This is a list of the bird species recorded in Belize. Belize includes around 450 smaller cays and islands lying in the Caribbean Sea in addition to the mainland. The avifauna of Belize included a total of 621 species as of May 2023, according to Bird Checklists of the World. Of the 618, 99 are rare or accidental and four have been introduced. None are endemic to the country. Additional accidental species have been added from another source.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
Unless otherwise noted, the species on this list are considered to occur regularly in Belize as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The tags and notes of population status are from Bird Checklists of the World.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Belize (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Belize as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Tinamous Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae
The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they are not related to these birds, being palaeognaths, and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are related to the ratites, that include the rheas, emus, and kiwis.
Great tinamou, Tinamus major (near-threatened) Little tinamou, Crypturellus soui Slaty-breasted tinamou, Crypturellus boucardi Thicket tinamou, Crypturellus cinnamomeus
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (A) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (A) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Redhead, Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus (A) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (A)
Guans, chachalacas, and curassows Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae
The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments.
Plain chachalaca, Ortalis vetula Crested guan, Penelope purpurascens Great curassow, Crax rubra (vulnerable)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis Singing quail, Dactylortyx thoracicus (A) Spotted wood-quail, Odontophorus guttatus
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Turkeys are similar to large pheasants but have a distinctive fleshy wattle that hangs from the beak, called a snood.
Ocellated turkey, Meleagris ocellata (near-threatened)
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (A)
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Least grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) Pale-vented pigeon, Patagioenas cayennensis Scaled pigeon, Patagioenas speciosa White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala (near-threatened) Red-billed pigeon, Patagioenas flavirostris Short-billed pigeon, Patagioenas nigrirostris Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) Inca dove, Columbina inca (A) Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Plain-breasted ground dove, Columbina minuta Ruddy ground dove, Columbina talpacoti Blue ground dove, Claravis pretiosa Ruddy quail-dove, Geotrygon montana White-tipped dove, Leptotila verreauxi Caribbean dove, Leptotila jamaicensis Gray-chested dove, Leptotila cassinii Gray-headed dove, Leptotila plumbeiceps White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani Groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris Striped cuckoo, Tapera naevia Pheasant cuckoo, Dromococcyx phasianellus Squirrel cuckoo, Piaya cayana Dark-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus melacoryphus (A) Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Short-tailed nighthawk, Lurocalis semitorquatus (A) Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor Common pauraque, Nyctidromus albicollis Yucatan poorwill, Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis (near-threatened) Yucatan nightjar, Antrostomus badius Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (near-threatened)
Potoos Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars.
Great potoo, Nyctibius grandis Northern potoo, Nyctibius jamaicensis
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Black swift, Cypseloides niger (A) (vulnerable) White-chinned swift, Cypseloides cryptus (A) Chestnut-collared swift, Streptoprocne rutila White-collared swift, Streptoprocne zonaris Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (vulnerable) Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi Lesser swallow-tailed swift, Panyptila cayennensis
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
White-necked jacobin, Florisuga mellivora Band-tailed barbthroat, Threnetes ruckeri Long-billed hermit, Phaethornis longirostris Stripe-throated hermit, Phaethornis striigularis Brown violetear, Colibri delphinae Purple-crowned fairy, Heliothryx barroti Green-breasted mango, Anthracothorax prevostii Black-crested coquette, Lophornis helenae Long-billed starthroat, Heliomaster longirostris Plain-capped starthroat, Heliomaster constantii (A) Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris Canivet's Emerald, Cynanthus canivetii Wedge-tailed sabrewing, Pampa curvipennis Violet-headed hummingbird, Klais guimeti (A) Violet sabrewing, Campylopterus hemileucurus Crowned woodnymph, Thalurania colombica Stripe-tailed hummingbird, Eupherusa eximia Scaly-breasted hummingbird, Phaeochroa cuvierii Azure-crowned hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanocephala Cinnamon hummingbird, Amazilia rutila Buff-bellied hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis Rufous-tailed hummingbird, Amazilia tzacatl White-bellied emerald, Chlorestes candida Blue-throated goldentail, Chlorestes eliciae (A)
Rails, gallinules and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Spotted rail, Pardirallus maculatus Uniform crake, Amaurolimnas concolor Rufous-necked wood-rail, Aramides axillaris Russet-naped wood-rail, Aramides albiventris Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus Yellow-breasted crake, Hapalocrex flaviventer Ruddy crake, Laterallus ruber Gray-breasted crake, Laterallus exilis Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis (A)
Finfoots Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae
Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots.
Sungrebe, Heliornis fulica
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Southern lapwing, Vanellus chilensis (A) Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia Collared plover, Charadrius collaris (A)