Where to Go Birding in El 捩梗喧矇紳, Guatemala: Part 1
Located in the Maya lowlands, Uaxactun is home to an astonishing diversity of birdlife and a growing network of trained guides.
Exotic birds and ancient ruins are a great combination, says guide J籀se Barrientos, who is among the first residents to welcome me to Uaxactun (pronounced "wah-shock-tune"). Located just north of the sprawling archaeological complex at Tikal, Uaxactun has some of the oldest known structures in the Maya World, including an ancient temple adorned with colossal masks representing sky serpents and jaguar gods. Once a celestial observatory, its sacred geometry is oriented to predict solstices and equinoxes.
Just a stones throw from the ruins, the villages thatch-roofed houses surround a cleared area that was once an airstrip and is now a soccer field shared by barefoot children, chickens, dogs, and horses. Many of the villages current residents are chicleros (gum collectors), who make a living sustainably gathering chicle, xate palm leaves, and allspice. The abundant wildlife in the surrounding forests includes monkeys, jaguars, deer, and anteaters.
And then there are the birds. The diversity here is astonishing, with jacamars, leaftossers, oropendolas, and puffbirds darting among the ruins. In the surrounding forests you can see and hear many of Central Americas most sought-after species, such as the Tody Motmot, Ocellated Turkey, Pheasant Cuckoo, and Yucatan Poorwill.
We have several great birding guides and many high-quality birds, and we charge about half of what guides charge at Tikal, Barrientos says. We even have a woman who cooks food for visitors.
Unfortunately, most visitors to the area dont hear about Uaxactun, and many of those who do know about this special place arrive on buses, with box lunches and their own guides.
When that happens, says Barrientos, the community is not earning anything.
That might be about to change. 勛圖窪蹋 has partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Society-Guatemala and the countrys Tourism Board (INGUAT) to develop and promote bird tourism in communities like Uaxactun. Focusing on bird-rich areas where a large percentage of the populace lives below the poverty line, the Bird-Based Tourism Initiative is designed to build niche markets that support economic development, empower communities, and improve local livesall while preserving and creating value for natural habitats.
In addition to training guides like Barrientos, the 勛圖窪蹋 Society and the 捩梗喧矇紳 Birders Club have been working with the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism to offer a birding-specific tour guide certification, which will further differentiate trained birding guides from generalist guides.
Since the project began in 2013, the number of people employed in bird-related tourism at project sites in Guatemala has increased 20 percentand among trained bird guides the average yearly income grew from $2,123 to $4,590. Thus far, guides at nearby Tikal have seen most of the income growth. But Uaxactuns guides hope that a new website and new trail signs (courtesy of the 勛圖窪蹋) will help to attract more visitors to this lush and vibrant birding locale.
Marcial C籀rdoba of WCS-Guatemala believes that it will take some time for bird tourism to gain traction in Uaxactun. The area has great tourism potential, but most people are not aware of its proximity and easy access from Tikal, says C籀rdoba. We need to market this as a place where people can see birds and have adventures. Were close to so many things to do: archaeology, camping, hiking, artisans, and restaurants.
In their free time, Uaxactuns guides have taken it upon themselves to promote conservation in the community. Theyve built recycling bins, organized village cleanup days, and put up anti-littering signs. All of this helps to create a mentality that our natural resources here are worth protecting, Barrientos says.
Birders who have visited Uaxactun say its one of the best-kept secrets in Central American birdwatching. But if it stays a secret too long our trained guides have to go someplace else to find work, C籀rdoba says. Without any economic benefit the conservation ethic in the community will be much harder to sustain.
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If You Go . . .
Where to start: Uaxactun is located in the region, about 20 kilometers north of Tikal. Flores is the starting point for most adventures in 捩梗喧矇紳, which is known for its archeological richness as well as its flora and fauna.
Where to arrive: Avianca and TAG serve via Guatemala City.
Who to contact: offers birding/archaeology tours to the regions major archaeological sites, including Uaxactun, Tikal, and Yaxhaas well as local birding hotspots such as Ixpanpajul Park, Cerro Cahui, and Las Guacamayas Biological Station. Contact: info@petenbirdersclub.com
How to find more information: Check 勛圖窪蹋s page for general info.
Take a tour: If an all-inclusive tour is what youre after, Rockjumper offers that can include a .