The Birds of El Cielo, Mexico
April 11 to 14, 2007 - Bird/Species Trip List
Compiled by Tony Beck

Thicket Tinamou – heard often in mountain forests and edges, seen briefly once
Black-bellied Whistling Duck – a few individuals in lowland ponds
Muscovy Duck – La Servilla Canyon, amazing to see this often tame bird living well in the wilds.
Plain Chachalaca – very vocal in middle elevations, seen on several occasions
Singing Quail – heard only a few times in highland forests
Least Grebe – lowland canals near Naciamento
Pied-billed Grebe – lowland canals
Neotropic Cormorant – Rio Frio and lowland canals near Naciamento
Double-crested Cormorant – lowland canals and along the Rio Grande
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron – Rio Frio boat trip, an incredible sighting as we navigated our small boat under this beautiful bird
Great Egret – Rio Frio and lowland canals and ditches
Cattle Egret – lowland fields
Green Heron – Rio Frio and lowland canals near Naciamento
Boat-billed Heron – Rio Frio boat trip, a roosting group close to the Bare-throated Tiger Heron – beautiful to see and challenging for our photographers
Wood Stork – flying high over Naciamento
Black Vulture – mainly flying over lowlands
Turkey Vulture – ubiquitous
Osprey – a few migrating over mountains, canyons and fields
Mississippi Kite – migrating over La Servilla, over the beautiful languid pools and high ridges that surrounded them
Sharp-shinned Hawk – a few individuals seen migrating with other raptors
Crane Hawk – one bird flying overhead along road to Las Tecas
Gray Hawk – seen clearly near Alta Cima
Great Black-Hawk – flying overhead near Alta Cima
Roadside Hawk – one perched in tree along canal near Naciamento
Broad-winged Hawk – several migrating over various habitats
Short-tailed Hawk – a dark morph individual flying overhead near Alta Cima
Swainson's Hawk – very common migrant flying over various habitats
White-tailed Hawk – lowland fields and agricultural lands
Red-tailed Hawk – small numbers in lowlands
Ornate Hawk-Eagle – a pair nesting in middle elevations below Alta Cima. We hiked into the nest in absolute silence to observe at a safe distance with scopes, just amazing!
Collared Forest-Falcon – heard only along road to Las Tecas
Crested Caracara – small numbers in lowland fields and agricultural areas
Bat Falcon – one en route to Gomez Farias perched atop a pole where it nested, providing us with incredible views, and another at La Servilla
Common Moorhen – Rio Frio, canals and Naciamento
American Coot – canals and Naciamento
Purple Gallinule – spotted by Peg at Naciamento (a life bird for Esteban)
Sungrebe – Rio Frio boat tour, with effort we all got to see this secretive bird as it hid under dense overhanging branches of a riverside tree
Northern Jacana – canals and Naciamento. New for many we admired the yellow wing-linings and enjoyed quite a bit of behavior between the adults
Spotted Sandpiper – canals and La Servilla
Rock Pigeon – lowland cities, towns and agricultural areas
Red-billed Pigeon – common in mountains, especially in middle elevations
White-winged Dove – mainly lowlands, quite common
Mourning Dove – very common in lowlands
Inca Dove – fairly common and visible, especially disturbed areas
Common Ground-Dove – small numbers in lowlands, especially around canals
White-tipped Dove – mainly heard in forest thickets
Gray-headed Dove – heard only by Esteban near Las Tecas
Green Parakeet – a few flocks seen and heard, especially Gomez Farias
White-crowned Parrot – mainly middle elevations
Red-lored Parrot – around Gomez Farias
Squirrel Cuckoo – Shy and secretive, a few seen along roadsides in forests
Grove-billed Ani – lowland and foothill grassy areas
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl – Gomez Farias and other middle elevations.
Mottled Owl – heard around Gomez Farias, especially before dawn
Tawny-collared Nightjar – one observed near Gomez Farias by leaders only
White-collared Swift – a large flock flying high in upper elevations
Vaux's Swift – migrants seen sporadically in lower and middle elevations
Wedge-tailed Sabrewing – only a few seen along roadsides and gardens
Canivet's Emerald – one seen well along road to Las Tecas
Azure-crowned Hummingbird – Seen by leaders only, at a garden near the Alta Cima reserve
Buff-bellied Hummingbird – a few seen zipping by at various places
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – a few migrating at various elevations
Mountain Trogon – one seen very well near Alta Cima
Elegant Trogon – fairly common in various wooded mountain habitats, several seen or heard each day!
Blue-crowned Motmot – a group of six seen in tree along road to Las Tecas seemed rather remarkable
Ringed Kingfisher – Rio Frio boat tour
Green Kingfisher – a glimpse at Rio Frio, and seen by all in the scope, very well at La Serviilla
Golden-fronted Woodpecker – the most common woodpecker
Smokey-brown Woodpecker – heard occasionally, scope views along road to Las Tecas
Bronze-winged Woodpecker – seen very well near Alta Cima and other places
Lineated Woodpecker – good views along road to Las Tecas
Pale-billed Woodpecker – a very cooperative individual on the Rio Frio boat tour
Olivacious Woodcreeper – heard only by leaders
Ivory-billed Woodcreeper – a few seen well along roadside vegetation
Barred Antshrike – called in with tape – excellent views near Alta Cima
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet – frequently heard, we did not work hard to see it as we had super views in Texas
Olive-sided Flycatcher – heard by Peg and others along road to Alta Cima
Greater Pewee – heard by Peg and others along road to Alta Cima
Vermilion Flycatcher – on a fence post in Alta Cima
Dusky-capped Flycatcher – mostly heard, a few seen along mountain forest edges
Great-crested Flycatcher – Hotel Pino
