A Field Guides Birding Tours Report
Mexico: Veracruz's River of Raptors 2021
October 1-10, 2021 with Doug Gochfeld & Jorge Montejo-Diaz guiding
We came to Veracruz to partake in the once-a-year visual feast of the southbound migration. After just a little over a week in the state, we had indeed been satiated by this feast, but we also came away with so much more than the epic migration that was the main objective.
We started with the meat of our birding in the highlands around the city of Xalapa. Some of the group was able to visit the Museo de Antropología in Xalapa, and in addition to the fascinating cultural material inside the building, we were treated to some nice birds on the grounds, including the resident Azure-crowned Hummingbird, and long-distance migrants on their way farther south, like Olive-sided Flycatcher. As the sun rose the next morning, we found ourselves walking ascending concentric circles around Macuiltepetl, the extinct volcano in the heart of Xalapa. Here we were treated to a good many birds, and once again we had a nice crossover of migrants (Canada, MacGillivray’s & Townsend’s Warblers, Olive-sided Flycatcher) and regional specialties. Some of the resident bird highlights included a Blue Mockingbird sunning itself low down on the mountain, the couple of Blue-capped Motmots at the top of the hill as we overlooked the caldera (with a very cooperative Squirrel Cuckoo nearby), and the great show put on by the Wedge-tailed (Curve-winged) Sabrewing proclaiming his territory! The late morning, and then our excursion to the southeast of there in the afternoon, also featured a great array of butterflies- our first taste of this phenomenal aspect of the fauna of Veracruz.
Our next day was spent on the other side of the mountain range, west of Xalapa, at the very southeastern corner of Mexico’s central plateau. We started off on the slopes above the plateau, breakfasting as a magnificent sunrise broke over the mountains and valley to the east, bathing the high elevation conifer forest in morning light. And in this dawn light we were treated to a bounty of species. With a background serenade of singing Brown-backed Solitaire and Bearded Wood-Partridge, we followed a nice warbler flock which included Crescent-chested, Hermit, Townsend’s, and Olive (even if it’s not really a wood-warbler!) Warblers. Then a Red Warbler appeared out of nowhere, delighting all, and cementing its place as one of the eventual top birds of the trip. Gray-barred Wren and Common Chlorospingus also gave great views at and below eye-level, and a bit down the road we had Rufous-capped Brushfinch, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, and the patchily-distributed and skulky Hooded Yellowthroat. Lunch in Perote down in the valley was a feast to remember, and then some windy birding in the lower dry country around Perote gave way to a late afternoon at Cofre de Perote, the mountain on the other side of the Perote valley. It was here where we struck endemic gold, finding Strickland’s Woodpecker, Striped Sparrow, and Transvolcanic Jay in quick succession, and with excellent extended views of all three species!!
Our time in the mountains was now at an end, and it was time to descend back to the hot Veracruz coastal plain for the main event: El Río de Rapaces. On our way down the slope we made a morning stop near Laguna Miradores, to sample our first swathe of open habitat on the Gulf slope. Here we had excellent views of Grass Wren and Veracruz Wren (The latter currently classified by the AOS as a subspecies of Rufous-naped Wren, but a very disjunct population that should be split at some point), as well as a hummingbird endemic to Mexico: Mexican Sheartail. In addition, we were treated to a great cast of characters that included a showy singing male Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Morelet’s Seedeater, Botteri’s Sparrow, a surprise Loggerhead Shrike, a covey of Northern Bobwhite, a spectacular male Varied Bunting, and a bunch of great views of other nice birds. We continued on to Chichicaxtle, where our first visit with the entire group was quiet, and we continued on towards lunch and our hotel check-in….or so we thought.
The River of Raptors is reliable at this time of year, but its exact location can be a fickle thing, and so we found out when Amy called Jorge from the vehicle behind us and pointed out the torrent of raptors heading south over a nondescript, noisy section of highway. Luckily, there was a pullout at the exact right spot, and we were able to pop out of the vehicle and take our first dip in the river flowing over our heads. Thousands upon thousands of raptors, perhaps 20,000, passed over us in the twenty minutes we stood, dumbfounded, alongside the road. The majority of the birds on this day were Broad-winged Hawks, but Turkey Vultures, some Swainson’s Hawks, American Kestrel, a flock of American White Pelicans, and even a lone Hook-billed Kite joined in on the southbound action. As the movement tapered off, it was time to continue on to what was now a rather late, but very jovial, lunch. In the afternoon, we headed for Cansaburro, a footpath between a coastal wetland and a set of exceptionally high vegetated coastal dunes along the Gulf of Mexico. Here we had yet another lovely evening, headlined by more active migration, this time thousands upon thousands of White-winged Dove, eventually totaling 22,000+ birds. A Lesser Nighthawk popping up from alongside the path was an unexpected bird, and we had Muscovy Duck, Common Black Hawk, some migrating Dickcissels and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, several hunting Aplomado Falcons, and even some vocalizing Ruddy Crakes from deep in the swampy vegetation.
