sitemap send us some feedback/contact us about the fatbirder

      






 birding...

Mexico
   
(visit this page on fatfisherman.com)
(visit this page on fatphotographer.net)
 







Tufted Jay Cyanocorax dickeyi © Peter Morris http://www.birdquest-tours.com

In birding terms México is a very rich country due to its geographical conditions and characteristics, we have a wide variety of climates, habitats and ecosystems which are the home to unique and again wide diversity of flora and fauna. Just to mention some ecosystems we can find coastal dunes, mangroves, savannas, low, medium and high jungle, cloud and rain forests, desert, high mountains, etc, etc. Due again to its geographical location and wide diversity of ecosystems Mexico is considered as one of the 7 countries with Mega biological diversity occupying the first place in number of reptiles in the world, second place in number of land vertebrates, more than 30,000 of plants, as well as 1,040 different species of birds, of which 125 are endemic and approximately 400 can not be found in USA or Canada. Mexico has more species of birds than the USA and Canada combined.

Fortunately there have been several studies done on Mexico's birds, just to mention some important groups we have Psitacidos, which include macaws and parrots, a wide variety of hawks, egrets, herons, warblers, vireos, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, owls, etc. Birds that live on the coast are also well represented; we have a big population of flamingos in the Yucatan peninsula, we have cormorants, pelicans, spoonbills, frigate birds and many more.

Birdwatching in Mexico has been long appreciated by visitors again due to the rich diversity we have. Some of the best birdwatching is practiced in most of the 116 protected areas Mexico has throughout the country.

With the recent growth of eco-tourism in Mexico birdwatchers have the opportunity to visit many more places than they could before.

Mexico already has some professional companies offering high quality birdwatching trips with serious and experienced local birders who can arrange trips throughout the year. Normally these trips have the extra opportunity of doing cultural activities such as seeing historic sites, enjoying great food and experiencing the high quality service that the people in Mexico give to visitors.

México es un país que por sus características geográficas y ortográficas presenta una gran variedad de climas y habitats, que brindad refugio y hogar a miles de especies de fauna y flora a través de su vasto territorio. Desde dunas costeras hasta paramos de altura y nieves eternas, encontrando en el camino manglares, sabanas, pantanos, selvas bajas, medianas y altas en sus diferentes clasificaciones, bosques mesófilos de montaña, vegetación xerófita, desiertos, bosques de confieras, etc. Por estas y otras características México a sido considerado dentro de los seis países mas megadiversos del planeta ubicándolo en el primer lugar en cuanto a herpetofauna se refiere, el segundo en vertebrados terrestres, 30,000 plantas superiores, así como con 1040 especies de aves silvestres de las cuales 125 son endémicas y aproximadamente 400 no ocurren al norte de nuestra frontera. Lo cual es un número aun mayor de las que cuenta el número combinado entre Estados Unidos y Canadá juntos.

En este aspecto la variedad de aves tanto residentes como migratorias en México es bastante amplia identificando algunas de importancia como: Psittacidos como guacamayos, cotorros y pericos, aves de presas, entre ellas halcones, águilas, milanos, lechuzas, búhos tropicales, etc. Aves marinas de gran importancia como los flamencos, espátulas, cormoranes y fragatas por mencionar algunas, así como otras especies de carpinteros, martín pescador, chupamirtos, tucanes, motmots, trogones, cuervos, chipes, etc.

La observación de aves en el caso particular de México, brinda la posibilidad de acercar a la gente a la naturaleza y consigo misma, de conservar y estudiar los recursos disponibles. La observación de aves es una actividad que puede ser realizada de manera independiente o grupal, desde la ventana de tu casa en la ciudad hasta en distintos ambientes naturales.

En nuestro país existe una gran variedad de alternativas para procurarse de la observación de aves, pues se cuenta, con distintas clases de áreas protegidas en todo el país, disponibles para el disfrute del turista ávido de paz y naturaleza. Nuestro país hoy en día, cuenta con algunas agencias y empresas de ecoturismo que brindan servicios de observación de aves en tours y rutas perfectamente diseñadas en todo el país, con guías preparados y dispuestos a dar siempre lo mejor de si, para el disfrute y seguridad del turista.


