Guatemala

Day 1: Participants will be met on arrival in Guatemala City for transfer to our hotel in Antigua, often described as the most beautiful city in all of Central America. Our first introductory meeting will be at dinner at our hotel, followed by a night in Antigua.

Day 2: We’ll load up early and make the hour-long drive to Finca El Zapote, on the south slopes of Volcán de Fuego. Here, we’ll have a wonderful breakfast in the garden with our first Guatemalan birds surrounding us: Orange-fronted and Pacific Parakeets might be zipping around, Rufous-naped Wrens should be bouncing conspicuously through the trees, Turquoise-browed Motmot could perch conspicuously, and flocks of migrant warblers will mingle with Yellow-winged Tanagers and Red-legged Honeycreepers. We’ll have the full morning to explore the finca, paying special attention to the understory for Tody Motmot, Bushy-crested Jay, and whatever else might catch our eye. After lunch, we’ll continue driving towards Los Tarrales, our exciting birding destination for the next few days.

Days 3-4: We’ll have two full days to explore Los Tarrales, a private nature reserve that encompasses a wide elevation range and lots of special birds. We’ll try to cover as much habitat as possible, exploring the trails around the lodge for lower-elevation species like White-bellied Chachalaca, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Orange-fronted, Orange-chinned, and Pacific Parakeets, Long-billed Starthroat, Barred Antshrike, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, Long-tailed Manakin, and White-winged Tanager. Tody Motmot is a distinct possibility, although it’s gotten more difficult to see here in recent years. The higher elevations of Los Tarrales are often productive for some of the hardest specialties of the region, including Azure-rumped Tanager, Bar-winged Oriole, and Emerald-chinned Hummingbird. Nights at Los Tarrales.

Day 5: We’ll make an early departure from Los Tarrales and drive to the south shore of Lake Atitlan, where we’ll have a full morning to look for various specialties. There are multiple birding options here, and we’ll decide on an exact plan based on what we’ve already seen at Los Tarrales. We’ll likely take a hike on a narrow forest trail that has produced goodies like Gray-collared Becard, Bar-winged Oriole, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, and Blue-crowned Chlorophonia in the past. We’ll then take a boat across Lake Atitlán (a wonderful experience!) and have lunch at a lakeside hotel near Panajachel, before a three- to five-hour drive to the town of San Marcos. Night in San Marcos.

Day 6: We have a full day to explore the area around San Marcos. Our primary target in the morning will be one of the jewels of the birding world: Resplendent Quetzal. With some luck, we hope to catch a glimpse of the extraordinary male with his elongated uppertail coverts. The northern populations are vocally, visually, and genetically distinct from the birds in Costa Rica and Panama, a potential split that adds intrigue to an already intriguing bird! After lunch at a local house (with Rufous and Violet Sabrewings!), we’ll have a short break back at our hotel and continue our afternoon birding at slightly higher elevations. Here, we hope to run across birds like Pink-headed Warbler, White-naped Brushfinch, and perhaps Black Thrush. Night in San Marcos.

Day 7: We have another morning to explore San Marcos before heading further west towards Sibinal. This exciting area is relatively little-birded and we’re sure to have a fun morning of birding, with possibilities including Azure-rumped Tanager, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Brown-capped Vireo, Flame-colored Tanager, Hooded Grosbeak, and Blue-crowned Chlorophonia. If we’re really lucky, we might even find the scarce Black-crested Coquette. After lunch in San Marcos, we’ll drive a couple hours and wind up in the small town of Sibinal. We’ll try to arrive in time for some rest before dinner in preparation for the following morning. Night in Sibinal.

Day 8: We’ll have an early breakfast (04:30) and head to a trail on the slopes of Volcán Tacaná. Our primary target today is the enigmatic Horned Guan, which is usually but not always present – depending on recent weather conditions, we may or may not encounter the fruiting trees favored by the guan. This is a very steep hike, and we’ll be close to 10,000 feet in elevation, but it’s much shorter and easier than the other available options for Horned Guan. We’ll take it slow, birding on the way. The forest here is beautiful, full of Pink-headed Warblers, Amethyst-throated Hummingbirds, and Blue-throated Motmots. Other enticing possibilities include Yellow Grosbeak (the ultra-saturated Guatemalan (sub)species) and maybe even Black-capped Siskin. We’ll spend a full morning on the trail, followed by a simple and delicious lunch at the house of our local guide. Our afternoon plan will depend on what birds we see in the morning. We’ll be back in Sibinal for a relatively early dinner and much-needed sleep!