Our first full day in the lowlands would be devoted to the raptor counting locales. The first of these, the Miramar Ranch, involved a ride up a 4x4 trail to a walking trail through the upper forests on a northward facing hill. We emerged from the woods to climb up to an excellent overlook and platform. In 2020, due to Covid, the eastern of the two raptor counts administered by Pronatura could not take place on the hotel roof in Cardel where it had been for more than two decades. A spot to the north, where the foothills meet the ocean, in the main bottleneck itself, was chosen as an experimental site to see if it could be the new count site going forward, and this is where we now found ourselves, perched on one of the easternmost hills in Mexico’s Transvolcanic Belt, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, and with a clear view of the mountain passes to the north from which we hoped to see raptors issuing forth. It was a splendid morning, with great scenery, another jaw-dropping passage of White-winged Doves (we estimated 35,000 passing well below us to the east, along the coast and over the Gulf, in just the first couple of hours of light), a nice movement of American Kestrels, a Zone-tailed Hawk, a couple of White-tailed Hawks, a fun array of interesting insects, and even an obliging Lesser Roadrunner, a species which can be exceptionally difficult to track down, especially in Veracruz. What we didn’t have was a strong passage of large raptors, perhaps because of the clouds covering the coast for the first couple of hours of daylight (a boon to our personal comfort though!). We descended just a bit before midday, without having seen the raptorial river yet for the day. After lunch and a brief siesta, we headed back to Chichicaxtle, in the hopes that the raptor migration had picked up. We didn’t even make it all the way to the raptor observation tower before we were pouring out of the van in order to watch the raptors which were pouring over our heads. The streams were visible as they approached Chichi, and so we stopped at the base of the soccer field, and watched from there as a spectacle of spectacles unfolded over our heads. After a quiet morning, the river of raptors was overflowing its banks this afternoon, and we stood (and say, and lay down looking straight up) in awe and with a complete lack of words to adequately describe what we were seeing. What we were seeing, put simply, were tens of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks, and thousands of Turkey Vultures and Swainson’s Hawks heading south in huge numbers, starting as swarms of what might as well have been mosquitoes in the distance, then streaming in ribbons towards us, before balling up again in a tornado of birds ascending on the next thermal in order to gain enough altitude to then once more stream out of that kettle and towards the next thermal to the south, all the while not flapping once. Meanwhile, hundreds upon hundreds of swallows were beating their way south, fairly low over the soccer field, and by the end of the afternoon we had even seen over a thousand each of Wood Storks and American White Pelicans heading south, sometimes mixed in with each other, and often with some Buteos mixed in for part of their ride. THIS was the main event, and it lived up to the hype and then some.
Having now availed ourselves of a look at the full strength of the local raptor migration, we switched gears for the next day, heading to the southwest, where we would visit Aurelio Molina’s family ranch, which is now a large dry forest preserve, one of the very few of its kind in a region dominated by commercial cattle and agriculture operations. We started out in an idyllic grassland, where we had a delightful time listening to the dawn chorus of the savanna, and found six species of flycatchers, including a tree full of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers foraging in the morning light and a few bright Vermilion Flycatchers shining rich scarlet in the morning light. We also had a bunch of Red-lored Parrots fly by, followed a short time later by a small group of the scarce and threatened (due to the cage bird trade) Yellow-headed Parrot. We then continued to Xocotitla, the dry forest of which Aurelio is the steward. The biodiversity was especially evident in the plethora of butterflies and dragonflies in the preserve, though we also found a beautiful male Canivet’s Emerald, three Least Grebes on the wooded pond, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and many migrants from North America which were calling this their winter home, including Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Ovenbirds, Yellow-breasted Chats, and Least Flycatchers.