 
 

Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

Satellite View
Calakmul Biosphere reserve is also an area accepted by UNESCO as a natural heritage site. It has more than 1.7 million acres and it is the second largest protected area of Mexico. It is composed basically of a jungle area connecting with the jungle of Guatemala representing the second largest jungle in America after the Amazon.

Calakmul has just recently started to be studied. There is not a lot of information on the reserve and the number of species, nevertheless it is known by the abundance and diversity of species that can be seen in the area. There are several groups working in the area such as WWF and Pronatura. A trip to the reserve early in the morning can provide you with a quite diverse view of bird species as well as other animals of the area.

Siankaan Biosphere Reserve:

Satellite View
Siankaán was established as a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and incorporated into UNESCO's list of natural world heritage sites in 1987. Covering more than 1.5 million acres along the central coast of the State of Quintana Roo, it is one of the largest protected areas of Mexico. The reserve is composed equally of semi evergreen tropical forest, wetlands & savannas and marine habitat.

The Yucatan peninsula has at least 527 bird species in 62 families of which 12 are endemic with 4 subspecies, 2 morphs and 14 hipotetical registers. Siankaán itself is home to more than 345 bird species, including over 1 million wintering migratory songbirds from the US and Canada and the rare Jabiru stork.

The challenge in the area is to promote rational and sustainable use of the natural resources that is compatible with the conservation of the reserve and at the same time beneficial to the local inhabitants; integrating environmental policy into regional development planning.

Zona del silencio

Satellite View
Zona del silencio is located in Durango and Coahuila in the north of Mexico and is a dessert ecosystem.
Number of bird species: 1062


Crested Caracara Polyborus plancus

Number of endemics: 13 Sub-species which are endemic and may be accorded full species status:
Socorro Parakeet Aratinga brevipes Cape Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium hoskinsii Mexican Hermit Phaethornis mexicanus Doubleday's Hummingbird Cynanthus doubledayi Cinnamon-sided Hummingbird Amazilia wagneri Bronze-winged Woodpecker Piculus aeruginosus Strickland's Woodpecker Picoides stricklandi Cozumel Wren Troglodytes beani Grayson's Robin [Thrush] Turdus graysoni Vizcaino Thrasher Toxostoma arenicola Slate-blue Seedeater Amaurospiza relicta Guadalupe Junco Junco insularis Baird's Junco Junco bairdi


Rufous-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis wagleri West Mexican Chachalaca Ortalis poliocephala Bearded Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx barbatus Long-tailed Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx macroura Elegant Quail Callipepla douglasii Banded Quail Philortyx fasciatus Tuxtla Quail-Dove Geotrygon carrikeri Thick-billed Parrot Rhynchopsitta pachyrhynchus Maroon-fronted Parrot Rhynchopsitta terrisi Mexican (Blue-rumped) Parrotlet Forpus cyanopygius Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis Lilac-crowned Parrot Amazona finschi Balsas Screech-Owl Otus seductus Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium sanchezi Colima Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium palmarum Eared Poorwill Nyctiphrynus mcleodiiTawny-collared Nightjar Caprimulgus salvini White-naped Swift Streptoprocne semicollaris

Long-tailed Sabrewing Campylopterus excellens Short-crested Coquette Lophornis brachylophus Golden-crowned Emerald Chlorostilbon auriceps Cozumel Emerald Chlorostilbon forficatus Dusky Hummingbird Cynanthus sordidus Mexican Woodnymph Thalurania ridgwayi Xantus's Hummingbird Hylocharis xantusiiGreen-fronted Hummingbird Amazilia viridifrons White-tailed Hummingbird Eupherusa poliocerca Blue-capped Hummingbird Eupherusa cyanophrys Mexican Sheartail Doricha eliza Beautiful Hummingbird Calothorax pulcher Bumblebee Hummingbird Atthis heloisa Citreoline Trogon Trogon citreolus Eared Trogon Euptilotis neoxenus Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes chrysogenys Gray-breasted Woodpecker Melanerpes hypopolius Gray-crowned Woodpecker Piculus auricularis White-striped Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes leucogaster