Great Kiskadee – various habitats mainly middle elevations and foothills
Boat-billed Flycatcher – woodland edges of middle and higher elevations
Social Flycatcher – fairly visible and vocal along forest edges and disturbed areas
Streaked Flycatcher – a few along forest edges of middle and upper elevations
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher – road to Las Tecas
Tropical Kingbird – Naciamento and Mante
Couch's Kingbird – very common in lower elevations
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – a few over lowland agricultural fields, nice to see on our travel days
Gray-collared Becard – Heard only by Peg and Esteban
Rose-throated Becard – seen along forest edges, we watched a pair building a nest over road to Las Tecas
Masked Tityra – fairly common in middle elevations, we enjoyed watching them feasting on fruit in a tree outside our hotel
Loggerhead Shrike – agricultural fields of Mexico near US border
White-eyed Vireo – heard only at Guayalejo River
Blue-headed Vireo – a few migrants seen in upper elevations
Warbling Vireo – one seen near Alta Cima
Rufous-browed Peppershrike – heard a few times, good views near Alta Cima
Green Jay – fairly common along forests edges throughout
Brown Jay – highly vocal and visible in forest habitats throughout
Tamaulipas Crow – a few seen along highways of lower elevations
Chihuahuan Raven – open areas and foothills
Common Raven – only a few in mountains
Purple Martin – Reynosa, and Rio Grande River
Tree Swallow – open areas in lowlands and foothills
Northern Rough-winged Swallow – La Servilla
Bank Swallow – La Servilla
Barn Swallow – open areas in lowlands and foothills
Cave Swallow – Rio Grande River
Canyon Wren – heard only near Alta Cima and La Servilla
Spot-breasted Wren – seen and heard a few times along road to Alta Cima, bold enough that we got some good photographs
Carolina Wren – heard only near Gomez Farias
House Wren – heard a few times near mountain farms and villages
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – several migrants seen along roadside edges
Brown-backed Solitaire – mainly heard, some seen in mountain woodlands
Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush – mainly heard, a few seen in mountain forests
Swainson’s Thrush – heard only near Gomez Farias
Clay-coloured Robin – fairly common and visible throughout
White-throated Robin – one seen near Alta Cima
Northern Mockingbird – lower elevations especially disturbed areas, vocal and common
Blue Mockingbird – a few heard, one shy bird seen very briefly near Alta Cima
Cedar Waxwing – many heard, a few seen, at various elevations, and in the trees at our stop at the natural history museum en route back to the states.
Nashville Warbler – near Alta Cima
Crescent-chested Warbler – a few heard, some seen well in mountain forests
Northern Parula – one seen along road to Las Tecas
Tropical Parula – very common in woodlands throughout
Black-throated Green Warbler – one near Alta Cima
Louisiana Waterthrush – heard only on Rio Frio boat ride
Wilson’s Warbler – near Alta Cima
Fan-tailed Warbler – heard only in woodlands at middle and higher elevations
Golden-crowned Warbler – mostly heard, a few seen at middle elevations, good views on the road to Alta Cima
Rufous-capped Warbler – a few seen at middle and high elevations
Yellow-breasted Chat – one heard near Gomez Farias
Red-throated Ant-Tanager – a pair seen on Rio Frio boat tour
Summer Tanager – a few heard and seen in mountain habitats
Western Tanager – one seen along road to Las Tecas
Flame-colored Tanager – several seen along various forest edges and openings, its bright pattern causing more than a few ooh’s and aah’s…
White-winged Tanager – a few noticed in canopies and along forested roadsides
Yellow-winged Tanager – fairly common in mountain forests and edges
White-collared Seedeater – seen and heard in grasses around foothills
Yellow-faced Grassquit – heard only along road to Alta Cima during our lunch picnic
Olive Sparrow – seen and heard along road to Las Tecas
Chipping Sparrow – several at La Servilla
Grayish Saltator – heard and seen along roadside vegetation near Alta Cima
Black-headed Saltator – fairly common in various mountain habitats and a regular at the fruiting tree in the garden of our hotel
Crimson-collared Grosbeak – common in woodland edges of mountains
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – a few migrating with other grosbeaks and buntings
Black-headed Grosbeak – a couple near Alta Cima
Blue Bunting – only a few along roadside vegetation in mountains
Blue Grosbeak – a male observed in a group with other buntings, near Alta Cima
Indigo Bunting – many migrating through, especially forest edges in mountains
Painted Bunting – one brilliant male near Alta Cima spotted by Gwyneth
Red-winged Blackbird – lowland wetlands
Eastern Meadowlark – lowland agricultural fields
Melodious Blackbird – fairly vocal and visible near disturbed areas of mountains
Brewer’s Blackbird – seen along highway while returning to US
Great-tailed Grackle – common in foothills and lowlands
Bronzed Cowbird – several seen throughout, especially in disturbed areas
Altamira Oriole – fairly common in mountain forests
Audubon’s Oriole – fairly common in mountain forests, its beautiful song was our dawn wakeup call
Baltimore Oriole – observed near Alta Cima
Scrub Euphonia – Rio Frio and Naciamento areas
Yellow-throated Euphonia – a few along forest edges in mountains
Black-headed Siskin – a small flock along road to Alta Cima
Lesser Goldfinch – observed by Esteban near the village
House Sparrow – cities, villages and farms of foothills and lowlands

Mammals
White-nosed Coati – seen briefly along roadside near Alta Cima
Variegated Squirrel – one feeding in tree above canal near Naciamento

 

Close This Window