Site Report: Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey is in danger
Our Driver
Swimming at Semuc Champey
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia) - Female
Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) - Male Nonbreeding
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) - Female Nonbreeding
Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) - Female
Black-headed Saltator (Saltator atriceps)
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
Spot-breasted Wren (Thryothorus maculipectus)
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Semuc Champey is in danger
Our Driver
Swimming at Semuc Champey
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia) - Female
Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) - Male Nonbreeding
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) - Female Nonbreeding
Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) - Female
Black-headed Saltator (Saltator atriceps)
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
Spot-breasted Wren (Thryothorus maculipectus)
Semuc Champey is an area known for its crystal clear pools on top of a sort of land bridge inside of a river valley. The surrounding area contains remnant forest patches and a lot of farming of chocolate and cardamom.
Visits
- 2009-01-30: We arrived here after a several hour journey using the special tourist minibus. The tourist minibus is four times the price as the regular bus and nearly as uncomfortable, but at least you don't have to change buses or wait for a connection. One of the attractions in this area is the Languin Cave which holds something like 20 million bats. Unfortunately, there is little protection for the bats, and a throng of about 30 backpackers stood at the cave entrance talking loudly and flashing the bats with their cameras. Most of this area has been cleared for farmland with the main crops of cacao and cardamom, but near the caves and also near the pools, you can find some remnant forest patches. The locals were quite friendly, and the food and accommodations were pretty good here.
Species Seen
Kingdom: Animals (29 records)
Phylum: Chordates
(29 records)
Class: Birds
(26 records)
- Order: Cuckoos
(1 record)
- Family: Cuckoos
- Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris)
- Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies
(1 record)
- Family: Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Common Black-Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
- Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts (4 records)
- Family: Swifts
- Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift (Panyptila cayennensis)
- Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots
(1 record)
- Family: Motmots
- Lessen's Motmot (Momotus lessonii)
- Order: Owls And Nightjars
(1 record)
- Family: Typical Owls
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
- Order: Perching Birds
(18 records)
- Family: American Blackbirds and Orioles
- Chestnut-headed Oropendola (Psarocolius wagleri)
- Family: Cardinals and Allies
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
- Family: New World Sparrows
- Orange-billed Sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris)
- Family: New World Warblers
- Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)
- Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
- Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)
- Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)
- Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)
- Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum)
- Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
- Slate-throated Redstart (Myioborus miniatus)
- Family: Tanagers and Allies
- Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
- Yellow-winged Tanager (Thraupis abbas)
- Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea)
- Black-headed Saltator (Saltator atriceps)
- Family: Thrushes and Allies
- White-throated Thrush (Turdus assimilis)
- Family: Tityras and Allies
- Black-crowned Tityra (Tityra inquisitor)
- Family: Wrens
- Spot-breasted Wren (Pheugopedius maculipectus)
Class: Mammals
(3 records)
- Order: Carnivorans
(2 records)
- Family: Canidae
- Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
- Family: Mustelids
- Tayra (Eira barbara)
- Order: Rodents
(1 record)
- Family: Squirrels
- Neotropical Red Squirrel (Sciurus granatensis)