Day 9: Our second morning around Sibinal will be spent birding some nearby roadsides, which are thick with Pink-headed Warblers and could harbor Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo. We’ll try to clean up some of the highland species we’re still missing, perhaps including the uncommon and shy Black-throated Jay or the skulky Rufous-browed Wren. Black-capped Siskin is another target in this area. We’ll have an early lunch at a local village, and then load up for another long drive. This time, we’re heading for the town of Huehuetenango, a drive that will likely take around five hours. Night in Huehuetenango.

Day 10: Our morning will begin with bundling in all our layers, as this will surely be the chilliest day of the tour. We’ll drive to Todos Santos Cuchumatan, the best spot in the world to see the stunning Goldman’s Warbler. Once considered a subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler, this bird has recently been shown to have substantially different genetics. To the birder, it’s different in just about every other way too: appearance, voice, size, shape, and range! The Goldman’s is found only in Guatemala, and even here it is restricted to high-elevation areas with junipers and pines. Surely seeing this beauty will be one of the highlights of the tour. We have a full day to explore this incredible plateau, with lunch at a cozy local restaurant. Other interesting possibilities up here include Ocellated and Singing Quails, Garnet-throated Hummingbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Rock Wren, Olive Warbler, Pink-headed Warbler, siskins (the strange perplexus subspecies of Pine Siskin occurs here, as well as the rarer Black-capped), and the Guatemalan subspecies of Yellow-eyed Junco and Northern Flicker (both probable splits). Night in Huehuetenango.

Day 11: Today is mostly a travel day. We’ll drive approximately two hours from Huehuetenango to Xela, where we’ll hop on a short internal flight back to Guatemala City. We should arrive around mid-day, and we’ll head straight to a farewell lunch to celebrate our time in the Guatemala highlands! We end the main tour at the airport with drop-offs for evening flights home, or transfers to your hotel for an optional extra night in the city.

Those continuing on the extension will take a short flight to Flores for the night.

Tikal Extension

Day 12: We’ll start the morning quite early near the town of Santa Ana, an area of open savannah and scrub. Before the heat sets in, we’ll make a special effort to find Black Catbird, a Yucatán specialty. The supporting cast might include Vermilion Flycatcher, Black-throated Bobwhite, Olive Sparrow, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Botteri’s Sparrow, and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat. Depending on the weather, we’ll also probably spend some time at a local reserve called Ixpanpajul, which harbors a good mix of forest species (often including Keel-billed Toucan, Black-headed Trogon, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, White-breasted Wood-Wren, and Blue Bunting).

We’ll have lunch and a mid-day break at our hotel before heading back out again. We’ll probably check some nearby marshes (by foot or by boat!) that can be loaded with Purple Gallinules, Northern Jacanas, Neotropic Cormorants, and perhaps even Least or Pinnated Bitterns.

Day 13: An early morning will see us driving to Yaxha, a short distance southeast of Tikal. Named for its proximity to the sparkling turquoise waters of the nearby lagoons, Yaxha (“Yax” = green, “Ha” = water) was occupied for some 1500 years up to about the year 900. The impressive ruins of the Maya city are aligned along an arrow-straight axis nearly a mile long and culminate in the monumental buildings of the Eastern Acropolis. The fine forest surrounding the site abounds with tropical birds, including the dramatic Pale-billed Woodpecker and a variety of colorful parrots, trogons, toucans, hummingbirds, and tanagers. We have a good chance at Yucatan Flycatcher, and perhaps Gray-throated Chat or Blue Bunting. We’ll keep an eye out overhead for King Vulture, and the resident Bat Falcon is likely to greet us too. We’ll have lunch near Yaxha and head to Tikal in the early afternoon to check into our hotel. We’ll have an optional evening outing bird around the hotel grounds and parking lot of Tikal, which is often loaded with parrots, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Ocellated Turkey, and more! Night at Tikal.

Day 14: Guatemala’s first national park, Tikal, is, simply put, one of a kind; a combination of nature and culture without parallel. Orange-breasted Falcons nest on breathtaking pyramids, and Ocellated Turkeys wander around unconcernedly just as they likely did in the days of the classical Maya. We also have a good chance of seeing Crested Guan and another of the prizes among the cracids, Great Curassow, which is relatively confiding (but still uncommon) under the protected conditions of the national park.

