Oaxaca birding tours
Oaxaca is one of the favorite birding spots for keen birders worldwide, and rightly so. It is known for being one of the most diverse endemic and specialty bird species due to its various elevations and ecosystems. Oaxaca is also known for having nearly 750 species of birds, out of Mexico's total of 1100, including 50 endemic.
Having said so, if you happen to be near Oaxaca City and have a day to go birding, check out our Single Day Tours departing from Oaxaca City or Huatulco, near the coast.
Teotitlan del Valle
This tour begins driving a few minutes from Oaxaca City to Teotitlan del Valle, which is a small old town from where we can visit different birding spots like Presa Piedra Azul, where there are high chances of finding the Oaxaca Sparrow and the Bridled Sparrow. Later we will head to the road to Benito Juarez to spend the rest of this part of the day. Here are good chances to see the Dusky hummingbird, the Dwarf Vireo, the Pileated Flycatcher, the Ocellated Thrasher, the Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Boucard's Wren, among many others.
Near that, there is a Zapotec archaeological site named Yagul, also an important birding site for the Beautiful Hummingbird or the Gray-breasted Woodpecker. After that, after lunch, we will head to La Pesita, which is located near Oaxaca city, in the west. That place will be suitable to look for aquatic common species of the area.
Pick up time: 40 minutes before sunrise
Drop off time: Around noon
Number of birds we can see in the morning: 60 - 70 species
Vegetation types visited: Semi-arid vegetation, desert shrubs; riparian vegetation, and forest in highlands.
Tour style: Short walks near the car. Ideal for all birders and photographers. May stay long periods of time under the sun.
Monte Alban
Located 8 km from Oaxaca city, Monte Alban is the principal Zapotec ancient city, which is considered a World Heritage Site for its emblematic cultural and natural properties. This part of the Oaxaca Valley is characterized by its warm climate and moderate rainfall. We can arrive early in the morning to bird on paths and tracks near the archaeological site, which is usually very active for several birds, including the Ocellated Thrasher, Slaty and Dwarf Vireo, and the Pileated Flycatcher.
Optionally, we can enjoy a 90-minute guided archaeological tour to delve into the ancient city's history and the Zapotec civilization.
There are high chances to see the White-throated Towhee, the Blue Mockingbird, the Elegant Euphonia, the Roufus-capped Warbler, the Black-vented Oriole, the Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush; there can be other species in this area like the Vermilion Flycatcher or the White-collared Seedeater, among several others.
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Pick up time: 30 minutes before sunrise.
Drop off time: Around noon
Number of birds we can see in the morning: 50 - 60 species
Vegetation types visited: semi-arid vegetation.
Tour style: Ideal for all birders and photographers. Walks on paths and plain tracks.
Oaxaca City Mountain Birding tour
To go to the mountains means to go for the highland bird species! La Cumbre is a natural state reserve near Ixtepeji town, which is located 1-hour drive from Oaxaca City. In this park, we will walk along trails and paths through the pine-oak forest at an elevation from 2700 to 2900m over the sea level. ​
Being a different ecosystem, this allows us to observe different species like the Dwarf Jay and many species from pine forests like the Red Warbler, the Gray-barred Wren, and the Collared Towhee.
Due to its varied ecosystems and mild climate, La Cumbre offers excellent birding opportunities throughout the year. Migratory birds add to the diversity during spring and fall, while resident birds can be spotted year-round. Other great species here are the White-striped Woodcreeper, the Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, the Gray-barred Wren, the Russet Nightingale-Thrush, the Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, the Mountain Trogon, and the Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo​ amoung many other.
Pick up time: 60 minutes before sunrise
Drop off time: Around noon
Number of birds we can see in the morning: 60 - 70 species
Vegetation types visited: Rain forest, pine-oak forest and some riparian vegetation.
Tour style: Suitable for all birders and photographers. Consider the drastic change of hight. Walks near the car.
It is important to start our trip eary right before sunrise have the best time of birds activity. If we get there early eough we could still find soe nocturnal species like the Fulvous Owl or the Mexican Whip-poor-will. We can go birding on the road to the site and spend the day birding in the area.
Huatulco Natural Reserve
Huatulco National Park boasts the finest preserved tropical dry rainforest in all of Mexico. The rich and diverse vegetation you'll see here represents what you'll find in the entire coastal region of Oaxaca. This special habitat provides a haven for a wide variety of bird species, which is almost 300 listed annually. This includes the Lilac Crowned Parrot, the Russet Crowned Motmot, or the Orange Breasted Bunting. Walking along the paths near the river mouth with binoculars is an easy add-on to your trip.
Walking through the park, we might find special birds of the area like the Citreoline Trogon, the Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, the Russet-crowned Motmot, the West Mexican Chachalaca, and the White-throated Magpie-Jay and many others. If we start our trip early enough, there are high chances of finding the Pacific Screech Owl.
Pick up time: 30 minutes before sunrise
Drop off time: Around noon
Number of birds we can see in the morning: 60 - 70 species
Vegetation types visited: Dense lowland forest, mangroves, and open grasslands.
Tour style: Ideal for birders and photographers, walks through paths and trails.
​​Extended day:
Some adventurous birders prefer to go east to look for the Sumichrast and the Navas Wren, which are the specialties of the area located right in the limestone outcrops of the area. If this is your case, we can drive to Juchitan, located 3 hours away from Huatulco. We could also encounter the Rose-bellied Bunting and the Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, among other special species. Given the driving time, for this extended day option, you might consider staying the night in Juchitan to try to spot any missing species in the morning.
Huatulco´s Pelagic Trip
​A pelagic birding trip from Santa Cruz Bay offers a unique opportunity to witness a spectacular display of avian life. This Bay is located a 30-minute drive from Huatulco. We will take a boat to travel offshore to get into pelagic waters.
One of the most special things about this trip is the amazing views. There's a high chance to see different pelagic species like the Least and Black Storm-Petrel, the Pink-footed Shearwater, and the Wedge-tailed Shearwater, among others.
The boat sails around 8 am. It takes us to an area where pelagic bird species are common, including the Leach's Storm-Petrel, the Galapagos Shearwater, the Black-vented Shearwater, the Pomarine Jaeger, and the Sabine's Gull. We are expected to see around 40 probable species in total before our return around 11 am.
Pick-up time: 6:00 am, the boat sails at 8:00 am
Drop-off time: Around noon
Number of birds we can see in the ocean: 30- 40species
Vegetation types visited: Coastal sand dunes, mangroves, and some riparian vegetation.
Tour style: Boat trip, it includes safety bests.
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​Extend this half-day tour to a full day! After lunch at 11 am, we can continue our birding journey to Las Ninfas Ecopark, a hiking route near the Bay to search for some lowland species and specialties of the area, like the Flammulated Flycatcher. This park keeps the bird species that are a good representation of this area's diversity if you are missing any species from your targets.
