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Belize

This page lists books about birds and birdwatching in Belize.

The books are arranged by publication date with the most recent at the top of the page.


Central America

For bird books that cover all or a large part of Central America see the following page:

Central America

For bird books about Central American countries see:

Belize
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama

Also see:

Mexico

 

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America

esse Fagan, Oliver Komar

Illustrations: Robert Dean, Peter Burke

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

2016

"Birding is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry in northern Central America, and this is the newest and best bird field guide to this region the first new bird guide in over ten years for the countries of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. This guide is far more complete than previous ones, with more than 800 species accounts, full-color range maps, and 1,000 beautiful illustrations and behavioral vignettes covering all species recorded in the region.This guide is designed for birders to carry in the field, and it is a must-have for any birder who visits the area."

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A Birder's Guide to Belize

Bert Frenz

American Birding Association

2013

"One of the world's premier birding destinations, Belize can be the perfect introduction to tropical birding for those new to the tropics and a birding paradise for all levels of birders. The country's dozens of great birding sites spread across the contrasting habitats of the famous barrier reef and tropical islands, to the coastal plain and its renowned lagoons and rivers through lush rainforest, to the highlands of Mountain Pine Ridge with stunning waterfalls and the Maya Mountains that hide ancient Maya ruins. This small country proffers a friendly, English-speaking population proud of its conservation ethic, excellent lodging, and superb birding - all combining to make a trip to Belize one that no birder should miss! A Birder's Guide to Belize has all the information that the visiting birder will need: Descriptions of over 100 birding sites, including a special section on nearby Tikal National Park in Guatemala. Help in locating the Belize specialty birds, among the 591 species recorded in Belize."

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A Natural History of Belize: Insights from the Chiquibul Forest and Las Cuevas Research Station

Samuel Bridgewater

Corrie Herring Hooks Series

University of Texas Press

2012

"Belize's Chiquibul Forest is one of the largest remaining expanses of tropical moist forest in Central America. It forms part of what is popularly known as the Maya Forest. Battered by hurricanes over millions of years, occupied by the Maya for thousands of years, and logged for hundreds of years, this ecosystem has demonstrated its remarkable ecological resilience through its continued existence into the twenty-first century. Despite its history of disturbance, or maybe in part because of it, the Maya Forest is ranked as an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird's tapir, and Morelet's crocodile. A Natural History of Belize presents for the first time a detailed portrait of the habitats, biodiversity, and ecology of the Maya Forest, and Belize more broadly, in a format accessible to a popular audience. It is based in part on the research findings of scientists studying at Las Cuevas Research Station in the Chiquibul Forest. The book is unique in demystifying many of the big scientific debates related to rainforests. These include "Why are tropical forests so diverse?"; "How do flora and fauna evolve?"; and "How do species interact?" By focusing on the ecotourism paradise of Belize, this book illustrates how science has solved some of the riddles that once perplexed the likes of Charles Darwin, and also shows how it can assist us in managing our planet and forest resources wisely in the future."

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101 Birds of Belize

Carolyn M. Miller

Illustrations: Fernando Zavala and Alenjandro Grajal

Producciones de la Hamaca

2nd edition

2009

"101 Birds of Belize is the second edition of 100 Birds of Belize written by Carolyn M. Miller in 1995, which selected 100 out of more than 500 birds found in Belize for illustration and description. The second edition added the Harpy Eagle, which has been successfully reintroduced to Belize. Splendid images painted by Fernando Zala and detailed descriptions by Carolyn M. Miller provide many hours of pleasure for field and armchair birders."

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Belize Birds: Foldout Guide

Rainforest Publications

2009

"This laminated fold-out guide illustrates bird species common to Belize. For each species the common English name and scientific species name are given, including the bird's size in cm. Where necessary, both a representative male and female individual are shown."

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Field Guide To The Birds of Belize

H. Lee Jones

Illustrations: Dana Gardner

Helm Field Guides

Christopher Helm

2004

(This book is presumably the same text and plates as the University of Texas book below)

"Central America is a wonderful birding area, supporting a rich and diverse avifauna. Belize is one of its more accessible and tourist-friendly countries, beginning to rival Costa Rica as the most popular Central American birding destination of all. The colour distribution maps indicate the range of breeding and visiting species. This is the first guide ever published to the birds of Belize, and will be a vital aid to all those birdwatching in this spectacular country."

