14 Day Honduras Birding Tour
Join our Bhutan Birding Tour for incredible birding opportunities. The country’s varied habitat includes endless forests, marshy wetlands, scrublands, alpine habitats and agricultural land, boasting a bird list of almost 700 species.
Private and small group, birding tours can be booked on request for your preferred travel dates
Next Group Departure date: To be confirmed
Full Itinerary – Honduras Birding Tour
Day 1:
Arrival in Tegucigalpa and afternoon birding
Welcome to Central America!
You will arrive in Honduras from your international destination via the Toncontín International Airport, located only a few kilometres from the city centre of Tegucigalpa, the country’s capital. You will be met by a company representative and transferred to our comfortable city hotel.
You have arrived in a very interesting country! The name Honduras is Spanish for “great depths”, in reference to Christopher Columbus’ remark on the depth of the ocean off the Honduran coast. Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea (for about 700 km/430 mi) in the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south at the Gulf of Fonseca. Guatemala lies to the west, Nicaragua southeast and El Salvador to the southwest of the country. Honduras is the second largest Central American republic, with a total land area of 113,000 km2 (43,590 sq mi). The country has three distinct geographical regions: the interior highlands and two narrow coastal lowland belts. The mountainous interior highlands make up 80% of the country’s area and contains the highest point, Cerro Las Minas at 2,870 metres (9,420 ft) above sea level. Numerous flat-floored valleys lie between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (600 to 1,200 metres) in elevation in the highlands. The generally fertile soils here, derived from lava and volcanic ash, produce coffee, tobacco, wheat, corn, sorghum, beans, fruits, and vegetables and support cattle, poultry and pigs. The Caribbean lowlands in the north and the Pacific lowlands bordering the Gulf of Fonseca are characterized by alluvial plains. The fertile soils there produce sesame seed, cotton, and some corn and sorghum. Cattle are raised on the lowland pastures, and coffee is grown on the nearby uplands.
Honduras is considered a biodiversity hotspot, and contains vast biological resources. The country has more than 6,000 species of vascular plants (of which 630 are orchids), around 264 reptile species (of which 59 are endemic), 137 species of amphibians (including 52 endemics), more than 760 bird species, and 110 mammalian species, of which half are bats. Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly 3,000 metres or 9,800 feet above sea level), mangroves, savannahs and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. To safeguard the native flora and fauna, numerous national parks, protected forests and biological reserves were established in the late 1980s and 1990s.
Depending on your arrival time, there might be time to explore the city of Tegucigalpa. It is the capital and largest city of the country, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Tegucigalpa, often just called “Tegus” by the locals, is located in the southern-central highland region in a valley, surrounded by mountains, at about 975 metres (3,200 ft) above sea level. Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela, being sister cities, are physically separated by the Choluteca river. The area surrounding the city is open woodland supporting pine forest interspersed with some oak, scrub, and grassy clearings as well as needle leaf evergreen and broadleaf deciduous forest. It is one of the few capitals in the world without a railroad system, but makes up for that in so many other ways! The city enjoys a relatively fresh, mild climate and is a dynamic and exciting place to visit. It has many good museums, excellent restaurants and a is abuzz with artists, designers and musicians.
Our first ticks of this fantastic tour will happen with some afternoon birding close to our hotel in the city. We will look for Veracruz Wren, Inca and White-winged Dove, Orange-fronted and Green Parakeet, Baltimore, Altamira, Spot-breasted and Orchard Oriole, Turquoise-browed and Lesson’s Motmot, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Western Tanager, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great-tailed Grackle, Clay-coloured Thrush, Boat-billed and Social Flycatcher, American Yellow Warbler and several others. A great start to the tour!
We will get together at a local restaurant (in the hotel or close by) and get to know each other over our Nature Travel Birding welcome dinner tonight. We will discuss our previous birding trips and which bird species are high on everyone’s target lists for this trip.
At dinner we will get our first taste of the local cuisine. Honduran cuisine is a fusion of indigenous Lenca, Spanish, Caribbean and African cuisine. There are also dishes from the Garifuna people. Coconut and coconut milk are featured in both sweet and savoury dishes. Regional specialties include fried fish, tamales, carne asada and baleadas. Other popular dishes include meat roasted with chismol and carne asada, chicken with rice and corn, and fried fish with pickled onions and jalapeños. Enjoy! After dinner we will get a good night’s sleep; tomorrow we really start birding!
