With Belize having a human population of less than 350,000 and being nearly 50% protected through National Parks, Nature Reserves, Conservation Areas, Forest Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries it is an ideal location to establish a raptor conservation organization. In 2013, the Belize Raptor Research Institute's (BRRI) Executive Director and Raptor Watch Director, Ryan Phillips, launched the first hawk watch program in Belize to better understand raptor migration in Belize and to fill a void in raptor migration knowledge between Mexico and Costa Rica along the eastern coastline. In 2017, BRRI merged with Scarlet 6 Biomonitoring Team to form the Belize Bird Conservancy. This is an annual long-term fall migration hawk watch. With the discovery of a significant migration of Hook-billed Kites and little data on this migration the Hook-billed Kite became the focal species. It is the largest migration of Hook-billed Kites known. Dr. Lee Jones, Author of ' Birds of Belize,' first observed a raptor migration at this site in 1999, when he witnessed a kettle of Hook-billed Kites. He conducted counts, mainly for passerines, but also documented the raptors that passed through the area. Our count is located in southern Belize in the Toledo District and is from October 1 through December 15.

The count is conducted on a soccer field located in the village of Cattle Landing in the southern extreme of Belize in the Toledo District. Located in flat lowland broadleaved forest directly along the Belize coastline of the Caribbean Sea, the count-site is 15 m from the ocean and 6.7 m a.s.l. located at 16.120218º latitude and -88.794307º longitude, approximately 2 km north of Punta Gorda.

In 2017, the Belize Raptor Research Institute (BRRI), founded in 2009, and the Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team (S6), founded in 2013, merged into one organization to form the Belize Bird Conservancy to fulfill their mutual goals of research, education and conservation of birds. The founding of the Belize Bird Conservancy allowed for a greater opportunity to enhance programs, start more projects, and accomplish more in bird conservation by reaching a larger community. The mission of the Belize Bird Conservancy is to conserve birds in their habitat across Belize through on-the-ground scientific research, education, advocacy, and collaborations. The objectives are to better understand Belize birds through scientific research: provide education outreach: train future conservationists and biologists: provide economic opportunities to Belizeans: provide volunteer and internship programs: and form partnerships with local and international wildlife conservation groups and government bodies to help protect birds in Belize.

All data displayed on this site are preliminary and have not yet undergone quality control. Written permission is required to use the data.