Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Birding Heaven
According to the Belize Audubon Society the Sanctuary is ‘”Birding Heaven” – The wetlands of Crooked Tree Wildlife Santuary (CTWS) are a birdwatcher’s dream.’ There are few who would disagree and it is not likely that they have been here. This is truly an amazing place, a nature photographer’s dream location.
The Village of Crooked Tree is on an Island of about 20 square miles; it is home to between 600 and 900 residents. The lagoons and marshes of Crooked Tree Sanctuary cover over 12,800 acres and is the home of untold thousands of birds. The Lagoons can get to a mile in width in the rainy season and may, in some years, dry up in the dry season.
The largest group of lagoons includes Calabash Pond, Southern Lagoon, Western Crooked Tree and Revenge and Spanish Creeks.
These flow into the Belize River through Black Creek. Jones and Mexico Lagoons flow into the Belize throuh Mexico Creek. The shores of the Lagoons are teming with birds, especially in the early morning.
Entrance fees are BZ$2.00 for nationals and US$4.00 for non-nationals.
Opening hours are 8am – 4:30pm.
To help maintain the park’s pristine condition all visitors
are requested to observe the following regulations:
1. Please register at the visitor center.
2. Do not harm or attempt to capture animals or birds.
3. Please do not disturb collect or remove plants or trees.
4. Fishing and hunting is not allowed.
5. Do not litter. Leave trash in the bins provided.
6. No firearms are allowed.
7. Outside the village, please stay on the trails.
A few of the over 300 resident or migrating birds commonly seen
around the Lodge and along the nearby Lagoons and Trails.
(You’ll find additional information about migratory birds in Belize
from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center here.)
Visitor’s Information and Park Rules
You will find more detailed information about the Sanctuary at:
Birds of Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Agami Heron
Amazon Kingfisher
American Coot
American Pygmy Kingfisher
American White Pelican
American Wigeon
Anhinga
Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Black Vulture
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-collared Hawk
Black-crowned
Night Heron
Black-necked Stilt
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Teal
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Boat-billed Heron
Caspian Tern
Cattle Heron
Common Black Hawk
Common Moorhen
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Glossy Ibis
Grackle
Gray Hawk
Gray-headed Kite
Gray-necked Wood Rail
Great Black Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Great Kiskadee
Green Heron
Green Kingfisher
Groove-billed Ani
Gull-billed Tern
Jabiru Stork
Kingbird
Laughing Gull
Least Bittern
Least Sandpiper
Lesser Scaup
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
Lesser Yellowlegs
Limkin
Little Blue Heron
Magnificent Frigatebird
Mangrove Swallow
Muscovy Duck
Northern Jacana
Northern Rough- winged Swallow
Northern Shoveler
Olivaceous Neotropical Cormorant
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
Pied-billed Grebe
Prothonotary Warbler
Purple Gallinule
Red-winged Blackbird
Ringed Kingfisher
Roadside Hawk
Roseate Spoonbill
Ruddy Crake
Savannah Vulture
Snail Kite
Snowy Egret
Social Flycatcher
Solitary Sandpiper
Southern Lapwing
Sungrebe
Tri-colored Heron
Tropical Kingbird
Turkey Vulture
Vermillion Flycacher
White Ibis
White-rumped Sandpiper
White-tailed Hawk
Wood Stork
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow Warbler
Also you will likely see Black, Brown and Green Iguanas in the trees and Jesus Christ Lizards walking on water as many are about.