Storks, Egrets, Ibises - In Belize | Belize Budget Suites

Storks, Egrets, Ibises - in Belize

Jabiru Stork

Jabiru Stork - Huge, massive-billed, and unmistakable stork of tropical lowlands. Found in marshes and flooded fields, but nests high in large trees. Sometimes seen feeding in wetlands in loose association with other wading birds, which are all much smaller. Flies strongly and often high overhead, sometimes even soaring like a vulture. Plumage is wholly white (no black in wings in flight) but the naked head and neck are black, with a broad red band at base of the neck.
BELIZE HABITAT - Estuaries, rice fields, shrimp farms, wet meadows; for nesting, large trees in savannas, in open farmland, or bordering broad rivers or estuaries. Pairs nest singly, not in colonies.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Resident in a belt from Orange Walk and Belize south, in the coastal plain to northeast Toledo and interior south Toldeo. Other than an occasional stray, absent from Corozal and Cayo, one recorded from Ambergris Caye. Nests late November to April, after which disperses widely, with majority congregating near coast, especially at shrimp farms. Formerly, present only in nesting seasons, presumably wintering in Mexico, but has become year found resident, with protection from persecution and with proliferation of rice fields and shrimp farms, which provide abundant food supply.

Wood Stork

Wood Stork - Huge; about the size of Great Blue Heron. White body with black wing tips. Adults lack feathering on dark head. Long legs. Bill is thicker and more drooped than herons. Forages mainly for fish by moving open bill through water until it feels prey. Found in wetlands, particularly flooded swamps and catfish ponds.
BELIZE HABITAT - Lagoons, estuaries, marshes, shrimp farms, rice fields. Nests in colonies in swamp forests.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Fairly common resident; has increased significantly in last 30 years. Nesting colonies in Shipstern Lagoon Corozal, Doubloon Bank Lagoon Orange Walk, cayes in Chetumal Bay, and Agucaliente Swamp Toledo. Disperses widely after nesting season, often congregating in large numbers at Crooked Tree Belize and shrimp farms. Relatively scarce in Cayo; unrecorded from central to south cayes.

Greater Flamingo

Greater Flamingo - Distributed from Africa and southern Europe through West Asia to South Asia. Very large, with long, "coat hanger" neck, big kinked bill, and very long pinkish legs. Plumage at rest whitish with pale pink blush and some deep pink often visible on closed wings. Flies with long neck and legs extended, when deep pink-and-black wing pattern striking.
BELIZE HABITAT - Shallow coastal lagoons and estuaries.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Several records, but only one documented; two seen flying over Aguacaliente Lagoon Toledo on March 28, 2001. Other reports Birds Isle, Belize City, sometime in the 1970's; New River between Carmelita and Guinea Grass Orange Walk on March 20, 1991; four flying over Belize City on September 25, 1992. Occasionally reports from northeast Corozal may also be valid.

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill - Large pink wader; tail is color of orange sorbet. Immatures are duller. Feeds by sifting through water with bill shaped like big, flat spoon. Found in a variety of shallow freshwater and saltwater habitats.
BELIZE HABITAT - Lagoons, flooded rice fields, shrimp farms.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Locally fairly common in coastal belt, increasingly less common south along coast, much less common inland south of north Orange Walk and Belize. Nests in Shipstern Lagoon, cayes in Chetumal Bay, and formerly in Doubloom Bank Lagoon Orange Walk. Numbers have significantly increased in the last 30 years.

Egrets

Great Egret

Great Egret - Large, pure white heron with daggerlike yellow bill. Long black legs. Note angled kink in the middle of the neck. Forages in shallow wetlands by slowly stalking prey. Often nests in large and noisy colonies, frequently mixed in with other species. Largest and most widespread white heron.
BELIZE HABITAT - Most unforested areas with standing water. Nests in small colonies on small mangrove islands.
How can I find this bird in Belize?
Common winter visitor, less common in summer, although large numbers congregate at Crooked Tree Belize in May and June prior to and at onset of rainy season. Small nesting colonies in Shipstern Lagoon, Northern and Southern Lagoons in Belize, and Little Monkey Caye in the Toledo District.

