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Macal River

San Ignacio  >  Belize

The Macal River is a river running through Cayo District in western Belize. It flows through broadleaf tropical forest with abundant birdlife.

Ajouté* par Steven Schulting
Dernière actualisation 13 juillet 2024

Description

The Macal River winds through large expanses of primary and secondary growth broadleaf tropical forest, including a substantial tract of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve and Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. The watershed consists of closed canopy upland forests as well as a fertile floodplain, which is often overgrown with dense jungle vegetation trailing into the verges of the river itself.

There is abundant birdlife in the Macal Basin; for example, in the Mountain Pine Ridge sub-watershed alone are found: the Rufous-capped Warbler, Pine Siskin and Eastern Bluebird. Raptors hunt among the valleys of Mountain Pine Ridge, and affords the most probable location in Belize to observe the Orange-breasted Falcon.

The massive trees on the river banks in the lower reach are home to breeding Keel-billed Toucan, Belize's national bird, as well as other toucans like Collared Aracari and Northern Emerald-Toucanet .

Along the river itself various species of kingfisher and flycatchers are present.

Détails

Accès

Whilst the highest reaches of the watershed are only accessible to the most hardy of hikers, the Mountain Pine Ridge area is available to travellers by auto (not bus). Most of the recreation in this reach is within the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, a national Park of Belize. In addition to hiking trails into the wilderness, this reach is the location of Belize's largest limestone caverns. The most extensive of these aqueous caverns is the Rio Frio area.

In the lowest reach there are a number of jungle resorts which offer access to the banks of the Macal for flotation or canoe trips to San Ignacio. Except for the peak flow periods of June to October, it is feasible to canoe upstream against the current in this reach.

A good site near the river is the Belize Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens do not give access to the river itself but the adjacent Sweet Songs resort does.

Terrain et Habitat

Forêt , Montagnes , Rivière

Conditions

Montagneux , Marécageux

Boucle

Oui

Avez-vous besoin d'une longue-vue?

Non

Saison idéale pour observer

Toute l'année

Itinéraire

Sentier étroit

Niveau de difficulté de l'itinéraire

Durée de la marche

Accessible via

Bateau , A pied

Observatoire/hutte d'observation

Oui

Liens

Voir les sites d'observation voisins publiés sur Birdingplaces

Carte

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