High Mountains of Guatemala
Goldman’s Warbler & Ocellated Quail
February 28-March 2, 2024
Your place on this Venture is reserved when your completed registration form and deposit of $300/person has been received. You may register via the ‘book now’ button above, or by contacting the Ventures office. We accept credit cards for an additional fee (2.9% for MC, Visa, Discover; 3.9% for AmEx), but you may also pay by bank transfer, cash, check, or money order (payable to ‘VENTURES BIRDING’) sent to PO Box 1095, Skyland, NC 28776. This Venture is limited to 10 participants.
Cost of Guatemala Venture $1,795 per person based on double occupancy from Guatemala City; Single supplement: $125 Price includes: All ground transportation, all accommodations, meals, service charges & gratuities (except for leaders & local guide), information packet & bird checklist, services of 1 Ventures guide and local guide throughout, round trip airfare from Guatemala City to Xela (AAZ). Not included: Airfare to Guatemala City, alcoholic beverages, laundry service, tips/gratuities and any items of a personal nature.
This quick tour primarily targets two range-restricted Northern Central American (NCA) endemic birds – the beautiful Goldman’s subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler (candidate for a future split) and the hard-to-see Ocellated Quail - in the high mountains of Guatemala (10,000-12,000 ft. above sea level).
The ‘Goldman’s Warbler’ only occurs in the coniferous woodland of the higher elevations of far western Guatemala and in a few areas just across the border into Mexico. The Sierra de los Cuchumatanes mountain range is the best place in the world to see them and we will visit a number of spots in this region looking for them. In the right habitat, they are not difficult to see, and we will have chances to see other birds typical of these highland areas as well, like Steller’s Jay, Rufous-collared Robin, Olive Warbler, Yellow-eyed Junco, Black-capped Siskin and last but not least, the Pink-headed Warbler, a bird endemic to Guatemala and Mexico. The same areas that are good for Ocellated Quail also happen to be good for Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge and we’ll have multiple chances for both birds. Depending on flower blooms, we could also encounter a nice selection of hummingbirds including Mexican Violetear, White-eared & Garnet-throated Hummingbirds, and Amethyst-throated Mountain-Gem. We’ll have the chance for some optional owling as well with Flammulated, Whiskered Screech-Owl, and the elusive Unspotted Saw-whet Owl being possibilities.
This short tour makes for an excellent pre-tour extension for our Best of Guatemala Venture, March 2-12, 2024.