We’ll make the most of our full day here, departing at 4:30am and walking into the park to experience sunrise atop one of the pyramids. This can be a great way to listen to the forest come alive at dawn, with parrots (White-crowned, White-fronted, Red-lored, and Mealy) flying around, Keel-billed Toucans and Brown Jays in the canopy, Ridgway’s Rough-winged Swallow and Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift overhead, raptors in the distance, and usually a surprise or two! Among the many other possibilities are Russet-naped Wood-Rail, White-bellied Emerald, Slaty-tailed, Gartered, and Black-headed Trogons, Tody Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Keel-billed Toucan, several species of woodcreeper including Tawny-winged, Ruddy, and Northern Barred, Northern Bentbill, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Royal Flycatcher, White-bellied and Spot-breasted Wrens, White-collared Manakin, Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, Olive-backed Euphonia, and Montezuma Oropendola. We’ll probably see well over 100 species in total! Night in Tikal.

Day 15: We’ll spend another morning around Tikal, perhaps focusing on some secondary forest nearby for more localized specialties like Gray-throated Chat, Yucatan Flycatcher, Mangrove Vireo, and Rose-throated Tanager. Depending on flight schedules, we’ll head back to Flores at some point in the afternoon, stopping for lunch and birding along the way. We’ll fly back to Guatemala City in the afternoon or evening and enjoy a scrumptious farewell dinner before our departures home. Night in Guatemala City.

Day 16: The extension ends with transfers to the airport for flights home.

2025 Narrative

IN BRIEF: Our birding journey through Guatemala was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with vibrant landscapes, rich culture, and an unforgettable group of fellow birders. Highlights included sightings of some of the region’s most sought-after species—chief among them the Resplendent Quetzal, glowing in emerald and crimson, and the elusive Horned Guan, perched high in the cloud forests. We marveled at the rarity of the Ocellated Quail and the dazzling strawberry color of the Pink-headed Warbler and bright green Blue-crowned Chlorophonias. The majestic Orange-breasted Falcon gave us a thrilling show, while the iridescent beauty of the Ocellated Turkey stood out among the ancient ruins of Tikal. From misty mountain trails to lush lowland jungles, each stop revealed new wonders and avian treasures. But perhaps most memorable of all was the camaraderie and shared excitement of our group—curious, kind-hearted, and full of joy in every moment of discovery.

IN DETAIL: Our adventure began in the heart of Antigua, where our group gathered at the charming Posada de Don Rodrigo for our welcome dinner. Over local beers and introductions, conversations quickly turned to birds, culture, and the excitement of the days ahead. The mood was light and full of anticipation. With an early start awaiting us the next morning, we turned in early to get some rest.

We departed Antigua at 5:00 AM, sipping coffee in the hotel lobby before heading towards the Pacific lowlands. Our destination: the picturesque Finca El Zapote, nestled on the southern slopes of the Fuego Volcano. As day broke, we arrived and began birding in the lush gardens, immediately greeted by a flurry of activity — Yellow-winged Tanagers, Rufous-backed Wrens, and several flocks of Pacific Parakeets lit up the morning.

After a hearty breakfast beneath a sprawling Guanacaste tree, we jumped into a truck for a ride up the volcano. The birding was challenging, with many birds heard but not seen — a familiar tune in these dense habitats. Still, persistence paid off. We managed solid views of the elusive White-eared Ground-Sparrow, a few Golden-crowned Warblers, and a striking Chestnut-capped Warbler before descending for lunch. In the afternoon, we continued our journey to the Tarrales Nature Reserve, where we would spend the next few days immersed in birding paradise.

The next morning began early once more. After coffee at the lodge, we headed out at 5:00 AM to Vesubio — a now-abandoned coffee-picking village nestled on the slopes of Atitlán Volcano. The birding started with a bang: a pair of Hooded Grosbeaks, notoriously difficult to spot, made a surprise appearance. The area was alive with birds, and we spent a full hour soaking in incredible views of rarities like the Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge and the Elegant Euphonia.

