Masaya Volcano National Park

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

🦎 Best Place for Black Spiny-tailed Iguanas

🌍 #255 Global · 3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #45 in Central America #112 in Tropical Forest

Pacific Nicaragua, Nicaragua 580 spp. recorded

Masaya is the rare park where you drive to the rim of an active crater. Its best-known animals are the chocoyos — Pacific parakeets that nest on the inner walls of the Santiago crater and fly in and out through the volcanic gases.

11.995° N 86.161° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Pacific Parakeet

Aratinga strenua

10–20% · With luck

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

Insufficient data

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

40–50% · Likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

90–100% · Very likely

Rufous-backed Wren

Campylorhynchus capistratus

90–100% · Very likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

90–100% · Very likely

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Melanerpes hoffmannii

80–90% · Very likely

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator

Saltator grandis

70–80% · Very likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

70–80% · Very likely

Melodious Blackbird

Dives dives

70–80% · Very likely

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Eumomota superciliosa

70–80% · Very likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

70–80% · Likely

Scrub Euphonia

Euphonia affinis

60–70% · Likely

Cinnamon Hummingbird

Amazilia rutila

60–70% · Likely

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Columbina talpacoti

60–70% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Variegated Squirrel

Sciurus variegatoides

20–30% · Possible

Derby's Woolly Opossum

Caluromys derbianus

20–30% · Possible

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

Insufficient data

Common Opossum

Didelphis marsupialis

10–20% · With luck

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Insufficient data

Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat

Artibeus jamaicensis

Insufficient data

Mexican Greater Funnel-eared Bat

Natalus mexicanus

Insufficient data

Southern Spotted Skunk

Spilogale angustifrons

Insufficient data

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Insufficient data

Jaguarundi

Puma yagouaroundi

Insufficient data

Sumichrast's Vesper Rat

Nyctomys sumichrasti

Insufficient data

Lesser Sac-winged Bat

Saccopteryx leptura

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Pacific Parakeet

Aratinga strenua

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

90–100% · Very likely

Rufous-backed Wren

Campylorhynchus capistratus

90–100% · Very likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

90–100% · Very likely

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Melanerpes hoffmannii

80–90% · Very likely

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator

Saltator grandis

70–80% · Very likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

70–80% · Very likely

Melodious Blackbird

Dives dives

70–80% · Very likely

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Eumomota superciliosa

70–80% · Very likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

70–80% · Likely

Scrub Euphonia

Euphonia affinis

60–70% · Likely

Cinnamon Hummingbird

Amazilia rutila

60–70% · Likely

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Columbina talpacoti

60–70% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

20–30% · Possible

White-throated Gecko

Gonatodes albogularis

20–30% · Possible

Central American Boa

Boa imperator

20–30% · Possible

Blackbelly Racerunner

Aspidoscelis deppii

20–30% · Possible

Rainbow Ameiva

Holcosus undulatus

Insufficient data

Common House Gecko

Hemidactylus frenatus

10–20% · With luck

Blood Snake

Stenorrhina freminvillei

Insufficient data

Taylor's Blind Snake

Epictia ater

Insufficient data

Black-banded Cat-eyed Snake

Leptodeira nigrofasciata

Insufficient data

Striped Lowland Snake

Leptodrymus pulcherrimus

Insufficient data

Golden Spectacled Tegu

Gymnophthalmus speciosus

Insufficient data

Copper Anole

Anolis cupreus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

30–40% · Possible

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

Insufficient data

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Engystomops pustulosus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐸

Treefrogs in the Rains

AprMayJunJulAugSepOct

Red-eyed treefrogs and Mexican treefrogs breed through the wet season and call from the forest pools after dark.

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

Insufficient data

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

30–40% · Possible

🐒

Howler Troops in the Dry Forest

MayJunJul

Mantled howlers and white-faced capuchins concentrate in the remaining shade and are heard across the whole park.

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

Insufficient data

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

Insufficient data

🦎

Iguanas Out in the Open

NovDecJanFeb

Black spiny-tailed iguanas and green iguanas bask on the open rock along the crater road, easily seen from the car.

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

40–50% · Likely

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

20–30% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

Pacific Parakeet

10–20

5–10

5–10

<5

10–20

5–10

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

5–10

5–10

Red-eyed Treefrog

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

30–40

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

10–20

10–20

10–20

40–50

40–50

Mantled Howler Monkey

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

30–40

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

Clay-colored Thrush

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

Rufous-backed Wren

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

80–90

White-winged Dove

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator

60–70

70–80

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

Melodious Blackbird

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

Turquoise-browed Motmot

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

90–100

70–80

50–60

60–70

40–50

Tropical Kingbird

70–80

70–80

80–90

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

80–90

50–60

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

Cinnamon Hummingbird

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

80–90

70–80

Ruddy Ground-Dove

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

80–90

50–60

30–40

30–40

40–50

Animal Events

🐸 Treefrogs in the Rains

🐒 Howler Troops in the Dry Forest

🦎 Iguanas Out in the Open

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🦎 Best Place for Black Spiny-tailed Iguanas

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

334

🐒 Mammals

140

🦎 Reptiles

87

🐸 Amphibians

19

580 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

11 Threatened 58 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

76%

📊

Coverage (103 species at ≥5% of 580 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

18%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)

46% Global avg

0%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

54

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

3

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

20

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Masaya Volcano National Park?

The most likely sightings are Clay-colored Thrush (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Rufous-backed Wren (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), White-winged Dove (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Hoffmann's Woodpecker (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Cinnamon-bellied Saltator (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 580 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Masaya Volcano National Park for wildlife?

March has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Pacific Parakeet in Masaya Volcano National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 11% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Parakeet sighting in Masaya Volcano National Park, based on 136 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

Can you see Red-eyed Treefrog in Masaya Volcano National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 6% of wildlife watchers report a Red-eyed Treefrog sighting in Masaya Volcano National Park, based on 1 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

Can you see Black Spiny-tailed Iguana in Masaya Volcano National Park?

Yes — about 46% of wildlife watchers report a Black Spiny-tailed Iguana sighting in Masaya Volcano National Park, based on 24 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Mantled Howler Monkey in Masaya Volcano National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 6% of wildlife watchers report a Mantled Howler Monkey sighting in Masaya Volcano National Park, based on 1 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

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