult the BIRD WATCHING IN GUATEMALA guide, available at www.birdwatching.com.gt where you will find information about our bird watching service providers  who will be pleased in welcoming you.

If you want to get involved in any of the activities that the Guatemala Tourism Board (INGUAT) develops with the Bird Watching Round Table, please visit www.birds-guatemala.org 
Take your binoculars and join us to enjoy the Birds of Guatemala!