The day continued to impress. We were treated to sightings of two highly sought-after, range-restricted species — Azure-rumped Tanager and Bar-winged Oriole — followed by breathtaking looks at a pair of Blue-crowned Chlorophonias. But perhaps the most dramatic moment came when an Ornate Hawk-Eagle gave a dazzling aerial display over the valley, its flight a true spectacle. Just before dusk, as we thought the day couldn’t get any better, we witnessed a massive flock of Swainson’s Hawks migrating north — hundreds of them sweeping across the sky. After the excitement, we returned to Tarrales for freshly baked pizzas and cold beers, and then gratefully collapsed into bed.

After sleeping in until 5:00 am, we started the day with a cup of fresh Tarrales coffee before heading out towards La Isla, a lower section of the plantation located at around 1,100 meters above sea level — a perfect vantage point for scanning the skies for raptors. On the way, we finally caught up with two Crested Guans after a bit of stalking. Once we arrived at the lookout, we unpacked breakfast but nearly forgot to eat it as an incredible spectacle unfolded before us: an enormous kettle of raptors rose over the ridge, soaring the thermals to gain altitude for their journey north. As one kettle drifted westward, another would form behind it. On closer inspection, we discovered that they were nearly all Swainson’s Hawks, including several rare dark morphs. We conservatively estimated over 1,500 individuals during this half-hour display — an absolutely breathtaking show!

After the raptor show, we added a few more birds to the list, including several Broad-winged Hawks. A Green Shrike-Vireo responded well to some coaxing and gave us great views. One last stop remained for the morning: a lookout where we hoped to spot the majestic King Vulture. Not long after Eve picked out a Great Black Hawk, the King himself soared into view, making for a spectacular finale to the morning.

The afternoon, though shortened by an approaching rain shower, still delivered some incredible moments. One participant had her heart set on the Long-tailed Manakin, so we set off for the Rinconada with that goal in mind. Amazingly, just as we got out of the car, two beautiful males appeared in the tangles and offered unusually long views. As if that wasn’t enough, our luck held strong when we found two Black-and-white Owls — a pair that hadn’t been seen in months. After extended scope views and plenty of photos, the rain began to creep in, and we happily called it a day, retiring to our rooms after yet another unforgettable day at Tarrales.

Before breakfast, we headed to the soccer field to track down a few species we hadn’t yet seen well. Several flocks of Orange-chinned and Pacific Parakeets later, we sat down to enjoy a relaxed breakfast before departing Los Tarrales. Our next destination for the day was the Mesoamerican Institute of Agriculture, a spot where the tiny and elusive Slender Sheartail is sometimes found. Though known to be difficult to see, we gave it a shot and began birding as soon as we arrived. Just a few steps into the garden, we heard the sharp chatter of the hummingbird—and there she was! Against the odds, we managed to get excellent looks at this special species.

With the Sheartail checked off, we made one more stop along the lakeshore and added a few more birds to our list, including Purple Gallinules, Blue-winged Teals, and the oddest-looking mutant (Barn?) Swallow we’d ever seen. From there, we crossed the lake to Hotel Atitlán for lunch. We enjoyed the beautiful location and good food before beginning the long journey to San Marcos. We arrived in good time, and after dinner, we settled in for the night.

We left the hotel early and headed straight to Doña Elo’s house for breakfast. While we ate, we watched the hummingbird feeders, which were buzzing with species that are usually hard to spot in the wild. The big surprise of the morning was a female Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, darting between the feeders with a bumblebee-like flight.

After breakfast, we made our way to the Refugio del Quetzal. Don Lisandro led the way down the slippery steps, and by the time we caught up to him, he had a spectacular male Resplendent Quetzal perfectly lined up in the scope. And what a show we got! We spent over an hour watching Guatemala’s national bird—what the Mayans called the “feathered serpent”—as it preened itself on a mossy branch right in front of us.

Another highlight of the morning was a pair of Northern Emerald-Toucanets frequenting a nest hole in a nearby tree. Before lunch, we birded a stretch of the road to Bojonal and, as usual, it delivered. We had fantastic views of Blue-crowned Chlorophonias, Azure-rumped Tanagers, and four Hooded Grosbeaks at or below eye level. Once again, this road exceeded expectations. We wrapped up the morning with more hummingbirds and a hearty lunch at Doña Elo’s. Unfortunately, afternoon rain rolled in, cutting the day short—but we adjusted the itinerary to make space for the missed site the following day. Still, what an incredible day it had been!