Pileated Flycatcher Xenotriccus mexicanus Flammulated Flycatcher Deltarhynchus flammulatus Slaty Vireo Vireo brevipennis Cozumel Vireo Vireo bairdi Dwarf Vireo Vireo nelsoni Golden Vireo Vireo hypochryseus Black-throated Magpie-Jay Calocitta colliei Tufted Jay Cyanocorax dickeyi San Blas Jay Cyanocorax sanblasianus Purplish-backed Jay Cyanocorax beecheii Dwarf Jay Cyanolyca nana White-throated Jay Cyanolyca mirabilis Sinaloa Crow Corvus sinaloae Gray-barred Wren Campylorhynchus megalopterus Giant Wren Campylorhynchus chiapensis Spotted Wren Campylorhynchus gularis Boucard's Wren Campylorhynchus jocosus Yucatan Wren Campylorhynchus yucatanicus Sumichrast's Wren Hylorchilus sumichrasti Nava's Wren Hylorchilus navai Sinaloa Wren Thryothorus sinaloa Happy Wren Thryothorus felix Socorro Wren Thryomanes sissonii Clarion Wren Troglodytes tanneri Black-capped Gnatcatcher Polioptila nigriceps Russet Nightingale-Thrush Catharus occidentalis Rufous-backed Robin [Thrush] Turdus rufopalliatus Aztec Thrush Ridgwayia pinicola Socorro Mockingbird Mimodes graysoni Cozumel Thrasher Toxostoma guttatum Gray Thrasher Toxostoma cinereum Ocellated Thrasher Toxostoma ocellatum Blue Mockingbird Melanotis caerulescens Belding's Yellowthroat Geothlypis beldingi Altimira Yellowthroat Geothlypis flavovelata Black-polled Yellowthroat Geothlypis speciosa Hooded Yellowthroat Geothlypis nelsoni Red Warbler Ergaticus ruber Red-breasted Chat Granatellus venustus

Red-headed Tanager Piranga erythrocephala Rufous-capped Brush-Finch Atlapetes pileatus Green-striped Brush-Finch Buarremon virenticeps Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow Melozone kieneri Collared Towhee Pipilo ocai White-throated Towhee Pipilo albicollis Black-chested Sparrow Aimophila humeralis Bridled Sparrow Aimophila mystacalis Cinnamon-tailed [Sumichrast's] Sparrow Aimophila sumichrasti Oaxaca Sparrow Aimophila notosticta Striped Sparrow Oriturus superciliosus Worthen's Sparrow Spizella wortheni Sierra Madre Sparrow Xenospiza baileyi Crimson-collared Grosbeak Rhodothraupis celaeno Rose-bellied [Rosita's] Bunting Passerina rositae Orange-breasted Bunting Passerina leclancherii

A Bird Watcher's Guide to Mexico

ML Wheeler 96 pages, col plates, b/w photos, illus. Minutae Mexicana 1993
ISBN: 9687074248
Buy this book from NHBS.com

A Birders Checklist of the Birds of Mexico

Edited by Dave Sargeant 23 pages 1884
ISBN: 1994
Buy this book from NHBS.com

A Checklist Birds of Mexico

B Principe 32 pages American Birding Association 1999
ISBN: 51235
Buy this book from NHBS.com

A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas

Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador - Ernest Preston Edwards, Edward Murrell Butler (Illustrator) Hardcover - 288 pages (July 1998) University of Texas Press
ISBN: 0292720920
Buy this book from NHBS.com

A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America

Steve N.G. Howell, Sophie Webb Paperback - 868 pages (March 1995) Oxford University Press See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0198540124
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Birding Mexico

A Guide to Selected Sites J Curson 71 pages, 14 maps. 1991
ISBN: 25235
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Birds of Mexico

MP3 Sound Collection Peter Boesman 6 hours playing time. Birdsounds Netherlands 2006
ISBN: 160528
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Collins Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Central America

Ber Van Perlo 336 pages, 98 col plates. Harper Collins 2006
ISBN: 0007134908
Buy this book from NHBS.com

