Comedor del Paso, home of the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge in Oaxaca
- Sandra Mendiola
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Don Jacobo Bautista, a 62-year-old from Santa Catarina Ixtepeji, Oaxaca, has a story that, without planning it, has brought people from all over the world together through birds.
Twenty-five years ago, he opened a small roadside restaurant for travelers crossing the Sierra. It is located 3.8 kilometers past the entrance to La Cumbre Ixtepeji along the highway. As Don Jacobo describes his surroundings, he naturally turns to the wildlife that shares this place with him. "Throughout the day, birds of all sizes come by, from tiny ones as small as flies to much larger species. It is also common to see a deer almost every day, along with rabbits, squirrels (the squirrels most often), opossums, or even skunks."
The surroundings speak for themselves. It is a peaceful place where wildlife moves freely and naturally. For Don Jacobo, Comedor del Paso is a safe place. As he puts it, "There are no large predators here, nor stories of venomous snakes. The feeling is simply one of peace."
Every Wednesday, the trails surrounding the property are maintained. One trail is 1.7 km long, while the other stretches for 4 km. Visitors can also stay in one of the two cabins on the property. However, what truly transformed this place happened only a few years ago.
It was in July 2024 that what Don Jacobo affectionately calls the "Gallinitas (little hens)" first began to appear. At first, the birds stayed hidden among the vegetation, especially around a shrub locally known as perla china, which produces small red fruits. He noticed that they would watch people from a distance, always cautiously.
The idea of bringing them closer came from his daughter, Irene, who studied Environmental Sciences and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Botany in Mexico City. She suggested offering them some corn. Over time, the birds gradually became more trusting. One day, a female appeared with ten chicks. "Today, those chicks are already grown," Don Jacobo says. "Some arrive on their own, while others come in groups of three to five. Sometimes they even chase each other around. They don't all show up every day, but there are almost always some around."
The routine is simple and consistent. Every morning, the birds are offered cracked corn and chipilÃn. For five to fifteen minutes, they come down to feed and scratch through the leaf litter. "On one occasion, we counted as many as 16 individuals at the same time," Don Jacobo recalls.
Those who have been lucky enough to witness this know how unusual it is. This is a species that normally stays hidden, moves quietly through the understory, and disappears at the slightest disturbance. Yet here, for a few minutes each morning, it allows itself to be observed.
The birds turned out to be the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge (Dendrortyx macroura). This endemic species of central Mexico has a restricted distribution and is found only in the country's montane forests. Its populations are affected by habitat loss, and like other members of the genus Dendrortyx, it is naturally shy and difficult to observe. That is what makes every encounter with this species so special.
Word spread before Don Jacobo even realized it. Someone shared that these birds could be seen here, and soon visitors began arriving from France, England, Canada, the United States, Costa Rica, and Peru. Birding guides from Mexico and abroad started including the site in their itineraries. Through these visitors, Don Jacobo came to understand something important: even a one-minute glimpse of the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, even from a distance, is an unforgettable experience and a true gift.
For Don Jacobo, the priority has always been clear: to care for the place without interfering more than necessary. The birds are neither confined nor domesticated. They remain part of the forest, just as they always have. The goal is to keep them healthy, safe, and free.
Keeping the experience of seeing them in their natural habitat is what really matters.
Not everything happened overnight, and the process was far from perfect. At one point, a common visitor, the "pájaro copetón (crested bird)," as Don Jacobo calls the Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), began interfering. He tried to chase it away, but that decision had unexpected consequences. The Long-tailed Wood-Partridges stopped coming. It was a difficult moment, and he feared he had disrupted the natural balance.
The solution was simple, but meaningful: to provide food for everyone equally. Over time, the birds returned, and the place found its natural rhythm again. Besides the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, other species also visit the site, including the Collared Towhee, Red Warbler, Gray-barred Wren, and Rufous-capped Brushfinch, among other birds that inhabit the forests of Oaxaca.
Meanwhile, the restaurant continues with its everyday life. Homemade meals are served, and visitors are welcomed whether they come to hike, rest, or simply spend the day surrounded by nature. During the high season, between 45 and 65 people may visit each day, while on weekdays the number is usually around 12 to 15 visitors. For Don Jacobo, what matters most is staying active and taking care of the details, both for his guests and for his "little hens."
Beyond all of this, there is another side of the place that is also part of its identity. Since he was seven years old, Don Jacobo has had a natural inclination for drawing and painting. He has created murals in his community and at the restaurant; his artwork covers the walls with landscapes, nature scenes, animals, and everyday moments. More recently, birds have also found their way onto his canvases. The Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, squirrels, and other local species have become part of his work. Sometimes visitors purchase one of his pieces. Many others simply remain there, becoming part of the atmosphere.
What surprises him the most is not the attention the place has received, but what it has brought with it: "the opportunity to make friends with people from different parts of the world," something he never imagined when he started a small restaurant in the mountains.
It all began, as he says, when someone noticed that his "little hens" were there.
During your birding visit to the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, don’t forget to contact Don Jacobo (WhatsApp +52 951 193 5889) and visit Comedor del Paso, one of the best places to observe the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge in Oaxaca.
Or, if you would like to join one of our birding tours exploring Oaxaca, contact us at
Photographs by Joel Ortega
Interview by Sandra Mendiola