Day 2:
La Tigra National Park
We will have an early start today with breakfast in the hotel.
We then leave for short drive of about 90 minutes to our first major destination of the tour, La Tigra National Park. We will spend the full day birding in the park.
The park was the first to be declared in Honduras (in 1980) and is now one of the most popular cloud forests in the country. The 238 km2 (92 sq mi) park lies at an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,185 metres (5,900 and 7,200 ft) above sea level, and is home to over 200 bird species, 42 of which only live in cloud forests, and an additional 27 migratory species. The park’s habitats include the aforementioned cloud forest, along with dry pine forest, numerous rivers and some very photogenic waterfalls.
Apart from the birds there are also 13 reptile species, 31 species of mammals (including Puma, White-lipped Peccary, White-tailed Deer, Gabb’s Cottontail, Deppe’s Squirrel, agoutis and armadillos) and fantastic flora that includes towering trees, lichens, large ferns, colourful mushrooms, bromeliads and beautiful orchids.
For us, the park offers great general birding and an especially wide array of hummingbirds on its eight different hiking trails. We could see species such as the Green-breasted Mountaingem, Wine-throated, Azure-crowned and White-eared Hummingbird, Mexican Violetear and Sparkling-tailed Woodstar.
But we won’t only look out for hummers, there are obviously other interesting species we might encounter too, including colourful Emerald Toucanet, Singing Quail, stunning Resplendent Quetzal (the subspecies found here is slightly larger with longer and broader tail streamers than the one found in Costa Rica), Mountain Trogon, Spotted and Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Scaled Antpitta, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, Barred Forest Falcon, Mountain Elaenia, Black and Mountain Thrush, Acorn Woodpecker, Black-throated, Brown and Bushy-crested Jay, Rufous-browed Wren, Crescent-chested Warbler, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Slate-colored Solitaire and many more.
After our exciting day in La Tigra we will return to our hotel in Tegus. We will get together for dinner and to update our lists, and then head off to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Day 3:
Cerro de Hula, transfer to Marcala
We again start our day with breakfast at the hotel, after which we pack our bags and check out.
We again start our day with breakfast at the hotel, after which we pack our bags and check out. This morning we go birding around Cerro de Hula, an area south of Tegucigalpa which is mostly known for its wind farms. Cerro de Hula has 63 strategically placed wind turbines that can produce up to 126MW of power, which benefits approximately 120,000 homes and making it the largest wind farm in Central America.
Despite most birders’ reservations regarding wind turbines, there are also some excellent birding spots around. The pine forests interspersed with fields of flowering “pie de niño” and “red salvia” here attract lots of hummingbirds, and if we are lucky, we may even see the elusive Sparkling-tailed Woodstar or Slender Sheartail! There will also be Olive Warbler, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Groove-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Eastern Bluebird, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Bushy-crested Jay, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Lesser Roadrunner, Crested Bobwhite and many other species to observe.
Afterwards, we have lunch somewhere back in Tegus, after which we drive to Marcala, in the central highlands of the La Paz department, situated to the west. The small city has a strong indigenous heritage and lies at the southern end of Honduras’ ‘Ruta Lenca’, a collection of Lenca villages and a stronghold of Lencan culture. The region is known for its coffee production, boasting the first “protected origin denomination” for coffee, and you can actually smell the coffee all around you when walking in the streets!
If we arrive before nightfall, we will go birding around our hotel, which offers great habitat for high altitude pine species such as the Black-vented and Yellow-backed Oriole, Red Crossbill, Golden-fronted and Golden-olive Woodpecker, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Common Black Hawk, Lesson’s Motmot and Eastern Meadowlark. There is also a pond where we could see Purple and Common Gallinule, Muscovy Duck, Sora, Great Egret, Green and Little Blue Heron, Green and Amazon Kingfisher, and Ruddy Crake.
We will get together for dinner and if we are not too tired after our day of birding, we can go owling after dinner, looking for Great Horned Owl, Whiskered Screech Owl and Fulvous Owl.
This morning we go birding around Cerro de Hula, an area south of Tegucigalpa which is mostly known for its wind farms. Cerro de Hula has 63 strategically placed wind turbines that can produce up to 126MW of power, which benefits approximately 120,000 homes and making it the largest wind farm in Central America.
