Alamos, Sonora
This pleasant town, near the edge of the Sierra Madre Occidental, on the northern edge of the dry tropical forest (and near the border with the state of *), was once a center of the great silver boom. In the last decades expatriate Americans have purchased and restored some of the old homes, but their presence is not blatantly evident. Because of its location on the boundary of two different habitat areas, the American-Mexican desert and the Sierra Madre and tropical habitats, it is an exciting place to bird.
Alamos is almost 400 miles south of Nogales at the Mexican-US border and slightly closer to Mazatlan. There are a limited number of desirable lodgings in the town, but some of them are truly charming. There is also a campground on the road in from Navajoa.
The birds are an interesting mixture. On the road in from Navajoa, through dry desert scrub at first, Five-striped Sparrow and Rufous-winged Sparrows are possible. Other birds along the way can include Black-throated Magpie Jay, Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Mexican Parrotlet, Happy Wren, Sinaloa Crow, Purplish-backed Jay, and Yellow Grosbeak (in season). In the town, walking around, keep an eye out for Elegant Quail. To the east of the town there is a wash (the “Dump Wash”) seasonally wet, that may provide Plain-capped Starthroat and Blue Mockingbird. Further east, birders should visit the Rio Cuchuhaqui. Walking to the right, along the west bank, you can reach good habitat for Blue Mockingbird and Slate-colored Redstart. Watch for Great and Common Blackhawks, Crane Hawk, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Nutting’s Flycatcher, among others. Float trips down the Mayo River can also be arranged, where you can see some water birds, ducks, Squirrel Cuckoos, herons, Social Flycatchers, and more. On a recent November trip some other noteworthy birds were Red-billed Pigeon, Ruddy Ground-Dove, White-fronted Parrot, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Russet-crowned Motmot, Rose-throated Becard, Rufous-backed Robin, Scrub Euphonia, Red-headed Tanager, Varied Bunting, and Streak-backed Oriole.
For more information (though some of it at this date is not current) see Howell, A Bird Finding Guide to Mexico.
Durango Highway - Sinaloa
The Durango Highway, which winds upward from Villa Union near Mazatlán on the coast, is famous for two prime birding sites: The Panuco Road, and Barranca Rancho Liebre. There are some minor sites on the way from Villa Union, but they are much less interesting that the Panuco Road itself. Shortly after the 248 km mark a dirt road, the “Panuco Road”, climbs off to the left while the main road drops down into a valley. This unprepossessing byway is a fine site for various birds. Howell gives a long list of Panuco Road birds. Suffice it to say that on a recent visit, four buntings, Blue, Varied, Painted, and Lazuli, were feeding together within few feet of one another; a few yards up the road Black-capped Vireos were feeding in a roadside bush, and Military Macaws were flying over the wooded valley on the left hand roadside. For detailed directions, as well as a longer bird list see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico/I>Barranca Rancho Liebre, the other outstanding Durango Highway site, is about fifty kilometers beyond the turn-off for the Panuco Road. First watch for kilometer posts 202 and 201, then about half a kilometer later the road makes a sweeping bend to the right. There is a place to pull your vehicle off the road, and a path leads off to your left, going slightly uphill. Birding begins at the main road. Tufted Jay can sometimes be seen while still in sight of the main road, Mountain Trogon may be heard while you can still hear trucks on the road. There is good birding all the way to the and beyond the point where the trail descends quickly into the next valley. A large number of hummingbird species are here, perhaps especially at the place where the trail begins to descend into the interior valley. During the winter months 20 species of warbler are possible. Most are wintering birds, but some, Red Warbler, Golden-browed Warbler, Crescent-chested Warbler, Slate-throated Redstart, and Rufous-capped Warbler, are only rare stragglers to areas north of Mexico.
For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Mazatlán area - La Noria Road – Sinaloa
Mazatlan, well-known as a tourist destination, is also the largest Mexican port city. Although there are a few birding areas around the city itself, much better sites area not far off. One good area is the La Noria Road, which runs through brushy thorn forest and fields. It is only 10 km from Mazatlán. If you are coming in by car from Culiacan, it can be birded en route to the Durango Highway. The list for the road is quite respectable, including a number of species of hummingbirds, a long list of raptors, at the right season many warblers, and a host of seed eating birds.
For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Sonora
This fishing village on the Sea of Cortez was a quiet backwater of Mexico a decade ago, with an aging fishing fleet, and a handful of expatriates, a place to eat wonderful shrimp, to fish a little. Now it is fast becoming a mid-scale resort area, with large hotels, condos on the beach, and a population spreading north and south.
Fortunately, for birders, this has relatively little effect on their hobby. The major problem at present is that beach areas once open to birders are now off limits.
Still, it is a pleasant place to spend a few days. The birds are largely the birds of southern Arizona or California, but some, like the Yellow-footed Gulls and the Least Storm-petrels are less common to the north.
A recent August trip to this area listed over 100 species. Some of the more interesting birds were Sooty Shearwater, Black-vented Shearwater, Black Storm-Petrel, Snowy, Wilson’s and Semi-palmated Plovers, Black Turnstone, Red-necked Phalarope, Yellow-footed Gull, Black Tern, Lesser Nighthawk, Crissal Thrasher, Phainopepla, Lucy’s Warbler, Savannah Sparrow (Large-billed form), and Yellow-headed Blackbird. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
San Blas - Nayarit
The small coastal town of San Blas has been a favorite destination for birders since the 1960’s. Within easy reach of the town birders can explore the coast, mangrove swamps, dry scrub, palm groves, and shrimp ponds where shorebirds can abound. Although the town suffered severely from a hurricane some years ago, it rebounded and remains a fine place to bird. The best time is probably the winter, when the local mosquito population is down.
Birding sites: Sewer Pond Trail, Peso Island, San Blas Fort, Shrimp Ponds Road, River Boat trips, Ocean Boat trips. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico.
San Blas is about a five hour drive from Mazatlan or a three hour drive from Puerto Vallarta.
San Blas environs - La Bajada
La Bajada is a small coffee-growing village south of Mantanchen Bay, about 18 km from San Blas. Walking 3-4 km along the road through the coffee plantations and exploring the side trails can result in a nice list of birds. There are a number of species of hummingbirds, tanagers, orioles and woodpeckers. Because the trees are rather spaced out it is often possible to get good views (though the thicker stands on the ridge present some problems). For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
San Blas environs - Singayta
Singayta is a small village about 9 km inland from San Blas on the road toward the main highway. This area has a good range of passerines, Collared Forest-falcon, Laughing Falcon, Mexican Parrotlets, Elegant and Citrolene Trogans, Russet-crowned Motmot, and many other good species. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
San Blas environs – Cerro de San Juan
Cerro de San Juan is the most easily reached area near San Blas that offers birds of the pines and oaks, including several sorts of woodcreepers, some different woodpeckers, different hummingbirds, and some warblers not usually seen lower down. It is about an hours ride from San Blas, but considerably higher. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
San Blas environs, Nayarit - Matanchen Bay
a sandy beach area a few kilometers south of San Blas which, depending on the tides, can have shore birds. Also a place for Spoonbill, Herons, marsh birds, and some species in the scrub. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico