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Birdwatching in Belize
Over 500 species of birds make their winter or full-time
home in Belize. Actually Corozal is not really a Mecca for
birds, although we have ten or fifteen speceis regularly
visiting our back yard. Crooked
Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, outside of Belmopan, has over
450 species of birds at one time or another. A lot of
those are listed here.
Here are some sites which will tell you lots about
birdwatching in Belize
Birdwatching
on Ambergris Caye. This
is a wonderful site. It features Elbert Greer
and his Labrador "Bubba". Elbert has just
published a book called Birdwatching with Bubba but you
can see most of his writing on the website
if you'd rather buy i-time than kill a tree. <grin>
You can get to Ambergris Caye quickly and fairly cheaply
from Corozal. Check out the San Pedro water taxi here.
Or, check Maya Island Air here.
Belize
Audubon Society. More
than a bunch of birdwatchers, the Belize Audubon Society is
the "Sierra Club of Belize," constantly active in
eco-tourism and activities to protect the
environment.
Birding In Belize.
This wonderful website features a bunch of tours originating in
Cayo -- the most populated western district in Belize.
Belize
Zoo. "The Best Little Zoo
in the World." Founded in 1983 by Sharon Matola,
this zoo hosts 10,000 students and 600 teachers every
year. The founder is a eco-activist, leading the
opposition to the Chalillo dam on the Macal River.
Loco
Belize. Part
of a large website called "Loco Gringo," this
website is a pretty good vector to all activities (including
birdwatching) in Belize. Of course, if you enter
Google with
"birdwatching belize" you will find thousands of
ways to spend your money!
PACT.
48% of Belize is Protected Areas, more than
any other country on earth. PACT, the Protected Areas
Conservation Trust, is funded by a $7.50 monthly exit tax
paid by all tourists. Click here
to see (and print) a map of these protected areas.
The Trust is used to fund projects which
create new protected areas, and enhance them for tourists
and residents alike. For instance, fishermen who used
to fish waters of the the newly founded Swallow Caye
Wildlife Sanctuary are being trained to guide tourists from
Belize City and Caye Caulker.
My Big Bird Book is Howell's
I take it on trips, but it is pretty big (850 pp) to tote
around along with a pair of binoculars. A better
alternative might be...A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America
My Bag List
is not very long, because I'm not really a
birder. I just sometimes write them down in my big
bird book when I see them.
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