Despite most birders’ reservations regarding wind turbines, there are also some excellent birding spots around. The pine forests interspersed with fields of flowering “pie de niño” and “red salvia” here attract lots of hummingbirds, and if we are lucky, we may even see the elusive Sparkling-tailed Woodstar or Slender Sheartail! There will also be Olive Warbler, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Groove-billed Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, Eastern Bluebird, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Bushy-crested Jay, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, Lesser Roadrunner, Crested Bobwhite and many other species to observe.
Afterwards, we have lunch somewhere back in Tegus, after which we drive to Marcala, in the central highlands of the La Paz department, situated to the west. The small city has a strong indigenous heritage and lies at the southern end of Honduras’ ‘Ruta Lenca’, a collection of Lenca villages and a stronghold of Lencan culture. The region is known for its coffee production, boasting the first “protected origin denomination” for coffee, and you can actually smell the coffee all around you when walking in the streets!
If we arrive before nightfall, we will go birding around our hotel, which offers great habitat for high altitude pine species such as the Black-vented and Yellow-backed Oriole, Red Crossbill, Golden-fronted and Golden-olive Woodpecker, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Common Black Hawk, Lesson’s Motmot and Eastern Meadowlark. There is also a pond where we could see Purple and Common Gallinule, Muscovy Duck, Sora, Great Egret, Green and Little Blue Heron, Green and Amazon Kingfisher, and Ruddy Crake.
We will get together for dinner and if we are not too tired after our day of birding, we can go owling after dinner, looking for Great Horned Owl, Whiskered Screech Owl and Fulvous Owl.
Day 4:
Birding at El Jilguero Reserve (Opatoro-Guajiquiro)
We will enjoy some excellent local coffee with our breakfast and then head out on our day’s excursion. We will enjoy lunch either on-the-go somewhere in a nice spot or at a local restaurant. We will return to our hotel in Marcala in the late afternoon.
All of today we will spend in the Opatoro-Guajiquiro highlands of the coffee-rich El Jilguero reserve and its surrounds. We will drive through patches of farmland, coffee plantations, pine-oak forest and cloud forest in search of some northern Central American specialties that are difficult to see elsewhere. Our targets are Blue-throated Motmot, Green-throated Mountaingem, Black-throated Jay, Rufous-collared Thrush, Fulvous Owl, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Flame-coloured Tanager, White-faced Quail-Dove, Highland Guan and Mountain Trogon.
Other species we could encounter include Black-capped Swallow, Buffy-crowned Wood Partridge, Brown-backed and Slate-coloured Solitaire, Resplendent Quetzal, Collared Trogon, Rivoli’s and Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Amethyst-throated Mountaingem, Black-vented Oriole, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Sparkling-tailed Woodstar, Great Swallow-tailed Swift, Northern Flicker, Yellowish Flycatcher, Slate-throated Whitestart, Hairy Woodpecker, Grace’s, Townsend’s and Tennessee Warbler, Black Thrush, Black-headed Siskin and many others.
After our exciting day we will return to the hotel in Marcala to freshen up. Then we have dinner together while we update our lists and show off our best photographs. Thereafter we head to our rooms for a good night’s rest.
Day 5:
El Consejero Private Reserve, transfer to Gracias
We will start with a scrumptious breakfast and some more top quality coffee and then check out of our hotel. After some morning birding in the area for species we might have missed, we will drive northwest to Gracias, in the western department of Lempira.
But along the way, we make another birding stop in La Esperanza, at the Bu family’s private reserve and hummingbird garden, El Consejero. The owners of this beautiful reserve have created a hummingbird garden that attracts many highland hummers such as Azure-crowned, Amethyst-throated, Rivoli’s, Ruby-throated (during migration) and White-eared Hummingbird, Mexican Violetear, Sparkling-tailed Woodstar and many others. The hummingbird garden helps the family gain some extra income and encourages them to keep protecting the property that has in the meantime been recognized by the government as an official private reserve!
Photographing these gorgeous avian wonders here is very easy, as the birds are constantly at the feeders. Julio Cesar Bu, the owner, has also planted nectar-rich flowers and provided many perches so the birds can pose for our cameras!
The pine forest trails through the reserve also offer good opportunities to see several other higher altitude species, including Bushy-crested and Steller’s Jay, Cabanis’s Wren, Brown-backed Solitaire, Grace’s and Wilson’s Warbler, Acorn Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northern Crested Caracara and many others.
