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 with an interest in nature, even if birds are not one’s top priority.
[Style – B] Comfortable for BIRD WATCHERS — but all participants must enjoy daily bird watching.
[Style – C] Enjoyable for those with a KEEN INTEREST IN SEEING NEW BIRDS; requires high 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 85 species occur between Mexico City in the north (Transvolcanic Belt Mountain Ranges with summits between 8,000 ft and 18,000 ft) and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (Chivela Pass at 735 ft elevation).
The finest birding in all of North America is to be enjoyed in Central Mexico; with over 60 Endemic species to be found in a less than 300-mile of travel.
December 11th – 15th, 2023
TRES MARIAS ISLAND from Mazatlan — ‘Mexico’s newest birding destination’
[Open Birding Tour]; TRES MARIAS ISLAND – For more than 30 years Isla Maria Madre was a federal prison off limits to casual visitors; only now can one see the Tres Marias Hummingbird, and nearly 20 other unique subspecies – several of which will surely be listed as full species in the near future. This is a short trip – Dec 12th–14th on the island, with Mazatlan arrival on the 11th, and an OPTIONAL mainland birding day on the 15th [More than 15 Mexican endemic birds occur near Mazatlan]. Riding the ferry from the mainland to the island and back is the only major inconvenience, though many will welcome it as opportunity to look for interesting pelagic birds that are sure to be seen…
Tour Format: Birding Tour (relaxed pace – (Access by Ocean Ferry)
Tour Style: [B]
Space Availability: Limited Spaces
Tour Price: Contact Us Today
Next Opportunity: Uncertain, based on Biosphere Access
JUNE 3rd – 18TH, 2023 [Cancelled due to security issues in Mexico]
NORTHERN MEXICO’S SUMMER ENDEMICS
Breeding endemics of Northern Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental (Chihuahua/Sonora), Saltillo Grasslands (Coahuila), Tamaulipan coastal plain, and Sierra Madre Oriental (Nuevo Leon/San Luis Potosi), for Thicket Tinamou, Thick-billed and Maroon-fronted parrots, Yellow-headed and Red-crowned amazons, Eared Quetzal, Tamaulipas and Mountain pygmy-owls, Tawny-collared Nightjar, Colima Warbler, Altamira Yellowthroat, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, and Worthen’s Sparrow. Route includes a morning in the Sea of Cortez for Craveri’s Murrelet – ‘BIRDERS ROUTE’.
Open-Birding Tour [Style – C] Price: $4,495/pp
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused birding all day, every day)
Tour Style: [C]
Space Availability: Waiting List
Tour Price: $4,495/pp
Next Opportunity: Uncertain for now – security issues
January 11th – 23rd, 2024 [Cancelled due to security issues in Mexico]
[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 can be seen ONLY HERE in all of the world!
Tour Format: Open Birding Tour (w/accommodations & pace comfortable)
Tour Style: [B]
Space Availability: Waiting List
Tour Price: $4,395ºº (Includes one internal air flight & One mini-pelagic voyage
Next Opportunity: Uncertain – Security issues in Mexico
April 3rd – 15th, 2024 [Postoned due to security issues in Mexcio]
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 Route (focused birding daily – all day, every day)
Tour Style: [C]
Space Availability: Waiting List
Tour Price: $4,195ºº
Next Opportunity: Uncertain, postponed due to security issues
2024
November 9th – 23rd, 2024
[Open Birding Tour]; SOUTHEAST CHIAPAS – Rainforest trails, riverine edge, multiple habitats, Lacandon River and wild tributaries, Mayan archaeology – a bit remote!
World-class birding amid vast tracks of intact forest – targets include Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Great Curassow, Spotted Wood-Quail, Agami Heron Ruddy Crake, Central American Pygmy-Owl, Mexican Antthrush, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Speckled Mourner, Lovely Cotinga, & Northern Nightingale Wren — 400 total species!
Tour Format: Birding Tour (focused on daily birding)
Tour Style: [C]
Space Availability: YES
Tour Price: Available 12-Months before Tour
Next Opportunity: Not Yet 0n Upcoming Calendar
December 4th -14th, 2024
[Heritage-Style Birding Tour] YUCATAN
This is an excellent tour in which to INVITE A FRIEND…
Quality birding, sunny days, regional cuisine, Mayan archeological sites, and Cozumel Island for key birds that include Ocellated Turkey, Black-throated Bobwhite, Rufous-necked and Russet-naped wood- rails, Yucatan Poorwill, Yucatan Nightjar, Mexican Sheartail, Cozumel Emerald, Gray-collared Becard, Cozumel and Yucatan vireos, Gray- throated Chat, Rose-throated Tanager, and Orange Oriole.
Tour Format: Heritage-Style Relaxed Birding Tour (birding daily, plus other stuff)
Tour Style: [A]
Space Availability: YES
Tour Price: Available 12-Months before Tour
Next Opportunity: Not Yet 0n Upcoming Calendar
2025
Cozumel Wren
JANUARY 5th – 15th, 2025
[Open Birding Tour] MONARCHS OF MEXICO – The winter gathering of monarchs deep in the highland fir forests of Mexico’s Central Volcanic Belt Mountains… Morelos, Guadalajara, and Guanajuato.
A relaxed pace, colonial Mexico’s splendor, and birding as recreation. [Tour Style A – Birding daily – with the monarch butterflies, colonial cities, and tourist activities filling each day of exploration and wonder]
Tour Format: Hertiage-style Birding Tour (relaxed birding throughout tour)
Tour Style: [A]
Space Availability: Wait List
Tour Price: Available 12-Months before Tour
Next Opportunity: Not 0n Upcoming Calendar
2025
Ocellated Turkey
MARCH 13th – 27th, 2025
[Open Birding Tour] OAXACA* – Endemics of the Southern Highlands**, Isthmus of Tehuantepec, & Sierra Los Tuxtlas, Vera Cruz More than fifty of Mexico’s endemics occur in Oaxaca’s ‘Southern Highlands.’ This route encompasses one the major stand-alone regions that every birder interested in seeing the key species of Mexico must visit. At least 20 of Mexico’s endemic birds are found only here…
Tour Format: Open Birding Tour (focused birding throughout tour)
Tour Style: [C]
Space Availability: Wait List
Tour Price: Available 12-Months before Tour
Next Opportunity: Not 0n Upcoming Calendar
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].