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Birds of Belize

H. Lee Jones

Illustrations: Dana Gardner

University of Texas Press

2004

(This book is presumably the same text and plates as the Helm book above)

"With nearly six hundred identified species of birds - and an average of five "new" species discovered annually - Belize is becoming a birding hotspot for amateur and professional birders from around the globe. Thousands of birders visit the country each year to enjoy Belize's amazing abundance and variety of both temperate and tropical birds in natural habitats that remain largely unspoiled. But until now, despite the growing need for an authoritative identification guide, birders have had to rely on regional field guides that offer only limited information on Belizean birds. Birds of Belize provides the first complete guide to the identification of all currently known species - 574 in all. The birds are grouped by families, with an introduction to each family that highlights its uniquely identifying characteristics and behaviors. The species accounts include all the details necessary for field identification: scientific and common names, size, plumage features, thorough voice descriptions, habitat, distribution, and status in Belize. Full color, expertly drawn illustrations by noted bird artist Dana Gardner present male and female, juvenile and adult, and basic and alternate plumages to aid visual identification throughout the year, while 234 range maps show the birds' distribution and seasonality in Belize. A comprehensive bibliography completes the volume."

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Belize & Northern Guatemala: Travellers' Wildlife Guides

Les D. Beletsky

Interlook Press

2004

"Most travellers to Belize and Northern Guatemala want to experience lush tropical forests and other stunning habitats and catch glimpses of exotic wildlife: toucans and parrots, hummingbirds and hawks, monkeys and big cats, frogs and toads, crocodiles and snakes. You will find in this book all the information you need to find, identify, and learn about the region's magnificent animal life."

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Belize Field Guides: Birds

Rainforest Publications

2002

"An easy to use field guide providing a quick, colourful reference for identifying over 98 birds most commonly found in Belize. It identifies birds from the Caribbean Coast to the Maya Mountains, including: Jabiru Stork; Magnificent Frigatebird; King Vulture, and Scarlet Macaw."

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Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Belize

H. Lee Jones and A. C. Vallely

Lynx Edicions

2001

"An authoritative, detailed, and up-to-date checklist of the 566 bird species reliably recorded in Belize."

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Belize: Ecotourism in Action

Meb Cutlack

Macmillan Caribbean

2nd edition

2001

"Still unscathed by mass tourism, this friendly and stable Central American country is attracting growing numbers of ecologically-minded travellers. Its Mayan ruins are some of the finest archaeological sites known. The Belizean rainforest is home to a wealth of rare animals, birds and plants. Here you will find the world's only jaguar reserve. Off the coast of Belize the second largest barrier reef in the world offers superb diving and fishing, and unspoilt beeches. The new editon of this guide details all these attractions and provides an introduction to the nation, its people, culture and customs, its past and present."

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A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas: Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador

Ernest Preston Edwards

University of Texas Press

3rd edition

1998

"More than a thousand species of birds occur in Mexico and in the adjacent countries of Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Of these birds, a unique mixture of temperate-zone and tropical species, less than half are found in the United States, and many cross the border only a short distance into the southwestern states. This practical field guide contains detailed annotations for easy identification of all of Mexico's regular species. The descriptions include the English, Spanish, and Latin names; a general range statement for each bird, along with its specific occurrences in the region; its typical habitat(s) and abundance; and its physical characteristics, including size and plumage. Excellent color plates with drawings of over 850 species make this the most fully illustrated guide to the region. Published by the author in 1972 and 1989, this convenient take-along guide is now totally revised, updated, and re-designed to provide handy assistance and enjoyment to professional ornithologists and amateur birders alike."

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Site Guides: La Ruta Maya: A Guide to the Best Birding Locations of the Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador

Dennis W Rogers

Cinclus

1997

A guide to birdswatching sites in the Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador."

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A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America

Steve N.G. Howell & Sophie Webb

Oxford University Press

1995

"A field guide to the 1,070 bird species, including North American migrants, found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and western Nicaragua. More than 180 species are endemic to this region. The book details appearance, voice, habitat, behaviour (including nests and eggs) and distribution. Range maps are included with species accounts, and introductory essays give essential background information, with special appendices summarizing useful information on the avifaunas of various offshore Pacific and Caribbean islands. Includes 71 colour plates and 39 black-and-white drawings.

Contents: Area covered; Geography and bird distribution; Climate and habitat; Migration; History of ornithology in Mexico; Conservation; Birding in Mexico and northern Central America; Using this book; Taxonomy; Molt and plumage; Outline of the species accounts; Family and Species Accounts; Appendices on extinct species, hypothetical occurrence, birds of Pacific Islands and Caribbean Islands, and additional species of eastern Honduras; Bibliography."

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100 Birds of Belize

Carolyn M. Miller

American Bird Conservancy

1995

"A well-illustrated introductory guide to 100 common or frequently encountered birds from this central American country."

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A Birders Checklist of the Birds of Belize

Dave Sargeant

19??

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Last updated January 2014