After feasting our eyes on the hummers we will continue to the small town of Gracias. This pretty, tranquil, cobblestoned town has a rich history that is reflected in its centuries-old buildings, colonial churches and impressive fort. It received its name (gracias means “thanks” in Spanish) because it is said that upon arriving at the city of Gracias, the Spanish explorers, tired after having trekked through the mountainous terrain, said “Gracias a Dios hemos llegado a tierra plana,” meaning “Thank God we have arrived at flat land.”
We will go to our hotel, check in and freshen up. Then we will have dinner and update our growing trip lists. Then we are off to bed for a good night’s sleep; tomorrow we go searching for some very special birds.
Day 6:
Birding at Honduran Emerald and Ocellated Quail locations
Once again we start our day with breakfast and coffee.
The main reason many people to come to Gracias is to explore the mountainous, forested countryside around the town itself and perhaps climb El Cerro de las Minas (2,870 m/9,420 ft above sea level) in Parque Nacional Montaña de Celaque, the country’s highest peak.
However, we are here for other reasons! Today we search for the only endemic bird of Honduras identified so far: the Honduran Emerald. Considered Critically Endangered until recently, this beautiful hummer was downlisted to Endangered by Birdlife International after populations were rediscovered in the west of the country where we are today.
This region is also home to many other drier-country birds, amongst others the Elegant Trogon, Striped Cuckoo, Turquoise-browed Motmot and many more. We will also be on the lookout for other species, including White-fronted Amazon, Altamira, Streak-backed and Baltimore Oriole, Clay-coloured Thrush, Melodious Blackbird, Masked Tityra, Zone-tailed and Common Black Hawk, Yellow-throated Vireo, Least, Social, Yellow-bellied, Boat-billed and Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and many more.
Along the Río Grande and its associated lakes, we will also see some water birds such as Great Blue and Green Heron, Northern Jacana, Purple Gallinule, Blue-winged Teal, Black Phoebe, different kingfisher species and many more.
In the afternoon, we will drive up into Celaque National Park. This 266 km2 (103 sq mi) park was established in 1987 and is undoubtedly one of Honduras’ most impressive national parks. Apart from boasting the country’s highest peak, the lushly forested and rugged park also thrills with several rivers and a majestic waterfall visible from far away. The park is rich in fauna and flora species, especially since it has an extreme elevation range of 975 to 2,870 metres (3,199 to 9,416 ft) above sea level.
We are here to get one of our tour’s target birds, the elusive Ocellated Quail. A hard bird to get, but Celaque offers some excellent opportunities, so keep your fingers crossed that we are some of the lucky few to get a glimpse of this shy but beautiful quail, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN RedList. Other species we may see up here are King, Turkey and Black Vulture, Crested Bobwhite, Azure-crowned and White-eared Hummingbird, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Bushy-crested Jay, Acorn, Lineated, Golden-olive and Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Vaux’s Swift, Black-throated Green, Wilson’s, Golden-winged, Magnolia, Grace’s and Black-and-white Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Common Bush and Summer Tanager, Black-headed Siskin, Blue-headed Vireo and many more.
We will return to our accommodations in Gracias, have dinner and socialize into the evening, hopefully having ticked two big tour targets.
Day 7:
Celaque National Park, transfer to Lake Yojoa
Today we start with breakfast and some more good local coffee. Then we pack up, check out and head back into the nearby Celaque National Park.
This morning we walk the lower elevation trails of the park. We will look out for the Mesoamerican endemic Bushy-Crested Jay, Laughing Falcon, Turquoise-browed Motmot, some resident warblers such as the Common Yellowthroat and Rufous-capped Warbler, and other birds like the Altamira Oriole, Black-headed Saltator, Mountain Trogon, Flame-coloured Tanager and Yellow-backed Oriole among others.
After our morning birding, we drive in a northeasterly direction to our next destination. We will make a stop along the way in a secret spot to look for herons, ducks and other waterfowl, but also a variety of tanagers, warblers, honeycreepers, flycatchers and more.
We then head further to Lake Yojoa, home to the biggest variety of bird species in Honduras. This stunning lake is the largest in the country (79 km²/30.5 sq mi), lies at an altitude of 700 metres (2,300 ft) and has an average depth of 15 metres (50 ft).
