Acapulco – Guerrero
Acapulco is not a birding destination in itself, but many of the people who arrive there for other reasons might want to spend some time birding in the area surrounding the city. The natural habitat of this section of Mexico is dry thorn forest, but a person birding will also encounter coconut plantations, fields, often weedy, and second growth. Basically you can pick any side track into the thorn forest and walk it. Hopefully it will not be windy.
The birds to be looked for include hawks (Gray, Roadside, and Short-tailed), Banded Quail, Inca and White-tipped Doves, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Lesser Ground-cuckoo (easier to hear than to see), Doubleday’s Hummingbird, Russet-crowned Motmot, Citreoline Torgon, and Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, and Orange-breasted Buntings, among others.
For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Cañon de Lobos, Morelos
Cañon de Lobos, Morelos, at 1200-1400 meters elevation, is a natural birding spot for anyone visiting Cuernavaca. An area of brushy thorn-forest at the upper edges of the Río Balsas drainage, it is home to a number of birds associated with the arid southwest interior and the Pacific slope of Mexico. Among the many interesting birds here: Balsas Screech-Owl, Colima Pygmy-Owl, Banded Quail, Golden-crowned Emerald, Dusky Hummingbird, Pileated Flycatcher, Golden Vireo, and Black-chested Sparrow. If there is seeding bamboo when you visit, you might see the Slate-blue Seedeater.
The canyon is less than 20km southeast of Cuernavaca. From Cuernavaca go southeast on Rte. 138. Shortly after you pass through the town of Amador Salazar, about fifteen km from Cuernavaca, the road winds down into the wooded hillsides of the valley that is called Cañon de Lobos. For the security of you vehicle, it is most prudent to park in the town of Amador Salazar, hiring someone to keep an eye on your car, and hire a taxi to take you the short distance to the canon. Either have the taxi wait, or arrange a time for him to return to pick you up. The best birding paths are to be found about 1 km from the town, at the start of the metal security barrier on the right side of the highway. You can bird the paths or the cattle trails. For a more complete list of birds see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico/I>.
Las Barrancas -Veracruz
This area of coastal short-grass prairie is good for some resident specialities as well for grassland shorebirds in migration (Upland Sandpiper), and wintering grassland passerines. The area is about 30-45 minutes south of Veracruz City (40 km). Local birds include Pinnated Bittern, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Aplomado Falcon, Double-striped Thick-knee, Striped Cuckoo, Rufous-breasted Spinetail (endemic), Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and Grassland Yellow-Finch. .
For detailed directions, including a map, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Puerta Vallarta region - Jalisco
Travelers who visit Puerto Vallarta can find some excellent birding in the region, which boasts a species list of 350 birds. Banderas Bay itself has a variety of habitats. To this are added areas of semi-deciduous forest in places like El Colorado north of the bay, and in the nearby Sierra Madre around El Tuito about 45 minutes to an hour south of Puerto Vallarta. The habitat is mostly dry pine-oak, with birds like Military Macaw, Short-tailed Hawk, Lilac-crowned Parrot, Rufous-capped and Grace’s Warblers, Acorn Woodpecker, Black-headed Siskin, and Orange-fronted Parakeet. The Puerta Vallarta area is especially good for birding from November through March, when the resident birds are joined by a host of migratory species. Because of its location, visitors can hope to see a large number of migratory marsh and water birds, and, within a reasonable driving distance, pass through subtropical deciduous forest to cloud forest in the mountains, with a wide diversity of resident species as well as visiting winter birds. Nearly a dozen species of hummingbirds, five of parrots, more than thirty tyrant flycatchers (in winter), and a host of other Mexican specialities have been recorded.
Sierra de Atoyac – Guerrero
The Sierra is inland and west of Acapulco. From Acapulco it can be reached either northwest near the coast (Rte 200), or inland via Rte. 95.
The habitats start in the lower areas with thorn forest, giving way to coffee plantations, then into cloud-forest, and at the highest elevations, oak and pine forest.
Because of this diversity of habitats, the bird list is very long and highly diverse. Among the many special birds two that deserve special mention are Short-crested Coquette, endemic to the Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerrero, and White-throated Jay, one of the dwarf jay group that have limited ranges in Mexico and central America.
For detailed directions, including a map, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Sierra de Los Tuxlas - Veracruz
Together with the lowlands of northern Oaxaca, centering on the city of Tuxtapec, this area of Tuxlas is the northernmost tropical rain forest in the Americas. The volcanic massif is, at its highest, 1,700 meters altitude; it slopes down to the Caribbean. Habitats include mangroves, pine-oak forest, and cloud forest. There are a substantial number of endemics, including Tuxtla (Purplish-backed) Quail-Dove, Long-tailed Sabrewing, Plain-breasted (Chestnut-capped ) Brushfinch, Mexican Antthrush, Slate-colored Solitaire, Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, White-bellied Wren, and Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, and a host of other good species.
For detailed directions, including a map as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Tlanchiol – Hildalgo
The coastal facing areas of the Sierra Madre Oriental, which receives moist air as it rises from the Gulf of Mexico, at certain elevations are covered with cloud forest. Much of this habitat has been destroyed but substantial areas of it are to be found near Tlanchiol (1500 meters elevation). Species like Unicolored Jay, Hooded Grosbeak, Bearded Wood-Partridge, and other cloud forest species can be found here.
In winter the weather in Tlanchiol can be very chilly and wet. The town can be reached via a reasonably well-maintained road, but be aware that the area can be foggy. Driving the twisting mountain road at night, in a fog, with numerous trucks for company, is a memorable experience. The best trail, about 5 km north of Tlanchiol, is called the Lontla Trail. There is a sign saying Lontla there and an area to pull off (where buses pull of the road). The trail is steep in places, and when it is raining can be slippery. It holds some fine cloud forest birds, including Emerald Toucanet, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Golden-browed and Golden-crowned Warbler, Slate-colored and Brown-backed Solitaires, Mountain Trogon (not there in the winter), Amethyst-throated and Bumblebee Hummingbirds, and lost more. For more details as well as a bird list see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Uxpanapa Road - Veracruz
Remnants of the former rain forest have hung on along the Uxpanapa Road which crosses the border between Oaxaca and Veracruz states. The most sought after bird here is the endemic and localized Nava’s Wren. Like Sumichrast’s Wren, Nava’s Wren favors karst limestone areas. In addition to this difficult bird, the area has a number of endemics: Ruddy Crake, Long-tailed Sabrewing, White-bellied Emerald, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Mexican Antthrush, and Ridgway’s Rough-wing Swallow plus a mouth-watering list of other species.
For detailed directions, including a map as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico. Note, however, that Howell describes the road to the best site as “well-graded”. In 2006 that would not have been a good description, at least coming in from the Oaxaca side. The condition of the road clearly varies, so check with local people.