Since the previous afternoon was cut short by rain, we decided to move breakfast up by two hours and squeeze in a morning visit to the Astillero de San Marcos. With no coffee at the hotel, an impromptu stop at McDonald’s (a rare occurrence!) provided everyone with their much-needed caffeine fix. The Astillero delivered right away, with excellent looks at several rare species including Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Mountain Trogon, and our first views of the incredible Pink-headed Warbler. After a quick breakfast back at Doña Elo’s, we gave the road to Bojonal one more sweep. This time we had great success with species we had previously only heard—like the Brown-backed Solitaire, and Bushy-crested Jays.

The afternoon was reserved for our transfer to Sibinal, a remote mountain town near the Mexican border that someone aptly described as “a forlorn 500-year post-apocalyptic village.” The long drive passed uneventfully, winding through fog-shrouded mountains until we finally arrived at the Estrella Dorada Hotel.

Today was the big day: the quest for the toughest bird of the trip—the Horned Guan. We had a very early breakfast at Doña Lidia’s before heading out toward La Vega del Volcán. At sunrise, we arrived on site and began scanning the steep mountainside for any sign of the elusive bird. As expected, it required patience. After an hour and a half, we finally heard its distinctive vocalization. Moments later, it hopped into view from the backside of a tree, and we quickly got it in the scope. For the next thirty minutes, we were treated to a phenomenal experience—watching the Horned Guan sing, preen, scratch, and eventually glide off into the valley. Smiles all around.

Birding our way down to the village, we added Blue-throated Motmot and encountered several migrant warbler flocks. A short walk down a trail near Roman’s house rewarded us with Blue-and-white Mockingbirds, a stunning male Flame-colored Tanager, and three Black-capped Siskins at close range. After a hearty lunch at Roman’s, we returned to Sibinal for a restful break. Later in the day, we made a short visit to Canjulá for some evening birding and dinner. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans—the rain ruled out any chance for owling. Still, we managed to find a few more species, including Black Thrushes and Mountain Thrushes, before calling it a day.

The next morning, we started with coffee at the hotel and then set off towards Union Reforma, our luggage in tow. Along the access road, we enjoyed some fantastic birding, including several Black-throated Jays, which were completely unbothered by our presence as they foraged in the forest. After breakfast at Maribelle’s, we had a quick but delightful encounter with a male Singing Quail, followed by several Pink-headed Warblers and a few migrant warblers. A surprising highlight of the day came when we spotted a Brown Pelican casually flying high at 10,000 feet—an unusual sight far from any body of water! After a satisfying lunch, we embarked on a lengthy drive to Huehuetenango. The journey took several hours with few opportunities for birding stops, but the next day in the Cuchumatanes plateau would make up for it.

After a very early cup of coffee in the hotel lobby, we set off for the Cuchumatanes plateau, driving up to an elevation of over 10,000 feet. Despite a few detours due to construction in Chiantla, we arrived at Esteban’s house in good time. From there, we headed to our favorite spot for Goldman’s Warbler, arriving just as the sun crested the mountain, casting beautiful light over the area. With a cup of coffee in hand, we spotted our first Goldman’s Warblers, a species that is still considered to be a Yellow-rumped Warblers, but looks nothing like it and is a plateau resident. We also enjoyed amazing views of a male Olive Warbler, Guatemalan Flickers, and two very cooperative Eastern Meadowlarks.

After some time at this beautiful location, we set out in search of the day’s trickiest target—the Ocellated Quail. At over 12,000 feet, we stopped and listened intently for the male’s distinctive whistling call. Just behind us, we heard it, and excitement grew. Esteban had the brilliant idea of using the vehicle as a hide, so we slowly drove up to the field. Within minutes, the Quail appeared, hopping up on a rock and singing. We watched in awe as the bird moved across the field, coming incredibly close to the vehicle. It was a fantastic sighting!

We returned to Esteban’s town of Chiabal, where we took a walk through the agave fields and added a few more species to our list, including Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and Scott’s Oriole. After a fulfilling morning, we said goodbye to Esteban and headed toward El Amparito for lunch. Later, we returned to Huehuetenango to prepare our luggage for the journey ahead.