The west side of the lake is bordered by steep mountains and the Santa Bárbara National Park while the east side is adjacent to Cerro Azul Meambar National Park. This popular fishing destination has a rich biodiversity (almost 400 species of birds and 800 plant species have been identified in the region) and is also a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.
Upon arrival at our hotel, it will be time for dinner and relaxation, so we are ready for another full day tomorrow.
Day 8:
Lake Yojoa and Panacam
Today we are going to see some great birds!
We do our early morning birding around the beautiful lake. Local fishermen will take us out in their rowboats on the canal and the lake, where we will search for species such as Pinnated and Least Bittern, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Limpkin and the tiny Yellow-breasted Crake.
Other more common species we could tick include American Coot, Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling Duck, American Wigeon, Great and Snowy Egret, Wood Stork, Common Gallinule, Blue-winged Teal, Roseate Spoonbill, Ring-necked and Muscovy Duck, Lesser Scaup, Least and Pied-billed Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great-tailed Grackle, Snail Kite, Brown Jay, Montezuma and Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Olive-throated Parakeet, Green-breasted Mango, Amazon Kingfisher, American Redstart, Chestnut-collared and White-collared Swift, Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Great Kiskadee, Social and Piratic Flycatcher, Blue-gray and Yellow-winged Tanager, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting and many others.
Mammals we could see here include Neotropical Otter and Variegated Squirrel.
In the afternoon, there will be time for birding around the famous Panacam Lodge, a great place to look for Keel-billed, Lesson’s and Tody Motmot, Black-crested Coquette, Collared Araçari, Masked Tityra, Long-billed Hermit, White-bellied Emerald, Violet Sabrewing, Keel-billed Toucan, Gartered and Collared Trogon, White-crowned and Brown-hooded Parrot, Red-lored and White-fronted Amazon, Barred Parakeet, Grey-headed and Grey-chested Dove, Short-billed Pigeon, Plain Chachalaca, Great and Little Tinamou, Northern Bentbill, White-collared Manakin, Rufous-and-white Wren, Dusky Antbird, Scaled Antpitta, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Green-backed Sparrow and Prevost’s Ground Sparrow, several flycatchers, warblers and many others.
This area is also famous for its fantastic butterflies, and some of the stunning species we could see include Orange Daggerwing, Clear-winged Mimic-white and Blushing Phantom. Aren’t those names just fantastic!
We will settle in for dinner and some socializing into the evening. It might be a good idea to start chatting about where we would like to go on our next birding tour together!
Day 9:
Montana Santa Barbara National Park and visit to Montaña de Vida project
We will start our day with breakfast and then head out.
This morning, we visit the Montaña de Vida ecotourism project. Three communities up in the Santa Barbara mountains are trying to protect a beautiful patch of forest for the future. They have decided to make the change from exclusive coffee growing to providing sustainable tourism services. They have for example built a series of beautiful trails that offer excellent birdwatching opportunities.
Very early in the morning, we drive up to the community. That should take us about an hour. The Parque Nacional Santa Bárbara that we are in, contains the country’s second highest peak (Montaña de Santa Bárbara at 2,744 metres/9,003 ft above sea level) within its 121 km2 (47 sq mi) area. The park boasts extensive cloud forest and the largest limestone massif in Central America. The beautiful area is blessed with caves, underground rivers and bubbling springs, and over 400 species of orchids call the area home.
Upon arrival at the community we will enjoy breakfast with one of the local families. After that we start looking for birds such as the Pheasant Cuckoo, Resplendent Quetzal, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, White-breasted Hawk, Green-throated Mountaingem, Buffy-crowned Wood Partridge, Slate-coloured Solitaire, Rusty Sparrow, Collared Trogon, Spotted and Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Scaly-throated and Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush, Chestnut-capped and White-naped Brushfinch, Spot-breasted Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, Flame-coloured Tanager, Morelet’s Seedeater, Eye-ringed Flatbill and many, many more.
We will spend the full day birding in the park, enjoying the stunning scenery and diverse and numerous fauna and flora species on offer. We will enjoy dinner at our accommodation and update our trip lists before turning in for a good night’s rest.
Day 10:
Birding in Luna del Puente and transfer to Pico Bonito National Park
Today is basically a travel day, but don’t worry, we will still get some good birding done on the way to the north.
