Flora and Fauna of Belize

Belize is one of the world’s top ecotourist destinations with diverse eco-systems home to an incredible variety of flora and fauna. Amidst dense jungle, spider monkeys swing beneath the forest canopy, river otters playfully float down streams, jaguars roam at night and tapirs forage the undergrowth. Here you’ll find raucous birds amongst gorgeous orchids, ubiquitous palms, pine forests, mahogany trees and mangroves. Fruit lovers (birds and humans alike!) delight in the abundance of bananas, mangos, pineapples, oranges, grapefruit, cashews, papaya, craboo and coconuts. At Hamanasi you will be well positioned to see it all!

Notable Species Found in Belize

Below our trained guides have put together a partial list of the many plants and animals you may encounter in Belize. Some of these you can find without even leaving the resort grounds, but if you do find yourself on one of our adventures, you’ll see the guides do an even better job in person of of pointing out and explaining the ecological wonders around you.

Birds of Belize (partial list)

Brown Booby, Sula Leucogaster
Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata Magnificens
Brown Pelican, Pelecanus Occidentalis
Double-Crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax Auritus
Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, Nyctanassa Violacea
Bear-Throated Tiger-Heron, Tigrisoma Mexicanum
Great Blue Heron, Ardea Herodias
Jabiru, Jabiru Mycteria
Great Egret, Ardea Alba
Snowy Egret, Egretta Thula
American White Ibis, Eudocimus Albus
Turkey Vulture, Cathartes Aura
Gray Hawk, Asturina Nitida
Laughing Falcon, Herpetotheres Cachinnans
Plain Chachalaca, Ortalis Vetula
Crested Guan, Penelope Purpurascens
Willet, Catoptrophorus Semipalmatus
Caspian Tern, Hydroprogne Caspia, formerly Sterna Caspia
Ruddy Ground-Dove, Columbia Talpacoti
Scarlet Macaw, Ara Macao
Olive-Throated Parakeet, Aratinga Nana
Red-Lored Parrot, Amazona Autumnalis
Squirrel Cockoo, Piaya Cayana
Groove-Billed Ani, Crotophaga Sulcirostris
Mottled Owl, Ciccaba Virgata
Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird, Amazilia Tzacatl
Black-Headed Trogon, Trogn Melanocephalus
Blue-Crowned Motmot, Momotus Momota
Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus Torquatus
Keel-Billed Toucan, Ramphastos Sulfuratus
Golden-Fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes Aurifrons
Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus Rubinus
Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus Savanna
Social Flycatcher, Myiozetetes Similis
Great Kiskadee, Pitangus Sulphuratus
Tropical Mockingbird, Mimus Gilvus
Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica Magnolia
Summer Tanager, Piranga Rubra
White-Collared Seedeater, Sporophila Torqueola
Great-Tailed Grackle, Quiscalus Mexicanus
Immature Orchard Oriole, Icterus Spurius
Black-Cowled Oriole, Icterus Prosthemelas
Toco Toucan, Ramphastos Toco

Above is a list curated by our guides of notable birds you may well see on your visit. Belize boasts over 500 species of birds including the toucan (the national bird), scarlet macaws, parrots, hummingbirds, kingfishers, motmots, egrets and frigate birds.

Trees of Belize (partial list)

Mahogany, Swietenia Macrophylla, MELIACEAE
Allspice, Pimentadioica, APOCYNACEAE
Bay Cedar/Tapaculo, Guazumaulmifolia, STERCULIACEAE
Bred Nut, Brosimum Alicastrum, MORACEAE
Cabbage Bark, Andira Inermis, LEGUMINOSAE
Cacao Tree, Theobroma Cacao, STERCULIACEAE
Calabash Tree, Crescentia Cujete, BIGNONIACEAE
Cashew Tree, Anacardium Occidentale, ANACARDIACEAE
Cedar Tree, Cedrelamexicana, MELIACEAE
Caribbean Pine, Pinuscaribaea, PINACEAE
Cohune Palm, Orbignya Cohune, PALMAE
Copal, Protium Copal, BURSERACEAE
Cotton Tree, Ceiba Petandra, BOMBACACEAE
Craboo, Byrsonima Crassifolia, MALPIGHIACEAE
Ficus sp., Ficus sp., MORACEAE
Flamboyant, Delonix Regia, LEGUMINOSAE
Give and Take, Crysophila Argentea, PALMAE
Guanacaste, Enterolobium Cyclocarpum, LEGUMINOSAE
Gumbolimbo, Brusera Simaruba, BURSERACEAE
Hog Plum, Spondias Mombin, ANACARDIACEAE
Horse Balls, Stemmadenia Donnell-Smithii, APOCYNACEAE
Jippi Joppa Palm, Sabal Mexicana, PALMAE
Live Oke, Quercus Oleoides, FAGACEAE
Logwood, Haematoxylum Campechianum, LEGUMINOSAE
Madre De Cacao, Gliricidia Sepium, LEGUMINOSAE
Mammee Apple, Pouteria Mammasa, SAPOTACEAE
Mayflower, Tabebuia Rosea, BIGNONIACEAE
Nargusta, Terninalia Amazonia, COMBRETACEAE
Nergrito, Simarouba Glauca, SIMARUBACEAE
Pimenta Palm, Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii, PALMAE
Poisonwood, Metppium Browneii, ANACARDIACEAE
Prickly Yellow, Zanthoxylum sp., RUTACEAE
Provision Tree, Pachira Aquatica, BOMBACACEAE
Quamwood, Zchizolobium Parahybum, LEGUMINOSAE
Red Mangrove, Rhizophora Mangle, RHIZOPHORACEAE
Santa Maria, Calophyllum Antillanum, GUTTIFERAE
Sapodilla, Manilkara Zapota, SAPOTACEAE
Sea Almond, Terminalia Catapa, COMBRETACEAEE
Sea Grape, Coccoloba Uvifera, POLYGONACEAE
Soursop, Annona Muricata, ANNONACEAE
Stinking Toe, Cassia Grandis, LEGUMINOSAE
Strangler Fig, Ficus sp., MORACEAE
Tamarind, Tamarindus Indica, LEGUMINOSAE
Travelers Palm, Ravenala Madagascariensis, MUSACEAE
Trumpet Tree, Cecropia obtusifolia, MORACEAE
Yellow Cassia, Cassia Fistula, LEGUMINOSAE
Yemeri, Vochysia Hondurensis, VOCHYSIACEAE
Zericote, Cordia Dodecandra, BORAGINACEAE

Check out this list of notable plants and trees you may well see on your visit. Belize is home to coastal mangroves, a large variety of fruit trees and many kinds of tropical hardwoods including the Mahogany tree, the national tree of Belize.