Reddish Egret

Reddish Egret - An entertaining heron to watch as it sprints, jumps, and spins around in shallow water with wings held up as it forages for fish. Dark morph is more common than white morph. White morphs are similar to other egrets, but note behavior and grayish legs and feet. Always look for pinkish lores and base of bill, which can become shockingly bright in breeding season. Found near the coast, especially shallow saltmarshes and mudflats. Larger than Little Blue Heron. Note rusty tones on head of dark morph, lacking in adult Little Blue Heron. White morphs separated from immature Little Blue Heron by larger bill with pinkish base.
BELIZE HABITAT - Mangrove islands (for nesting), coastal mudflats and estuaries, shrimp farms.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon to fairly common resident on north cayes and along coast south to central Belize; occasionally north of Toledo. Recorded once inland: New River in Orange walk on April 8-14, 2001. Nests in Shipstern Lagoon in Corozal and cayes west of Ambergris Caye.

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret - Medium-sized white heron. Long, thin, black bill. Yellow lores (between eye and bill). Adults have black legs and yellow feet. Immatures have greenish-yellow legs and feet. Forages in wetlands. Often with a more active feeding style than Great Egret that moves very slowly. Smaller than Great Egret; also note Snowy's black bill. Bit larger than Cattle Egret and more likely to have its feet in the water rather than walking in fields. Immature Little Blue Heron has greenish legs and base of bill rather than Snowy's black and yellow.
BELIZE HABITAT - Most unforested areas with standing water. Nests in colonies on small mangrove islands.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Common winter visitor, less common in summer; however, modest numbers remain at Crooked Tree Belize, into June. A few may nest on Bird Caye in Northern Lagoon Belize District.

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret - Small, compact white heron with stout yellow bill. Often seen on dry land. Legs red or yellow during the breeding season, black during nonbreeding season. Breeding birds in Europe, Africa, and the Americas (sometimes regarded as a separate species) have reddish-pink bills and creamy patches on body; Asian and Australasian breeders are yellow-billed with extensive orangish plumage on the head and neck. Often feeds by following cattle or tractors in fields.
BELIZE HABITAT - Pastureland, flooded agricultural fields and grasslands, newly planted rice fields, lawns, mangroves, small, wooded cayes. Nests in mangroves.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
First recorded in Belize in 1956 but undoubtedly arrived earlier. Now common to locally very common winter visitor, with a few remaining throughout the year. May nest on Bird Caye in Norther Lagoon Belize District.

Ibises

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis - Long, curved bill. Adults mostly dark with iridescent green and reddish tones. Very thin white border surrounding the dark facial skin. Dark eyes. Usually gregarious, it is found mainly in salty marshes and shallow wetlands. Unmistakable in most of its range, though American birds are best distinguished from White-faced Ibis by distribution and facial pattern.
BELIZE HABITAT - Flo0oded rice fields, marshes, wet meadows.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Local and generally uncommon winter visitor in north-central part, primarily from mid-September to late May; regular farther north and south. Numbers have increased significantly since first reported in April 1969. Thus far, only a non-breeding visitor, but may establish breeding population in the future.

White Ibis

White Ibis - Adults are white with a bit of black on the wingtips. Red decurved bill and pinkish-red legs. Bright blue eyes. Immatures are half brown, half white. Forages in salt marshes and shallow wetlands, often in flocks. In flight, flaps quickly and then glides on bowed wings. Accustomed to people in some parts of its range. It is commonly seen on lawns and in parking lots scavenging for food scraps.
BELIZE HABITAT - Marshes, rice fields, shrimp farms, angroves, swamp forest, littoral forest. Nests in mangroves and littoral forests.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Fairly common resident in coastal lagoons, larger cayes; absent in most of interior south and west of Belize, and north of Orange Walk. Congregates in large numbers at shrimp farms when shrimp are being harvested. Nesting colonies in Shipstern Lagoon and at Shipstern Caye Corozal, cayes west of Ambergris, the Turneffe Islands, and Bird Caye in Norther Lagoon Belize. Numbers have increased significantly in the last 30 years.