Guatemala has more than 780 recorded bird species, according to Cayaya Birding (read 8 October 2026). And then there is the Resplendent Quetzal: Guatemala’s national bird (AGN), and the name of the national currency under Article 1 of the Ley Monetaria (Banco de Guatemala).
I am not a serious birder, but living in Guatemala has turned me into an accidental one. When a Quetzal flies past you in the cloud forest, or when parrots erupt from the jungle canopy at Tikal, you stop being someone who does not care about birds.
TL;DR: Guatemala has 780+ recorded bird species (Cayaya Birding) including the Resplendent Quetzal. CONAP gives February-May as the best Quetzal season at the Biotopo del Quetzal (Q60 entry for foreigners, Q20 for Guatemalans, per CECON, read 8 October 2026). Guided birding day trips from Cayaya Birding start at US$74 per person in a group of 4.
Top Birding Sites
| Location | Where | Key Species (source) | Best Time (source) | Entry Fee | Species Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biotopo del Quetzal | km 160.5, CA-14, Baja Verapaz (CECON) | Resplendent Quetzal, Highland Guan (CONAP, Cayaya) | Quetzal: February-May (CONAP); birding year-round (Cayaya) | Q60 foreigners / Q20 nationals (CECON) | Not published |
| Los Tarrales | Southern slope of Atitlan volcano | Azure-rumped Tanager, Horned Guan (Cayaya) | Any time of year (Cayaya) | Not published | 350+ (Cayaya) |
| Tikal National Park | Peten (UNESCO) | Ocellated Turkey, Keel-billed Toucan, Orange-breasted Falcon (Cayaya) | Any time of year (Cayaya) | Q150 foreigners (Ministry of Culture ticket site) | 330+ (UNESCO); 400+ incl. surroundings (Cayaya) |
| Lake Atitlan area | Lake and surrounding volcanoes | Regional highland endemics, Resplendent Quetzal (Cayaya) | Not stated | Not published | Not published |
| Cerro San Gil | Caribbean coast, between Rio Dulce and Amatique Bay (Cayaya) | Keel-billed, Tody and Blue-crowned Motmot; Broad-billed Motmot (Cayaya) | Best March-May (Cayaya) | Not published | 400+ incl. coastal areas (Cayaya) |
Sources read 8 October 2026: CECON/USAC Biotopo page, CONAP SIGAP tourism page, boletos.culturaguate.com, UNESCO World Heritage listing 64, and the Cayaya Birding site pages for each location. See our exchange rates page for today’s USD/GTQ rate.
The Resplendent Quetzal: Guatemala’s National Bird
The Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) occurs from southern Mexico to Panama, according to Cayaya Birding. It is a cloud forest specialist, restricted to the most humid sections of the highlands, mainly above 1,000 m, and does not occur in the dry interior pine forests. Cayaya adds that in Guatemala the largest areas of suitable habitat are in the Atlantic slope mountains.
Where to See One
Biotopo del Quetzal (officially Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera) in Baja Verapaz is the best-known spot: CECON (USAC) describes it as the place most widely recognized for observing the national bird, as the oldest protected area. It sits at km 160.5 of the CA-14. Cayaya Birding puts it about 1 hour from Coban and 4 hours from Guatemala City, with cloud forest at 1,500-2,300 m. CONAP lists two interpretive trails: Los Helechos (2 km) and Los Musgos (4 km).
- Best months: February through May, the nesting season according to CONAP. Cayaya Birding gives the breeding season in northern Central America as January to June, depending on location, when males perform display flights high over the canopy.
- Best time of day: CONAP gives 6:00-10:30 and 17:00-18:30. The reserve’s public hours are 8:00-16:00, so a dawn or dusk visit needs prior authorization from the administration. Aguacatillo (wild avocado) is one of the bird’s favourite foods, according to AGN.
- Guides: Cayaya Birding notes the Biotopo has a team of rangers who provide nature interpretation. The private Ranchitos del Quetzal reserve next door also has trails and lodging.
Realistic Expectations
Cayaya Birding notes that once a nest is attended the pair becomes secretive, and that after the breeding season quetzals move locally to areas with better food supply. If seeing a Quetzal is your primary goal, CONAP’s February-May window is the one to plan around. Full visit details: Biotopo del Quetzal guide.
Photography Tips
These are my own suggestions, not rules from any reserve:
- Bring a long telephoto lens. Quetzals perch in the canopy and do not tolerate close approach.
- Use a tripod or monopod. Cloud forest light is dim under the canopy.
- Wear dark, muted clothing.
- Be patient and quiet near known feeding trees.
Los Tarrales: Pacific Slope Birding
Los Tarrales is a private protected area on the southern slope of Atitlan volcano that preserves primary rain and cloud forest and runs coffee and flower plantations. More than 350 bird species have been recorded there, according to Cayaya Birding (read 8 October 2026).
Cayaya gives the forest’s range as 760 m to 2,500 m, changing from rainforest in the lowlands to cloud forest higher up. It is a good place for birds restricted in Guatemala to the Pacific slope, such as Long-tailed Manakin, Pacific Parakeet and Azure-rumped Tanager, and the upper slope of the volcano is a refuge for a population of Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus). Cayaya describes the Horned Guan as restricted to the highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, and globally Endangered. The reserve is part of BirdLife International’s Atitlan Important Bird Area (IBA GT015). For farm visits, see our coffee tours guide.
