Birding Trips in Mexico for Birders

Parakeet

Mexico is not only a favorite vacation spot for humans only; it is also a popular stopover for hundreds of bird species on their annual migration. This automatically makes Mexico a favorite place for birders as well.  Huatulco on the Pacific Coast, and the Yucatan Peninsula, are not only famous for their jungle birds but are also two of the most well-known birding sites in the world.

Zihuatanejo’s El Refugio de Potosi is not only an environmental education center, but a “Mecca” where bird watchers pay “pilgrimage.” You can sit and relax by a pond and watch the tiny hummingbirds stick their beaks deep inside cone-shaped flowers for nectar as they flap their miniature wings hundreds of times a second, something that keeps them hovering midair.  These territorial birds are found only in the Americas. The ostentatiously colored macaws chat and shout to one another. This endangered species is protected here, and interestingly, the birds seem to know it! There is an observation tower which enables you climb 50 feet to a secure and shady viewing platform from where you can watch the way the birds behave.

Huatulco

In the humid area of Oaxaca State which is in southern Mexico, you can have an opportunity in the morning to see dozens of species you have never seen. This virgin area of bays and lagoons allows for easy access to 200 bird species along the rivers and lagoons. About 10 miles southwest of Tangolunda Bay lie 40,000-acre Botazoo Ecological Park. You can hire a guide to drive you through the ecological park and back to your hotel. Alternatively, you can opt for a Huatulco Nature Eco Tours’ eight-hour group excursion to the Ventanilla Lagoons. The tour takes you by boat through a mangrove to view birds, crocodiles and iguanas.

The Yucatan

The Yucatan boasts of 547 registered bird species. This is roughly half the number of bird species registered in the whole of Mexico.  Besides, the region is famous for its flora and wildlife, meaning if you are to see these species properly, you have to see them here. Many birders visit the Yucatan state to see the only colony of American flamingos in Mexico which exceed 40,000 in number. Many birders usually combine a birding trip with a tour of the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and Campeche.

Cabo San Lucas

Although Cabo San Lucas is mostly known for resorts and surfing than birding, bird enthusiasts know this windy and lively area also. Shore birds including osprey, pelicans, and others can be spied here. Avoid visiting in March, because it is the time many college students visit when they break.

You Need to Purchase Mexican Auto Insurance to Drive into Mexico Legally

At the US-Mexico Border

If you are a U.S. or Canadian citizen and your coming holiday vacation plans have you heading to Mexico, it is important that you understand one thing: crossing the border into Mexico is entirely different from crossing the Canadian and U.S. border.  While it is true that the two countries have reciprocal agreements to recognize one another’s car insurance, this is not the same case with Mexico.  Mexican law does not recognize the validity of U.S. and Canadian auto insurance policies under any circumstances.

To drive in Mexico for any length of time, you need to ensure that you purchase valid Mexican car insurance. You can purchase your Mexican insurance policy from this MexInsuranceStore link. There are possible criminal charges that are part of any auto accident investigation; it doesn’t matter whether foreigners or citizens are involved.