HUITZIL, Journal of Mexican Ornithology

http://www.huitzil.net

Mexico Field Guides: Sea and Shore Birds

Baja California - Sea of Cortez - Pacific Coast Robert Dean Series: MEXICO FIELD GUIDES 2 pages, A4 Laminated Guide, col illus. HML Enterprises Distributed by NHBS 2002
ISBN: 1888538368
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to Watch Birds in Mexico

Steve Howell, Sophie Webb (Illustrator) Paperback - 376 pages (25 February, 1999) Christopher Helm
ISBN: 0713650877
Buy this book from NHBS.com

National Bird


Crested Caracara Caracara plancus

Proact


Coordinator: none (why not apply?) see http://www.proact-campaigns.net/coordinators
Members: 2 Join us at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team

Biodiversity Commission

Website

Conabio's mission is to co-ordinate conservation and research efforts designed to preserve biological resources. Conabio promotes and develops scientifically-based activities whose aim is to explore, study, protect or find a sustainable use for biological resources...

CIPAMEX - Sección Mexicana del Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las aves

Website

CIPAMEX (Sección Mexicana del Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las aves, actualmente BirdLife) es una asociación civil, con fines no lucrativos. Esta asociación incluye a la mayoría de los ornitólogos así como un número grande de personas interesadas en la conservación de las aves de México.

Fundacion Ecologica de Guanajuato

Website

The Fundacion Ecologica de Guanajuato A.C. is a non-governmental organization established in March 1988. It promotes and initiates projects, cooperative programs, and investigations, and provides information and education about the state`s biological resources. The Fundacion supports the concept of ecodevelopment and works to implement it. Our plan is to achieve sustainable developmentÑthe foundation of a new relationship between humankind and nature. We believe conserving biological diversity and achieving sustainable management of resources must involve local inhabitants, land owners, and both direct and indirect users of the ecosystems. Therefore, since the beginning we have worked alongside the ONG Desarrollo Rural de Guanajuato A.C. (Rural Development Agency); which provides social services to inhabitants of rural areas such as those encompassed by the Santa Rosa Forest of Guanajuato...

HUITZIL - Journal of Mexican Ornithology

Website

HUITZIL is a scientific journal created with the intention of promoting the interchange of information generated about the birds of Mexico and achieving its quick and inexpensive distribution. Its distribution is carried out in electronic format. The issues in the electronic format can be obtained and printed free of charge through the internet.

Important Mexican Bird Conservsation Areas

Website

El programa de las AICAS surgió como una idea conjunta de la Sección Mexicana del Consejo Internacional para la preservación de las aves (CIPAMEX) y BirdLife International. Inició con apoyo de la Comisión para la Cooperación Ambiental de Norteamérica (CCA) con el propósito de crear una red regional de áreas importantes para la conservación de las aves...

The database of ornithologist working at Mexico

Website

A list with contact details...

Museo de las Aves de Mexico

http://www.museodelasaves.org

México is host to about 1,000 species of birds, of 9,000 existing in the world. In these pages you will find data and pictures on over 70% of them, from the collection at the Museum of Mexican birds...

*State Pages


There are many more trip reports for particular parts of the country - see the individual State pages

2001 [January] - Nicholas Block - NE Mexico

Report

Three other college students and I recently made a 10-day road trip to northeastern México, concentrating on the El Naranjo/Gómez Farías and Tlanchinol regions. We hoped to see all the northeastern endemics and as many other Mexican specialties as possible. We missed one endemic, unfortunately, most likely due to the fact we spent little time in the best habitat for it. However...

2002 [July] - Samuel Hansson - Central Mexico

Report

pdf file

2002 [November] - Oscar and Ariel Carmona - Northeast Mexico

Report

My wife and I spent 4 days birding and sightseeing in North-eastern Mexico from November 22nd to 26th, 2002. We drove to and spent some time at the Horsetail Falls/Cola de Caballo area near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Gomez Farias, Tamaulipas, and the Xilitla, San Luis Potosi area. The roads were in good shape and the weather was excellent. Some areas were birdier than others. All in all, the trip was successful. Below is a detailed report for each day...

