Honduras - Nature Travel pictures from Honduras by Günther Eichhorn

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I had hoped to see a lot of jungle, unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and the itinerary didn't work out as planned. There are very interesting nature reserves, some of them are so reserved that no people are allowed in them.

I included the standard binomial names for species that I could identify. If you know any of the official names for any of the plants or animals on this page, please let me know so I can include them.

Landscapes

There are quite a few nature reserves in Honduras. Unfortunately, the weather prevented me from seeing too much of them. Along the north shore are several beaches. On Sundays they are very crowded, everybody heads for the beach. Small mountains and small mountain ranges have some natural vegetation, but much of the land is cultivated.

Clouds on the coastal mountain range. (539k)	The edge of cultivated land, merging into forest. (619k)	A small mountain valley on the edge of Pico Bonito National Park. (717k)	A small mountain stream on the edge of Pico Bonito National Park. (735k)	A bridge to cross. (934k)
This was a pretty wobbly bridge. (843k)	View of the beach at La Ensenada. (783k)	View of the beach from Tornabé with Miami (not that Miami ;-) ) in the distance (688k)	Sunset looking west from Triunfo de la Cruz. (374k)	Sunset in Cuero y Salado (337k)
Sunset in Cuero y Salado (352k)	Sunset in Cuero y Salado. (302k)	Thunderstorm illuminated after sunset by the sun below the horizon. This thunderstorm rained out my excursion in Cuero y Salado. (336k)	Clouds casting shadows, illuminated from below the horizon. (306k)	A rainy beach at Triunfo de la Cruz. (392k)

Flora

There are lots of flowers around, both in the wild and decorative flowers around the houses.

Some of the trees in the jungle reserves were quite impressive. The Ceiba, the sacred tree of the Mayas is one example of a tree that can grow very big. The Ceiba tree figures in the mythologies of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, in particular that of the Maya civilization, where the concept of the central world tree is often depicted as a Ceiba trunk, which connects the planes of the Underworld (Xibalba), the skies and the terrestrial realm.

View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (999k)	View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (730k)	View of the jungle in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve with philodendron growing on the trees (853k)	Jungle tree with climbing philodendron. (731k)	Large clump of epiphytes growing on a tree in the nature reserve Cuero y Salado. (919k)
A bromeliad in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (545k)	A strangler fig (Ficus sp.) growing on a tree in the the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. It will eventually kill the tree by strangling it. (817k)	Closer view of the strangler fig. (707k)	Large growth on a strangler fig (Ficus sp.). (661k)	A Ceiba tree. It was the sacred tree of the ancient Maya. (714k)
The base of Ceiba with the large buttress roots. (852k)	The Ceiba can grow quite big. (757k)	Other trees have wicked looking thorns as well. (737k)	Closeup of one of the thorns on a Ceiba. (421k)	Entry to the Jardí Botánico Lancetilla, covered with Bamboo. (936k)
Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) in the Laguna de los Micos (Lagoon of the Monkeys), near Miami, just outside of Tela. (841k)	White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) in the Laguna de los Micos. (903k)	Salt crust on mangrove roots. (647k)	Tree covered with bromeliads. (778k)	Close-up of a bromeliad. (633k)
An interesting looking flower on a tree. (334k)	Flowering tree in the Laguna de los Micos. (938k)	Flowering tree in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve & Nature park. (932k)	Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (400k)	Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (386k)
Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (459k)	Flower at the fringes of the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (360k)	Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus). (519k)	Trumpet flower. (396k)	Flower in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta Izopo. (480k)
Red Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (435k)	Flowers in the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta Izopo. (526k)	Heliconia sp. in the Lancetilla Nature Reserve. (298k)	Flower in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (356k)	Flower at the Cabañas Aventuras del Bosque lodge near the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (410k)
Flower at the Cabañas Aventuras del Bosque lodge near the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (356k)	Flower at the Cabañas Aventuras del Bosque lodge near the Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. (364k)	Flower in the Macaw Mountain Bird Reserve. (394k)	Golden Shrimp Plant flower (Pachystachys lutea) at Macaw Mountain. (401k)	Passion fruit flower (Passiflora edulis). (383k)
Red Hibiscus (Hibiscus sp., probably Hibiscus rosa-sinensis). (394k)	Red Heart Hibiscus. (376k)	Umbrella Hibiscus (maybe Hibiscus schizopetalus). (361k)	Mushroom in Cuero y Salado. (383k)	Mushroom in the Lancetilla reserve. (590k)