On our way to the coast, we stop at one of the most diverse locations for birding. Eco-Finca Luna del Puente is a coffee and cocoa farm and a private nature reserve. Its main objective is protecting the environment by raising awareness of biodiversity and applying sustainable agroforestry practices. The finca (Spanish for an “estate”) has also created some excellent birdwatching trails, which we are more than happy to explore. We will be on the lookout for Northern Potoo, Green Jay, Blue-throated Sapphire, Tody Motmot, White-collared Manakin, Prevost’s Ground Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cacique and many more.
As the owner of the finca, Cecilia, also serves an excellent breakfast, we will enjoy a traditional Honduran típico at brunch time before taking back to the road and continuing our way north to our next destination, the Pico Bonito National Park. We will spend the final few days of the tour in the area in and around the fantastic park.
Pico Bonito, close to the tourist city of La Ceiba, covers some 564 km2 (218 sq mi) with an altitude range of 60 to 2,480 metres (200 to 8,136 ft) above sea level. The park is included in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which is a natural land bridge that connects North and South America. The corridor is used by many species for migration and as much as 10% of the world’s species can be found in this region!
The densely forested mountain slopes (Pico Bonito translates as “pretty peak”) harbour abundant wildlife, including Jaguar, Baird’s Tapir, Northern Tamandua, armadillos, White-tailed Deer, squirrels, monkeys (including Panamanian White-faced Capuchin), Central American Agouti, many snake species, and of course, fantastic birds. Some of the top birds of the park include Great Curassow, Crested and Highland Guan, Resplendent Quetzal, Lovely Cotinga, Yellow-crowned Amazon, Barred Antshrike and Slate-coloured Solitaire.
There are also some spectacular waterfalls in the park boundaries, as well as the mighty Cangrejal river. The river is broad and offers some challenging rapids, which makes it one of Central America’s best whitewater rafting destinations.
We will arrive at our lodge late in the afternoon. Then we freshen up and enjoy dinner while we add some species to our trip lists. Afterwards we are off to bed for a good night’s rest.
Day 11:
Rio Santiago Nature Resort
We will start our day with an early breakfast and then go for a hike at the beautiful trails of nearby Rio Santiago Nature Resort.
This family-run resort is adjacent to Pico Bonito National Park and is flanked by the stunningly scenic Santiago river, and four crystalline mountain streams tumble over waterfalls through the reserve that covers about 150 acres.
Here, we will have the chance of seeing some stunners such as Lovely Cotinga, White Hawk, Olive-backed Euphonia, Golden-hooded Tanager, Keel-billed Toucan, Black-headed Trogon, Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Black-crested Coquette, Green and Shining Honeycreeper, Spectacled Owl, Central American Pygmy Owl, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Northern Royal Flycatcher, Dot-winged Antwren, Rufous Mourner, Sunbittern and many more.
After our hike, we spend the rest of the day ‘lazy birding’ around the dining area of our lodge. That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t see plenty of birds. Rio Santiago is also known as the “hummingbird capital of Central America”. More than 20 different species of hummingbirds have been recorded here, and many of them come to the feeders at the restaurant: White-necked Jacobin, Brown Violetear, Violet Sabrewing, Crowned Woodnymph, Blue-throated Sapphire, Blue-tailed, Rufous-tailed and Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Stripe-throated and Long-billed Hermit, White-bellied Emerald and many others. Get your cameras ready!
We will get together in the evening for dinner and to update our trip lists, and chat about where we have all birded before and where we would go next if money was no object! Then we are off to bed after an exciting day of ticking lifers!
Day 12:
Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge
We will start our day nice and early with breakfast and then get going. We are heading for the Caribbean coast!
On the schedule today is a visit to Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. Named for the Cuero and Salado rivers which here meet the ocean, the refuge comprises over 35,000 acres of rivers, lagoons, mangroves and forests that are home to diverse wildlife and a variety of birds species; over 350 at the last count. It was designated a protected area in 1986 because of its endangered West Indian Manatee population, as well as the complex series of saltwater and freshwater wetlands it contains.
We board the only train that is still functioning in Honduras – it dates to the times of the ‘Banana republic’ and was indeed used to transport bananas. What remains now is are two rickety little wagons racing over crooked rails. Lots of fun! Birding from the train is always exciting, as even the conductor is eager to stop and point out species of interest along the way. We could see Glossy Ibis, Bat Falcon, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Black-cowled Oriole and Northern Crested Caracara.