2003 [January] - Alex Kirschel - Southern Mexico

Report

Our plan was to bird Cozumel first, clean up there and then go south to Felipe Carillo Puerto. Our first hotel in touristy Puerto Morales proved the most expensive at US$45, and that for a room with a bathroom that had no door. I tried to identify the ferry crossing details the night before, and found that taking the car across is prohibitively expensive, and pedestrian crossings are best arranged from Calica, rather than the more expensive Playa Del Carmen...

2003 [May] Oscar Carmona

Report

I led a group of 6 people from the Dallas-Fort Worth area on a birding/history tour of NE and Central Mexico. About half the time was spent looking for birds and the other half was visiting museums and missions. The following is a report of the locations visited, birds seen, hotels we stayed at, and restaurants we ate at. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions...

2004 [April] - Simon Allen - Southern Mexico

Report

After a number of visits to South America over the past few years, I decided that it was time to fill in some gaps in my Neotropical list and headed to southern Mexico for three weeks in March and April of 2004...

2004 [May] - Phil and Charlotte Benstead - Northern Mexico

Report

We spent the period between 20th April and 7h May 2004 birding in Northern Mexico. We flew with Continental from London (via Houston, where we had to overnight on the way out) to Mazatlan. This is an unusual destination but necessary as we had to stay out of potential malarial areas for the duration of the trip...

2004 [November] - Fatbirder/dba

Report

This is a report on an 7-day guided bird-watching tour of NE Mexico in November 2004 with a dba [disabled birders association] group...

2006 [April] - Dave Lowe & Richard Rae

Report

This is a report on a mixed birding and general sightseeing trip to South East Mexico by DL, RR and Emer Callanan, focusing on sites in the Yucatan Peninsula and Northern and Central Chiapas. The trip was planned by ourselves to maximise birding time in the early mornings and then visit Mayan ruins later in the day. The final 4 days were spent on Isla Mujeres. This relaxing island lying 30 minutes off the coast of Cancun proved to be the ideal antidote to the excessively hot and humid forests of the Yucatan. Bird numbers were naturally low but the snorkelling and beaches were a welcome distraction...

2006 [April] - Pete Morris - Western Mexico

Report

...The combination of glorious weather, fine food and accommodation, good roads and great birding inevitably made this an excellent tour. The fact that we had a particularly humorous group and recorded over 400 species (401 to be precise) for the first time, including a very high percentage (just about 90%) of the diamond birds...

2007 [January] - Michael Retter - Northeast Mexico

Report

...birds like Mountain Trogon, Azure-hooded Jay, and Blue-crowned Motmot are all undeniably tropical, this tour offers a taste of the Neotropics without overwhelming numbers of unfamiliar bird families, making it an excellent tour for first-timers to the tropics..

2008 [January] - Michael Retter

Report

...birds like Crested Guan, Azure-hooded Jay, and Collared Araçari are all undeniably tropical..

2009 [January] - Michael Retter - Northwest Mexico

Report

...Dry coastal thorn forest gives way to moist pine-oak woodland as we ascend the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is here that we found one of the crown jewels of Mexican birds, the Tufted Jay, as well as a surprise observation of the near-mythical Eared Quetzal...

Andean Birding

Tour Operator

Andean Birding is a birdwatching tour company providing top bird guides, customized itineraries and logistics for your visit to the Andes, Amazon and Galapagos in Ecuador, as well as Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Mexico. In addition, we conduct bird conservation and ornithological research...

Bird Mexico Travel

Tour Operator

To develop the definitive online resource and marketing tools for promoting bird watching in Mexico as an important tourism and conservation activity...

Birding Adventures in Mexico

Tour Operator

Many varieties of tropical birds, only found in Mexico, fill its trees and skies. Adventures in Mexico specializes in the out-of-the-way dream destinations.

Birding and Ocean Life at Puerto Vallarta

Tour Operator

All birding tours depart from Puerto Vallarta at sunrise (the actual time depends on the season); returning at around 12:30 in the afternoon. We have several easy-to-get-to points of departure, depending on the type of tour and on your hotel`s location, so we`ll need to arrange this at the proper time.

Birding Pal

Information

Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...

BirdQuest

Tour Operator

BirdQuest offer a number of Tours to a variety of destinations including the Yucatan Peninsula and Baja California...

Ecocolors

Tour Operator

This unique eco-tour is specially design for bird watchers. We will be able to visit the main protected areas in the Yucatan peninsula such as Sianka'an, Holbox, Coba, and El Eden, as well as Guatemala and Belize rainforest. Mexico has around 1,040 different bird species, just in the Yucatan peninsula there are 509 different species in 62 families, from which 12 are endemic, with 4 subspecies, 2 morphos and 14 hipotetical registers. Belize and Guatemala have also more than 550 species of birds...

Ecotourismo Yucatan

Tour Operator

We are well known for our custom tours with highly skilled leaders for small private groups. Some of our clients like to explore the seldom seen sites far from the usual tourist routes or combine, for example rarely visited sites with discovering the birds and other wildlife and natural history of the Mayan empire.

Hidden Voyages Ecotours

Tour Operator

Join naturalist Michael Malone for exciting Birding Expeditions on the wild lagoons of the Pacific coast of Oaxaca state, Mexico.

Open Air Expeditions

Tour Operator

Choose either the Coastal Bird Walk or the Mountain Bird Hike. We suggest the Coastal Birds if this is your first time birding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We will drive you to a local estuary down a road paralleling the river. This is great habitat for Seedeaters, Buntings, Oriols, Kestrels and more. At the estuary, we will use a Spyingscope to scan the Shores and Mangroves for Egrets, Herons, Avocets and Sandpipers. Next we will drive 15 minutes to a fresh water lagoon to view Rails, Coots, Jacanas and Ducks…

Aves de Mexico

Forum
Birders forum, photos, observations, IDs & sites in Mexico...

Mex-Bird

Mailing List
To subscribe to list:MEX-BIRD-Request@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
SUBSCRIBE MEX-BIRD + Your name
Mailing List – Discussion Group Discussion of birds in Mexico.

Mexicobirding

Mailing List
To post to list:Mexicobirding@yahoogroups.com
List contact:Mexicobirding-owner@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to list:Mexicobirding-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
This page gives birders interested in keeping tabs on other birders trips into MExico, and to promote birding in Mexico and the Neo-tropics. This should be considered a clearing house for information about where and how to find the birds and their habitats. it is also meant to be a site for birders to exchange ideas and experiences related to birdwatching in Mexico, and to help one another in the creation of birding trips into Mexico.

Ornitologica de Mexico

Mailing List
To post to list:Ornitologica_de_Mexico@yahoogrupos.com.mx
List contact:Ornitologica_de_Mexico-owner@yahoogrupos.com.mx
To subscribe to list:Ornitologica_de_Mexico-subscribe@yahoogrupos.com.mx
This is the electronic list of Birdlife International - Mexico the main Ornithological Association in our country. The list is in Spanish. Es la lista de discusión oficial de la Organización CIPAMEX/Birdlife-Méx. La cual agrupa a los Ornitólogos profesionales y aficionados de cualquier parte del mundo, interesados en las aves de México y sus hábitats, su conocimiento y los temas asociados a la conservación y aprovechamiento sustentable.

Aves de Mexico

Website

Birders forum, photos, observations, IDs & sites in Mexico...

Birdwatching in Mexico

Website

In August 2004, our son and daughter-in-law and their two sons, Alejandro (8) and Josué (6), moved from a city in the northern Mexican State of Coahuila to a nearby small town...

Mexican Perspective on Migratory Bird Conservation

Website

by Yuriria Blanco-Castillo - Common names vary according to each language and areas within Mexico, for this reason ornithologists always refer to birds using their scientific name. Some, like the Amuzgos, call most birds of prey eagles and all the songbirds and parrots real birds.

Photographer - Rene Valdes - Bird Pics & More…

Gallery

A site from Rene Valdes about Birds pictures from Mexico

Fatbirder Logo
  Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites