Our multi-day birding expeditions
Mexico is one of the best places in the world to go birding. The country has more bird species than the United States and Canada combined: over 1,100 species in total. Around 100 of these birds live only in Mexico and nowhere else on Earth.
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Why so many birds? Mexico sits where two large natural regions meet: the cooler north and the tropical south. The land itself is full of contrasts too; tall mountains, dry deserts, cloud forests, and warm coastlines, all in one country. Each of these habitats holds its own set of birds, and natural barriers between them, like the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, have kept many bird populations apart long enough to become their own unique species.
The result is a country where a single trip can take you from a flamingo-pink coastal lagoon to a misty cloud forest full of quetzals, without ever leaving Mexico. Below, you can explore our multi-day birding expeditions, organized by region, each one built around the species and habitats that make that part of Mexico special.
Click on any of the following itineraries to learn more about the bird diversity you can experience on our expeditions. These tours can be arranged privately or you can join one of our scheduled tours
Yucatán
The Yucatan Peninsula is flat, warm, and easy to travel. It has dry tropical forest, mangroves, and a long Caribbean and Gulf coast. This makes it one of Mexico's best regions for endemic and specialty birds. Look for the Yucatan Wren, Yucatan Jay, Black Catbird, and Orange Oriole in the dry forest. Thousands of American Flamingos gather in the coastal lagoons of Ría Lagartos and Celestún. The peninsula is also home to the striking Ocellated Turkey, found only here, in Guatemala, and in Belize. Add in world-famous Maya ruins like Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and Calakmul, and a Yucatan trip combines birds, history, and comfort in equal measure.
All the birds in a semi intense pace
The amazing Classic Route
Enjoy all the birds with no rush
Chiapas
Birding Expeditions in Chiapas
Chiapas has more protected natural areas than any other Mexican state, and the birding reflects that. In one trip you can move from misty cloud forest to lowland rainforest to the Pacific coast. The cloud forests of El Triunfo hold the Horned Guan, the Resplendent Quetzal, and the Azure-rumped Tanager, birds found almost nowhere else. Deeper in the rainforest, the Selva Lacandona is home to Scarlet Macaws, Great Curassows, toucans, and trogons, close to the Maya ruins of Palenque and Bonampak. Add the dramatic Sumidero Canyon and the slopes of Tacaná volcano, and Chiapas offers some of the most varied birding in the entire country.
All the birds in a moderate pace
Tacana + Coast + Tuxtla Gutierrez
Great birds from high and low lands
(coming soon)
Selva Lacandona
(coming soon)
Oaxaca
Birding Expeditions in Oaxaca
Oaxaca has the longest bird list of any Mexican state (close to 800 species!) and nearly 100 of them are Mexican endemics. In fact, a short drive from Oaxaca City puts you in reach of about a third of all the endemic birds in Mexico. Look for the Dwarf Jay, Dwarf Vireo, Bridled Sparrow, Ocellated Thrasher, and Boucard's Wren in the highland scrub, and the Red-breasted Chat, Orange-breasted Bunting, and Rose-bellied Bunting along the Pacific coast near Huatulco. Oaxaca is also famous for its colonial city, markets, crafts, and food, so it's an easy region to fall in love with beyond the birds too.
Many endemics and amazing birds
All around Oaxaca + Los Tuxtlas
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(coming soon)
Northeast
Birding Expedition to the Northeast
Mexico's northeast is built around the Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range recognized worldwide as an important area for endemic birds. From a base in Monterrey, you can reach pine-oak forest, desert scrub, and river valleys, all within a few hours' drive. Highlights include large colonies of the endangered Maroon-fronted Parrot nesting on limestone cliffs, plus the Worthen's Sparrow, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, and Tamaulipas Crow. Add the wetlands of El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in Tamaulipas and the desert pools of Cuatro Ciénegas in Coahuila, and this region offers a very different, dry-country side of Mexican birding, easy to reach on a short trip.
Nuevo Leon + Coahuila + Tamaulipas
Birding from Monterrey, Nuevo León
3 to 5 days
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(coming soon)
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Birding Expeditions: the best of each region
Have more time to spend? Our combination itineraries let you experience the best of two or three regions in a single trip, adding species and habitats without losing time on extra planning. Pair the Yucatan with Oaxaca, or go further and link the Yucatan, Chiapas, and Oaxaca together for one long, unforgettable birding road trip across southern Mexico.
Looking for something more specific? We can also put together a fully custom, multi-day itinerary combining any of these regions around your own priorities and schedule. We've arranged private, personalized trips as long as 30 days for birders who want something truly tailored, just tell us what you have in mind.
The best option to use 15 days
(13 full days) birding in Mexico
Amazing birding road trip
Best of Oaxaca + Chiapas (two options)
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(coming soon)
Other great routes coming soon
Northwest Mexico Birding Tour
Coming soon
Birding from Mexico City
Coming soon
Baja California Sur
Coming soon
We are always adding new routes. Soon we'll offer expeditions to Northwest Mexico, Mexico City and its nearby volcanoes, and the deserts and coastlines of Baja California Sur.