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Not for nothing is Mexico called the paradise for bird watchers.
Bird watchers from different parts of the world, especially the United
States, flock to Mexico to have a feel of its magnificent ecosystem
boasting one of the most diverse and colorful varieties of bird life
anywhere. Mexico is habitat to hummingbirds, woodpeckers, macaws,
parrots, vultures, toucans, and quetzals. You will rarely find a place
in Mexico that is without
birds. However, some places are particularly excellent for
bird-watching, such as El Triunfo in Chiapas, Calakmul in Campeche and
Celestun, and Rio Lagartos and the Sian Ka'an in Quintana Roo. The
list is far from exhaustive and ornithologists should have no
difficulty in finding the numerous other sites where the birds are
just waiting to be seen.
Let us have a look at some of the sites.
Located in the high mountains of southern Mexico, El Triunfo is a
beautiful valley that has produced one of the world's most remarkable
cloud forests. The birds you find here are just marvelous. Copper
Canyon, a network of canyons incised in the Pacific slope of the
Sierra Madre Occidental, is without doubt one of the largest and most
complex canyon systems in the world. Copper Canyon contains a vast
array of habitats, which allow for a great diversity of over 400
resident, migrating, and wintering bird species.
El Cielo Biosphere Reserve is a 356,872-acre site that extends from
the eastern to the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental. This
tropical forest is full of species like the warbling vireo,
amethyst-throated hummingbird and least pygmy-owl. Puerto Vallarta,
with over 300 species of birds, is called El Paraíso or
Paradise.
The 723,000-hectare Calakmul
Biosphere Reserve is home to 350 different kind of migratory and
native birds (including the threatened great curassow), as well as
howler and spider monkeys. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve has an
amble list of 345 species, and the number will rise soon due to more
attention given to the migrating shorebirds. The total number of
species represents 33% of all species identified for the entire
country of Mexico and 67% of those reported for the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve is famous for its
spectacular flocks of American Flamingos. More than 320 species have
been identified in the Biosphere Reserve of which many are permanent
residents. The best time to visit the reserve is winter. The Ría
Lagartos estuary, with a total of 72 migratory and 141 resident
species, is great for bird watchers.
Only a couple of hours from Cancun, the El Eden Reserve in the state
of Quintana Roo is located in the outstanding bioregion known as "Yalahau"
at the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. In addition to El Eden,
this region includes the protected areas of Ria Lagartos, Isla Contoy
and Yum Balam.
The La Laguna de Santa Maria del Oro, Nayarit is a subtropical
birders paradise. You can find a large number of birds in different
habitats (lake, streams, fields, roadside, mountain, and urban) in a
comparatively small area, offering excellent winter birding in a
moderately warm and dry climate. Oaxaca is now also known to
birdwatchers, as a variety of habitats, from desert and oak-thorn
scrub to pine and cloud forest can be found in its surroundings.
