Mexico Bird Conservation

The above Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) photo was taken in southern Texas, but the majority of this species range consists of Mexico and Central America.
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lists 12 biosphere reserves in Mexico. These include:

1. Alto Golfo de California
2. El Vizcaino
3. Islas del Golfo de California
4. Mapimi
5. La Michilia
6. El Cielo
7. Sierra Gorda
8. Sierra de Manantlan
9. Sian Ka’an
10. Calakmul
11. Montes Azules
12. El Triunfo

These biosphere reserves provide some of the largest protected areas in Mexico and support much of the diversity of bird species. These are good places to model after for conservation efforts as they show that if large areas can be conserved, so can smaller ones. And if enough smaller areas are conserved, they together make larger ones.

Over time we will be delving deeper into each of these biosphere reserves.

A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America (by Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb) is the premiere field guide to Mexico’s birds. This isn’t your typical bird guide, filled with over 850 pages of information and color plates. This guide covers all of Mexico and the bordering countries of Belize and Guatemala, and parts of Honduras and Nicaragua.

Over 1,000 birds call Mexico home over the course of the year and the majority of these birds are depicted in the color plates. For anyone traveling or doing research in Mexico, this is the book to have. Eventually, it would be nice to have a “traditional” bird guide - one much like Kaufman’s - that has the information side by side with the bird pictures or drawings. This would vastly improve the ability for amateurs to bird across Mexico.

Of course, an even better source for promoting the birds of Mexico would be an online guide, similar to that found at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Mexico has a fine selection of thrushes, birds that fall into the family Turdidae. Some of these are well-known here in the U.S., others are rare finds in the borderlands, yet many still are unique to Mexico and places southward.

There are approximately 26 thrushes found in Mexico, including all three bluebirds - Eastern, Western, and Mountain - Townsend’s Solitaire, American Robin, and the five “brownish” thrushes of the U.S. - Veery, Swainson’s, Hermit, Gray-cheeked, and Wood Thrush. Part of the Wood Thrush’s decline can be attributed to loss of habitat in Mexico, showing how important it is to conserve all their habitat.

The Full List of Mexican Thrushes (26)

• Eastern Bluebird
• Western Bluebird
• Mountain Bluebird
• Townsend’s Solitaire
• Brown-backed Solitaire
• Slate-colored Solitaire
• Veery
• Grey-cheeked Thrush
• Swainson’s Thrush
• Hermit Thrush
• Wood Thrush
• Varied Thrush
• Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
• Russet Nightingale-Thrush endemic
• Ruddy-Capped Nightingale-Thrush
• Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
• Spotted Nightingale-Thrush
• American Robin
• Black Robin endemic to the cloud forests
• Mountain Robin
• Clay-colored Robin
• White-throated Robin
• Rufous-backed Robin endemic to western Mexico
• Rufous-collared Robin
• Grayson’s [Rufous-backed] Thrush endemic to Nayarit
• Aztec Thrush

We would love to add more information on all these thrush species (or at least the ones that aren’t found in the United States). Any specific information in this post comes from A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Ccentral America by Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb.

The Blue Mockingbird Melanotis caerulescens can be found throughout parts of Mexico and has been recorded in the United States as a rare vagrant.

This photo was taken in Weslaco Texas

The Blue Mockingbird has a large range but is shy and can be hard to see. Below is a range map found through NatureServe, a non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to provide the scientific basis for effective conservation action.

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Veracruz has quickly gained fame for its yearly spectacle of raptor migration. Each fall between 4 & 6 million (!) raptors make there way through the state, offering a birding experience like no other.

The geography of Veracruz acts as a funnel for western, central, and eastern raptor species as they trek southward to wintering grounds in Central and South America. Nearly the entire population of Mississippi Kites (200,000 birds) pass through the area, making this not only a wonderful place to view birds, but an area of conservation importance.

Other raptor numbers are equally impressive as the kites: 2 million Broad-winged Hawks, 1 million Swainson’s Hawks, and over 1.5 million Turkey Vultures pass through Veracruz.

Turkey Vultures

Without safe, protected areas in Veracruz, the River of Raptors would not be what it is and many of the wonderful birds of prey that spend their time in the U.S. would be in trouble.

The Mexican state of Quintana Roo is on the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. The most famous destination for most travelers is the popular city of Cancún but birders might prefer to go to a nearby quieter location. Off the coast is an island called Isla Contoy- considered by some to be the most important nesting place of sea birds in the Mexican Caribbean, even though it covers only 317 hectares.

Isla Contoy is located at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. 152 species of birds have been documented at Isla Contoy and it has been protected by the Mexican government since 1961. In 1998 Isla Contoy became a National Park and is jointly run by the Amigos de Isla Contoy A.C. and the Secretary of Environment, Natural Resources and Fishing (SEMARNAT).

To visit this sanctuary you must go with a tour and only 200 visitors are allowed per day to prevent overcrowding. Tours are held by resident biologists on the island.

Brown Pelicans are one of many species found at Isla Contoy

Much like the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program in the United States, Areas of Importance for the Conservation of Aves (AICAS) is designed to collect information of the top conservation areas for birds. AICAS was started by a joint effort of Birdlife International and La Sección Mexicana del Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las Aves, A.C. (CIPAMEX).

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Endemism is when a species is only found in one particular place. There are approximately 97 species of birds in Mexico that are considered to be endemic. Endemic birds are especially important because:

1. They provide incentive for people to visit to find these specialty birds
2. They are often some of the most endangered and least protected types of birds

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Information on Mexico’s endangered birds is limited. Mexico has not benefited from excellent laws like the Endangered Species Act in the United States and with current conservation trends, this list is likely to change. Read the rest of this entry »