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| Thorn forest in the Motagua valley. Photo/© Knut Eisermann. |
Birding in the Motagua Valley. The valley of the Motagua river is one of the hottest and driest regions of Guatemala. Located on the lee side of the Sierra de las Minas mountain chain, just little precipitation reaches this area. The annual rainfall amounts less than 500 mm, just enough for a scanty vegetation: thorn forest.
Cacti (Opuntia spp., Pilosocereus maxonii, Peniocereus hirschtianus), Acacias and other spiny scrub form a forest with a 3 m tall canopy. The forest is not dense and therefore very favorable for birding. Noisy Rufous-naped Wrens (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) jump around in the scrub. Lesser Nighthawks (Chordeiles acutipennis) are often seen resting on ground or on branches. Green-breasted Mangos (Anthracothorax prevostii), Plain-capped Starthroats (Heliomaster constantii) and Rufous Hummingbirds (Amazilia rutila) defend their territories around flowering brushes and cacti. The Lesser Roadrunner (Geococcyx velox) hunts lizards and insects running behind them and the Russet-crowned Motmot (Momotus mexicanus) perches quietely waiting for its prey. This motmot is reported in Guatemala only in the thorn forests of the Motagua Valley. Other bird species living in the thorn forest of Motagua Valley are: White-lored Gnatcatcher (Polioptila albiloris), Stripe-headed Sparrow (Aimophila ruficauda), Orange-fronted Parakeet (Aratinga canicularis), Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina), White-throated Magpie-Jay (Calocitta formosa), Spot-breasted and Altamira Oriole (Icterus pectoralis and I. gularis).
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| Opuntia sp. Photo/© Knut Eisermann. |
Due to its close location to the Sierra de las Minas mountain range, the Motagua valley plays also a role for altitudinal migrants from the cloud forest. The Elegant Euphonia (Euphonia elegantissima) breeds in mountain forests and in winter it can be observed in the Motagua valley.
A narrow belt of gallery forest, dominated by Salix trees, grows along the shore of the Motagua river. Wintering shorebirds like the Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia), Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) and Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) can be observed on sandbanks in the river. Ospreys follow the river in search for prey. Other wintering bird species are Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla), Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia), Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis).
Accommodation:During our tour we will stay in a hotel in Zacapa. From there it is just a short ride to our excursion destination. The hotel has double rooms with private bathroom.
For independent travelers:
Please fill this reservation form and we will send you information on rates and space availability as soon as possible.
When is the best time for a visit in the Motagua Valley? It is possible to visit the Motagua valley all the year. The main flowering season is from April to June, which covers the last weeks of the dry season and the first weeks of the short rainy season.
How do you support conservation in the Motagua Valley? The thorn forest is currently underrepresented in the Guatemalan protected areas. This habitat is endangered due to intensive land use, like cattle farming and fruit production (melon, water melon). The village of Cabañas has declared 180 ha of its land as protected area. This is the first and still only reserve in the Guatemalan interior thorn forest. With your birding visit you put an economic value to the thorn forest, which will help to motivate local people to protect this kind of forest.