Birds

There are lots of bird species in Honduras. Unfortunately I saw only a small number during my trip, mostly because the weather prevented me from going on nature excursions. The exception was the excursion to the Laguna de los Micos, where I saw lots of birds.

Oropendola (probably chestnut-headed Oropendola, Psarocolius wagleri) (671k)	Bird (464k)	Shore bird (666k)	Birds (510k)	These birds were everywhere. This is the female. (442k)
This is the male of this ubiquitous bird species. (451k)	Bird near the lodge at Pico Bonito. (482k)	Bird near the lodge at Pico Bonito. (445k)	Oropendola nests. (781k)	Shore bird. (394k)
Shore bird. (497k)	Heron (probably Green Heron, Butorides virescens). (433k)	Boat-billed Heron, Cochlearius cochlearius, called Bujaja in Honduras. It is a nocturnal bird. (543k)	American Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus. (462k)	Raptor (342k)
A group of Neotropic Cormorants, Phalacrocorax brasilianus. (662k)	Neotropic Cormorants taking flight. (735k)	There were lots of cormorants in the Laguna de los Micos. (440k)	Cormorants in a tree at the Laguna de los Micos, with an occasional pelican. (591k)	Closer view of a group of Neotropic Cormorants. (708k)
Neotropic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), and a Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) perched in a tree. (323k)	Three Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight. (505k)	Brown Pelican in flight. (377k)	Brown Pelican in flight. (354k)	Brown Pelican in a tree. (533k)
Swimming Brown Pelican. (393k)	Two Great White Egrets (Ardea alba), and one Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in flight. (338k)	Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in flight. (385k)	Great White Egret (Ardea alba) landing. (393k)	Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) landing. (461k)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in a tree. (474k)	Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), and Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) (617k)	Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) (489k)	Great White Egret (Ardea alba) and Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in a tree. (576k)	Immature Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). (463k)
Mature Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). (505k)	Closer view of a mature Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). (465k)	Great White Egret (Ardea alba). (482k)	Closer view of a Great White Egret (Ardea alba). (522k)	Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao). These are the national birds of Honduras. (643k)
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). (438k)	Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao). (496k)

Other fauna

Other than birds I saw mainly lizards, iguanas and insects. I saw quite a few dragonflies, not that many butterflies.

The exception were the monkeys. I saw White-headed Capuchins (Cebus capucinus) fairly close.

Termite nest in a tree on a hill near Triunfo de la Cruz. (558k)	Mud tubes on a tree are covered walkways for termites. (740k)	Leaf cutter ants climbing down a tree with pieces of leaves. (394k)	They do quite a number on the tree, all the young leaves are gone. (521k)	Dragonfly. (383k)
Dragonfly. (324k)	Dragonfly. (300k)	Dragonfly. (311k)	Butterfly. (505k)	Butterfly. (398k)
Butterfly. (372k)	Everywhere on the beach are these holes from small crabs. (911k)	One of the small crabs. (647k)	People seem to dig out these crabs, I saw these dug-out holes many times. (519k)	Hermit crab in a snail shell. (760k)
One of the few frogs that I saw. (504k)	Small turtle. (913k)	Lizard. (509k)	Lizard. (570k)	Iguana in a tree. (536k)
Iguana. (502k)	Close-up of an iguana. (483k)	A snake that somebody caught and brought into the bar for a minute to show around. (430k)	Huge langouste, or spiny lobster (probably Panulirus argus). (489k)	White-headed Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) in a tree. (512k)
White-headed Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) in Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), eating crabs. (526k)	White-headed Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) eating in Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle). (509k)	White-headed Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) eating in Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle). (501k)

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All pictures are © Günther Eichhorn

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