After another unusual breakfast at McDonald’s, we made our way to the Huehuetenango airport. The flight to Guatemala City was smooth and uneventful, and we landed just after 9:00 AM. There, we had a unique stop planned—a special visit to the Montessori School, where recently several Stygian Owl fledglings had been spotted. After a quick detour to pick up Pollo Campero for the school’s gardeners, who were staying late for us, we arrived just in time for our owl search. We were lucky enough to spot three Stygian Owls high in the pine trees—two fledglings and one adult. With the rare owls in our pockets, we headed back to the city center for lunch. Just in time, we made our way back to the airport to catch our flight to Petén, arriving around sunset. The stunning view of the lagoon from the Villa Maya hotel marked the end of our travel day.

For our first day in Petén, we left early, with a boxed breakfast in hand. Our destination was the savanna in Santa Ana, where we hoped to see Green-backed, Olive, and Botteri’s Sparrows, as well as the elusive Black Catbird. The savanna was alive with birdlife, and we quickly added several species to the list, including Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and a striking Vermilion Flycatcher. The sparrows were more elusive, but we eventually tracked them down. Then, it was time for the star of the day—the Black Catbird. After some walking and listening for its faint whistle, we finally tracked it down. We were treated to wonderful views of this rare bird before moving on to the next destination.

In the afternoon, we embarked on a boat trip, hoping to spot the rare Yellow-breasted Crake. As dark clouds gathered on the horizon, we began our search. After some calls, we heard the crakes nearby and were surrounded by three of them. However, the weather quickly turned, and a heavy rain shower rolled in, drenching us all. Despite the wet conditions, we headed back to the hotel for hot showers and a much-needed rest.

The following day, we left the Villa Maya behind and made our way to Yaxhá. Upon arrival, we immediately set out to track down the very range-restricted Yucatán Flycatcher. Although it hadn’t been seen yet this year, our persistence paid off when we finally heard its distinctive call. After some patient stalking, we were able to get great views of the bird. A more cooperative Rufous-tailed Jacamar also gave us fantastic looks. As the day progressed, we spotted a few migrant flocks, including a juvenile Gray-throated Chat. We spent the rest of the morning exploring the archaeological site at Yaxhá, with a well-deserved lunch by the nearby lagoon.

In the afternoon, we continued our journey towards Tikal, arriving in good time and quickly checking into our hotel. Our first stop was the old runway, where we encountered an Ocellated Turkey showing off its stunning plumage while singing to the nearby females. On the runway, we also had several noteworthy sightings, including a Yucatán Poorwill, a pair of American Pygmy Kingfishers, and some Boat-billed Herons. A Mayan Antthrush was also heard singing loudly in the distance. After a long but rewarding day of birding, we headed back to the hotel for a satisfying dinner and a restful night’s sleep.

The next morning, we were up early to begin birding Tikal. We started our hike before dawn, arriving at the “Lost World” just as the sun rose. The view from the ancient pyramid was breathtaking, with the surrounding landscape alive with the sounds of parrots, Keel-billed Toucans, Scaled Pigeons, and many other species. The highlight came when we spotted an Orange-breasted Falcon perched on Temple 4, hunting for breakfast. Far in the distance, we also saw a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle. It was a stunning, albeit distant, sighting.

We spent the rest of the day birding throughout the archaeological site, covering many miles as we marveled at the ancient temples and the vibrant wildlife. Among the highlights were a close-up view of the Orange-breasted Falcon and several encounters with non-avian creatures like Middle American Boas, Gray Foxes, and various monkeys and coatis moving between the pyramids. The experience was truly unforgettable.

On our final day, we enjoyed a pre-breakfast outing, encountering several Russet-naped Wood-Rails and other new species, including a Limpkin. As we were watching a spectacular migrant flock, we heard a Barred Forest-Falcon call nearby. Though it was a brief and quick sighting, it was a memorable one as the bird seemingly flew through our group. After a hearty breakfast at the Jungle Lodge, we prepared for our departure from the lush forests of Petén.

Before heading to Flores, we made one last stop on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá to try for one of the regional endemic crakes. As we walked along the dock between the reeds, we were lucky enough to hear the call of a Ruddy Crake. After some patience, we were rewarded with excellent views of this elusive species, making it the perfect final bird of the trip.

We concluded the tour with a delicious lunch at the Villa Maya, followed by a scenic flight with incredible cloud formations. Our adventure ended with dinner at Tikal Futura, marking the conclusion of our unforgettable journey through Guatemala. The two weeks had been filled with amazing bird sightings, beautiful landscapes, and incredible experiences shared with wonderful people. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined the tour – it was a privilege to show you the wonders of Guatemala, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 - Roland Rumm 

Back to Narratives