Birds to See in Belize in December
93 bird species on our list for Belize are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Gray Catbird, Turkey Vulture, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Magnolia Warbler and American Redstart. New this month: Red-breasted Merganser, Western Kingbird, Eurasian Teal and Lark Sparrow and 3 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
American RedstartBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
Common YellowthroatBusiest month of the year · Sep–May
SanderlingBusiest month of the year · Aug–May
American Herring GullBusiest month of the year · Oct–Mar
Ring-billed GullBusiest month of the year · Nov–Mar
Forster's TernBusiest month of the year · Oct–Apr
From Belize’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 93 birds in December
93 birds
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisWinter visitorCommon20–24 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.54% in Dec
Turkey VultureCathartes auraResidentCommon62–81 cmRecorded all year · 1.52% in Dec
Golden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifronsResidentCommon21–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Dec
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 1.26% in Dec- American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaWinter visitorCommon11–14 cmRegularly Aug–May · 1.20% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Dec
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Dec
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisResidentCommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Dec
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWinter visitorCommon12–15 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.72% in Dec
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.70% in Dec
White-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaResidentCommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Dec- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.56% in Dec
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasResidentCommon91–137 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Dec
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentCommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Dec
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatusResidentCommon32–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Dec
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.43% in Dec
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Dec
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.32% in Dec
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensWinter visitorUncommon11–12 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.29% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapillaWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.24% in Dec
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusWinter visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Dec
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusResidentUncommon20–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorUncommon10–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.20% in Dec
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusWinter visitorUncommon18–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataWinter visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.18% in Dec
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisResidentUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusResidentUncommon17–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Ferruginous Pygmy-owlGlaucidium brasilianumResidentUncommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.12% in Dec
Mottled OwlStrix virgataResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Dec
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.09% in Dec
Great CurassowCrax rubraResidentUncommon84–92 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisResidentUncommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
WilletTringa semipalmataWinter visitorUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaWinter visitorCommon10–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Dec
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWinter visitorUncommon19–22 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaWinter visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.07% in Dec
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisWinter visitorUncommon7–9 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.06% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec- SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.06% in Dec
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Dec
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentUncommon66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
MerlinFalco columbariusWinter visitorUncommon24–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusWinter visitorUncommon34–44 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPassage migrantCommon16–20 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Dec
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.04% in Dec
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaWinter visitorUncommon43–51 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Dec
Painted BuntingPasserina cirisWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Dec- American Herring GullLarus smithsonianusWinter visitorRare53–65 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentRare14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorScarceRare52–58 cmRegularly Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Ladder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalarisResidentRare16–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Carolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisPassage migrantRare20–24 cmRegularly Dec · 0.02% in Dec
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusWinter visitorUncommon23–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorRare27–30 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaResidentUncommon33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraWinter visitorRare23–34 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicusWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Dec- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensisWinter visitorRare43–54 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Common TernSterna hirundoPassage migrantRare31–35 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.02% in Dec- Forster's TernSterna forsteriWinter visitorRare33–36 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusWinter visitorRare40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusWinter visitorRare18–23 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Dec
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisWinter visitorRare45–65 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorRare34–38 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiWinter visitorRare13–17 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Stygian OwlAsio stygiusResidentRare41–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentRare45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensWinter visitorRare11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Dec
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiWinter visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Dec
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusResidentRare46–63 cmRegularly May–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantRare52–64 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusWinter visitorRare12–15 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaPassage migrantRare28–38 cmRegularly Dec · 0.00% in Dec
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusPassage migrantRare58–85 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentRare15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.00% in Dec
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Dec · 0.00% in Dec
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made