The tiny Caribbean nation of Belize is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which stretches from Mexico through Central America and is home to a diverse range of birds and wildlife. Mr Choco said that this, combined with Chaa Creek’s own 365 acre private rainforest reserve, has created an unparalleled opportunity for birding. “We’re basically a protected region within a protected region, so it’s a great sanctuary for local and migratory birds, and that’s why we have such an abundance of wildlife here,” he said.

As many as 575 species of birds have been reported for Belize including many erroneous and/or unverified reports. The actual number of species for Belize probably numbers somewhere around 540. More than any other group, birds are subject to reporting from birding groups and tour guides. Depending on the field guide or checklist used by those reporting bird records the names applied to species may vary. There have been some recent taxonomic changes and …