Visiting
- Lodging: Cayaya Birding says Los Tarrales has 10 rooms, all with private bathrooms, and meals are provided for overnight visitors.
- Prices and directions: not published on the sources we could read. The reserve’s own website did not resolve when we checked on 8 October 2026, so confirm rates and road conditions directly before you go.
Tikal: Jungle Birding at Maya Ruins
Tikal National Park covers 57,600 hectares and has more than 330 recorded bird species, according to its UNESCO World Heritage listing. Cayaya Birding counts more than 400 species reported in the park and its surroundings. The combination of ancient temples and tropical forest birds creates a unique experience.
Species named by the sources:
- Ocellated Turkey: near-threatened (UNESCO), endemic to the Yucatan peninsula and easy to see at Tikal (Cayaya)
- Keel-billed Toucan and several parrot species, seen from the temple viewpoints (Cayaya)
- Orange-breasted Falcon: Cayaya calls Tikal one of the best sites for this rare species
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle and Crested Eagle (UNESCO); Great Curassow, listed as vulnerable (UNESCO)
The foreigner park entry is Q150 on the Ministry of Culture ticket site (boletos.culturaguate.com, read 8 October 2026); sunrise and sunset tickets are sold separately and do not include a guide. See our Maya Ruins guide for Tikal logistics.
Lake Atitlan: Highland Endemics
The area around Lake Atitlan spans 700 to 3,500 m, where most of the regional endemic birds of the highlands of southern Mexico and northern Central America can be found, including Horned Guan and Highland Guan, according to Cayaya Birding. Cayaya Birding notes that BirdLife International designated the lake and its surrounding volcanoes as Important Bird Area Atitlan (IBA GT015).
The Azure-rumped Tanager (Poecilostreptus cabanisi, formerly Tangara cabanisi) is restricted to the Pacific slope highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, in humid broadleaf forest at 900-1,900 m, per Cayaya; Los Tarrales is one place to look for it.
The Atitlan Grebe (Podilymbus gigas) was an endemic bird of Lake Atitlan. Cayaya Birding says it has been considered extinct since the late 1980s.
Our Lake Atitlan towns guide has details on each community.
Free Birding Options
Two options that do not start with a reserve ticket:
- Lakeside walks in the Atitlan towns.
- Hills around Antigua. Cayaya Birding lists Antigua and nearby Finca El Pilar and Finca Filadelfia among its highland birding hotspots (fincas may charge, so ask first).
For more no-cost activities, see our 40+ free things to do in Guatemala.
Specialized Birding Tours
| Operator | Base | Published Rate | What the operator says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayaya Birding | Resides in Guatemala | Day trips from US$74.00 per person (group of 4) | Private half- or full-day trips from Antigua, Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan, Coban and Tikal/Flores; includes guide, private transport, reserve entrance fees and hotel pick-up; tours since 2003 |
Read on cayaya-birding.com, 8 October 2026. The table lists only rates an operator publishes itself.
Coffee Farms as Birding Sites
Cayaya Birding lists Los Tarrales and Loma Linda under coffee plantations among its birding hotspots. See our Coffee Tours guide for farm visits.
Related Guides
- Coffee Farm Tours – birding at coffee farms
- Maya Ruins Guide – Tikal jungle birding
- Lake Atitlan Towns – base for lakeside birding
- 40+ Free Things to Do – free birding spots included
Sources
CONAP, Biotopo del Quetzal, read 25 October 2026.
Quetzal season, viewing hours and trails: CONAP tourism page, Biotopo del Quetzal
Biotopo fees: IIQB (USAC), Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera (read 8 October 2026)
Biotopo description: CECON (USAC) (read 24 September 2026)
National bird and aguacatillo: AGN
Currency name: Ley Monetaria, Decreto 17-2002, Article 1 (Banco de Guatemala)
Tikal: UNESCO listing
Species counts, site notes, IBA and tour prices: Cayaya Birding site pages for Atitlan, Biotopo, Tikal, Los Tarrales, the Resplendent Quetzal and day tours (read 8 October 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I see a Quetzal in Guatemala?
The best-known place is the Biotopo del Quetzal (Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera) in Baja Verapaz. CONAP says the best chance is February to May, the nesting season. Public hours are 8:00-16:00. Of CONAP’s best viewing hours (6:00-10:30 and 17:00-18:30), 6:00-8:00 and 17:00-18:30 fall outside them and need prior authorization from the reserve; 8:00-10:30 is inside them. Cayaya Birding also notes quetzals can be seen in cloud forests on the volcano slopes around Lake Atitlan.
How many bird species are in Guatemala?
More than 780 bird species have been recorded in Guatemala, according to Cayaya Birding (home page updated 28 April 2026, read 8 October 2026), whose founders wrote the annotated checklist of the birds of Guatemala (Lynx, 2007).
How much does a birding guide cost in Guatemala?
Cayaya Birding lists private half- or full-day birding trips from US$74.00 per person in a group of 4, including guide, private transport, reserve entrance fees and hotel pick-up (read 8 October 2026). For independent local guides, ask at the reserve entrance.
Can I enter the Biotopo at dawn?
CONAP lists public hours of 08:00 to 16:00 daily and requires prior authorization outside them. Its viewing windows are 06:00 to 10:30 and 17:00 to 18:30 (read 25 October 2026).