At the visitors’ centre, we board a motorboat that will take us onto the rivers and canals of the Cuero y Salado mangroves. Our guides and boat handlers are superbly trained spotters and when needed, prefer to silence our boat’s motor and quietly paddle in for a better look.
Top species that we will try to get good looks at here include Agami and Boat-billed Heron, Jabiru, Wood Stork, Sungrebe, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, White-necked Puffbird, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Black-crowned Antshrike and many more.
Other birds we could pick up during our visit today include Western Osprey, Roadside Hawk, Royal and Sandwich Tern, Brown Pelican, Tricoloured Heron, Anhinga, Neotropic Cormorant, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Laughing Gull, Belted, Amazon and Ringed Kingfisher, Least and Spotted Sandpiper, Black-bellied and Collared Plover, Magnificent Frigatebird and many, many more.
Lunch will be prepared by a local family upon our return from the boat ride, after which we do some more birding in the area.
Some of the other tropical fauna we could spot today include Mantled Howler Monkey, Northern Tamandua, White-nosed Coati, Northern Raccoon, Green Iguana, American Crocodile and Common Caiman. Also, remember to look around the buildings for the resident Proboscis Bat population.
Late in the afternoon we will return to our accommodation after an exciting day to freshen up. The it’s dinner time before we relax and go to bed for a good night’s rest.
Day 13:
Pico Bonito Lodge
Our final full day has unfortunately arrived.
We will enjoy another hearty breakfast and then head to our last destination of this wonderful tour.Pico Bonito Lodge combines the adventure of the outdoors, the beauty of the rainforest and the personal service of a boutique hotel. In this luxurious setting, we enjoy yet another splendid birding day, as the area offers an incredibly varied array of bird species, with an impressive 420 different species having been ticked here in the past. We will spend our day strolling through the stunning tropical forests and plantation areas along the Rio Coloradito, and might even venture up to the “Toucan Tower” from where the views are truly breathtaking.
Today we will look for many special species, including Brown-hooded and White-crowned Parrot, White-fronted Amazon, Little, Slaty-breasted and Great Tinamou, Lovely Cotinga, Grey-chested Dove, Olive-throated Parakeet, Collared Aracari, Black-cheeked, Pale-billed and Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker, Wedge-billed and Cocoa Woodcreeper, Paltry Tyrannulet, Middle American Screech Owl, White Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, King Vulture, Great Potoo, Violet-headed and Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, Blue-throated Sapphire, Violet Sabrewing, Purple-crowned Fairy, Green and Brown Violetear, Slaty-tailed, Gartered and Collared Trogon, Red-capped and White-collared Manakin, White-breasted Wood Wren, Russet Antshrike, White-throated Thrush, Olive-backed Euphonia, Kentucky Warbler, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Giant Cowbird, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Red-throated and Red-crowned Ant Tanager, Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, Keel-billed and Blue-crowned Motmot, Green Shrike-Vireo and Black-faced Grosbeak to name but a few.
This area is also excellent for fantastically coloured butterflies, and some of the species we could see today are Orange-spotted Tiger Clearwing, Common Morpho, Brilliant Anastrus and Split-spotted Owl-Butterfly. Also keep an eye out for the impressive Common Basilisk lizards we might see around the lodge, along with snakes like Eyelash Palm Pit Viper and Common Boa. Mammals we are likely to see include Margay, Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, Variegated Squirrel, Black-handed Spider Monkey and Grey Four-eyed Opossum.
We will return to our accommodation to freshen up and then get together for our official Nature Travel Birding farewell dinner after an incredible Honduras birding tour. We will socialise into the evening, having made friends for life, and then head to bed for a good night’s sleep.
Day 14:
Transfer to San Pedro Sula airport and Departure
We will start the day with a final breakfast together.
We then drive to San Pedro Sula (about 3 hours) to the west. San Pedro Sula is Honduras’ primary industrial centre and the second largest city after the capital Tegucigalpa.
On the way we will reminisce about an unforgettable Honduras birding experience. We will also exchange e-mail addresses so we can all keep in contact in the future. If there is time (depending on flight times) there might be a short stop to look for one of the region’s most striking birds, Elegant Euphonia.We will say our goodbyes at the airport, and everyone will depart on their homeward or onward flights.
Do you have a quick question about this birding tour? Speak to a specialist at
info@naturetravelbirding.com
