Calendar of Mexico Birding Tours
Trip Codes attempt to address daily focus, required energy levels, and common goals for a tour*
[Style – A] Enjoyable for EVERYONE on tour with an interest in nature, even if birds are not a top priority.
[Style – B] Comfortable for BIRD WATCHERS — but each participant must enjoy daily bird watching.
[Style – C] Enjoyable for those a KEEN INTEREST IN SEEING NEW BIRDS; requires a energy for birding all-day.
* Codes help to understand the daily intensity, and the variety of activities for each style of tour…
Slate-blue Seedeater Sheffler’s Barred Woodcreeper Short-crested Coquette Strikland’s Woodpecker
2023
The Heart of Mexico’s Endemic Birds – more the 80 species occur between Mexico City and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The March and April Tours listed below can be taken back-to-back, expect to see more than 80 Mexican endemics
March 20th – April 2nd, 2023
ENDEMIC BIRDS OF MEXICO’S SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
This route targets the many endemic species that evolved within Oaxaca State, and parts of the nearby states of Chiapas and Veracruz. This route holds the second greatest number of endemic birds to be seen on any route, with more than 50 possible targets. A few birds are so local that they carry ‘the places’ within their names – Oaxaca Sparrow, Tuxtla Quail-Dove). This route regularly produces the most total species seen on any of Legacy’s open-birding routes within Mexico — as many as 500 species! In addition to the over-the-top birding, this region offers a spectacular variety of wild habitats, and a number of rich cultural experiences. This route also includes a mini-peliagic into the Pacific Ocean, where the continental shelve begins just a few miles offshore,
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: [ C ]
Space Availability: Limited Spaces
Tour Price: $3,995/pp
Next Opportunity: Late April – Early April 2025
April 03rd – 16th, 2023
FINEST BIRDING ROUTE IN NORTH AMERICA
Few birding routes anywhere in the world are as exciting as this ‘run’ through Central Mexico that covers four isolated endemic bird zones — the West Mexican coastal plan, the Sierra Madre de Guerrero [highest endemicism within any mountain range north the Panama/Costa Rica border], the arid Balsas Drainage, and the Transvolcanic Belt [2,200 meters average elevation]. More than 60 of Mexico’s endemic birds can be seen among the 400+ trip species. As a rule birding routes with 15% of all trip birds seen is an endemic means the route is within an island, or internal flights quickly move birders over great distances. This route is so very unique in that it is a 500 km linear route where the endemic rich mountain ranges are ‘sky-islands’ formed the desert habitats that surround them.
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: [ C ]
Space Availability: Limited Space
Tour Price: $3,995/pp
Next Opportunity: Early April 2024
June 3rd – 18th, 2023
NORTHERN MEXICO’S SUMMER ENDEMICS
This route targets Summer Breeding Endemics accross the length of Northern Mexico; Sinaloa (Sierra Madre Occidental), Chihuahua (Mexican Plateau), Coahuila (Saltillo Grasslands), Nuevo Leon (Tamaulipas Scrub), San Luis Potosi (Sierra Madre Oriental), and Tamaulipas (Gulf Coastal Plain). Route focuses on limited range endemics such as Thick-billed and Maroon-fronted parrots, Worthen’s Sparrow, Eared Quetzal, Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl, Tawny-collared Nightjar, Blue-capped Motmot, Bronze-winged Woodpecker, Aztec Thrush, Altamira Yellowthroat, and Crimson-collared Grosbeak. A number of these species are Mexico’ most rare and least observed birds! Success requires a Summer Visit when birds are territorial, wildly active, and full of song. Plan to enjoy fantastic birding, comfortable temperatures, lovely scenery, and delicious food. This route covers a lot of distance but the new birds seem to make up for the extra hours of travel. Route includes a mini-pelagic into the Sea of Cortez for Craveri’s Murrelet.
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: [ C ]
Space Availability: Limited Space
Tour Price: $4,495/pp
Next Opportunity: Early to Mid-June, 2024
January 11th – 23rd, 2024
[Open Birding Tour]; BAJA SUR & NW MEXICO
‘Mexico’s most magical and enchanting region’ – More than 30 endemic birds occur in NW Mexico. This ‘stand-alone’ destination is essential for those birders who wish to target the full basket of Mexican endemics. The route visits both Southern Baja California Sur and the Mexican States of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Sinaloa. Weather is usually pleasant, though a ‘cold front’ can slow down birding. Accommodations are comfortable, the birding is reality easy, the food is some of the best in Mexico (especially the fresh seafood on Baja California Sur & the Garza Canela, Nayarit), and distances are not great. A number of these birds MUST BE SEEN ONLY HERE IN ALL OF THE WORLD!!!
Tour Style [B –Birding daily w/ accommodations & pace comfortable]
Price/Itinerary available 12-months before departure
Tour Format: Open Birding TOur
Tour Style: [ B ]
Space Availability: Limited Space
Tour Price: Price/itineary available 12-months before tour
Next Opportunity: Winter 2026
2025
Early-To-Mid April, 2025
FINEST BIRDING ROUTE IN NORTH AMERICA
Few birding routes anywhere in the world are as exciting as this ‘run’ through Central Mexico that covers four isolated endemic bird zones — the West Mexican coastal plan, the Sierra Madre de Guerrero [highest endemicism within any mountain range north the Panama/Costa Rica border], the arid Balsas Drainage, and the Transvolcanic Belt [2,200 meters average elevation]. More than 60 of Mexico’s endemic birds can be seen among the 400+ trip species. As a rule birding routes with 15% of all trip birds seen is an endemic means the route is within an island, or internal flights quickly move birders over great distances. This route is so very unique in that it is a 500 km linear route where the endemic rich mountain ranges are ‘sky-islands’ formed the desert habitats that surround them.
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: C
Space Availability: YES
Tour Price: TBA
Next Opportunity: APRIL 2025
Early-To-Mid June, 2025
NORTHERN MEXICO’S SUMMER ENDEMICS
This route targets Summer Breeding Endemics accross the length of Northern Mexico; Sinaloa (Sierra Madre Occidental), Chihuahua (Mexican Plateau), Coahuila (Saltillo Grasslands), Nuevo Leon (Tamaulipas Scrub), San Luis Potosi (Sierra Madre Oriental), and Tamaulipas (Gulf Coastal Plain). Route focuses on limited range endemics such as Thick-billed and Maroon-fronted parrots, Worthen’s Sparrow, Eared Quetzal, Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl, Tawny-collared Nightjar, Blue-capped Motmot, Bronze-winged Woodpecker, Aztec Thrush, Altamira Yellowthroat, and Crimson-collared Grosbeak. A number of these species are Mexico’ most rare and least observed birds! Success requires a Summer Visit when birds are territorial, wildly active, and full of song.
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: [ C ]
Space Availability: YES
Tour Price: TBA
Next Opportunity: June 2025
Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl
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Sunset Amid Worthen’s Sparrow Habitat
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Tawny-collared Nightjar
@Mark Hoffman 2019
Contact Legacy Tours for
Detailed Itineraries and Pricing
legacy-tours@comcast.net
509-624-1889
Baird’s Junco
@Bobb Butler 2019
*CUSTOM TOURS*
Individuals, custom parties, and groups of friends regularly request from Legacy Tours a tour to specific destinations (birds) in Mexico. In addition some international destinations are organized in this fashion. Contact our office to discuss the possibility of a custom tour for yourself [target birds], your family [target destination], or your birding club [target joint activity].