In the afternoon, we made our way to the first Spanish settlement in the new world, settled by Hernan Cortes upon his arrival on the American mainland, and established as the jumping off point for the expedition that would in short order topple the incredible Aztec Kingdom. Our initial stop in town was at yet another first, the first church established on Mainland North (or South) America, appropriately small given the small number of people in that first expedition. We then found our way to Hernan Cortes’ first residence, long since overtaken and in the process of being reclaimed by, the large Ficus trees growing out of the grounds and enveloping much of the structure. Despite these significant cultural draws, the main attraction here, however, was Rio La Antigua, the Antigua River, and we spent a lovely couple of hours exploring the river by boat, between the town and the mouth of the river. Red-billed Pigeons, plenty of herons of several species, a wonderful experience with a bold and obliging Amazon Kingfisher (and a slightly more high strung Ringed Kingfisher), and a great comparison of the similar Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants were some of the highlights on the ride out to the mouth of the river. Once at the mouth, we disembarked and walked around, though the exceptionally high winds meant that there wasn’t a large roosting aggregation of birds here. We did, however, get to see a nice Collared Plover, seemingly at home amidst the piles of trash washed up onto the beach amid the sand and natural wrack. The flock of American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts didn’t seem to mind us parking the boat near them, and a Peregrine Falcon passing by as we approached the ocean made the flock of Western Willets take refuge in an unlikely place of last resort: the water. Seeing these shorebirds floating on the water like a flock of ducks certainly required an initial suspension of disbelief, but then of course it did make sense that they would take refuge in the short term in a place that might be safest from the terrors of the Peregrine. The restaurant at the dock stayed open later than usual just for us, and we had an awesome dinner, with creative drinks, excellent seafood all around, and even finishing off with Mamey Ice Cream - a perfect ending to a delightful day.
Our final day of birding in the northern part of the coastal plain found us back out on the coast to start, at a cloudy and still windy Playa Juan Angel. We didn’t see a whole lot of migration here, due to the weather, but we did have some real quality avian experiences, with a nice variety (with excellent views) of shorebirds, and a quality pair of Aplomado Falcons perching in the Casuarinas on the north side of the river mouth. After a return to town to take care of covid tests and lunch requests, some of us headed up to the roof of the hotel to see about the raptor migration, and in addition to a few thousands raptors, mostly well to the west already, we had a flock of 120 Anhinga swirling their way south over the west side of town, all the while under a broad and constant passage of dragonflies migrating south. For the afternoon it was back for one more hawk hurrah at Chichicaxtle. In just two days, the buteo proportion had switched almost fully in the other direction, with Swainson’s Hawks outnumbering Broad-winged Hawks 4-to-1 (or, rather, 12,000-to-3,000), whereas a couple of days earlier Broad-winged Hawks had predominated. Turkey Vultures also outnumbered Broad-winged Hawks, and it was a pleasant, relaxed spectacle of 20,000 southbound raptors over a couple of hours, while the constant passage of dragonflies continued apace. A couple of Hook-billed Kites and a Gray Hawk provided some diversion, and a nice light-colored cherry on top was the Roseate Spoonbill that was mixed into one of the migrant flocks of the 650 Wood Storks that were also participating in the afternoon’s migration.
The next morning it was time to pack our things and move out of Cardel before the sun rose, and we said a cheery goodbye to our breakfast chefs as we left them one last time. We headed south, and found ourselves at the mixed grasslands, wetlands, and pasture around Las Barrancas at sunrise. Or rather, at what could have been a sunrise had it not been solidly overcast with intermittent rain as we flirted with the very edge of a massive thunderstorm swirling away to our south. Despite the threatening rain (which at one point followed through on its threat for half an hour, during which we spectated from the van), we had a great morning, with thousands of White-winged Doves and swallows migrating south over the grasslands while we found a lot of species on the ground that we hadn’t yet encountered, from Rose-throated Becards and Common Tody-Flycatcher, to many Purple Gallinules, several Double-striped Thick-Knees, and the cream of the crop: three Pinnated Bitterns!
Our final lunch was in a charming restaurant in the equally charming town at the center of Veracruz culture- Tlacotalpan. We birded from the riverside restaurant, seeing several new species (including Mangrove Swallow, Snail Kite, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture) and witnessing one last big spectacle, as a couple of thousand American White Pelicans took off and slowly and ponderously circled around as they resume their migration after being downed for the morning by the rain. We took a quick tour of the town on foot before heading back on up the road for our final dinner and goodbyes in Veracruz, where we would all depart from the next morning.
Having just written the above, there is no way around the fact that this was a fabulously successful inaugural Field Guides tour to Veracruz. We overcame some early logistical hurdles with good humor and aplomb, explored some of the breathtaking highlands of Veracruz, and dodged some atypical weather and were still treated to the globally singular migration spectacle that we came to see. I of course need to thank my co-guide, Jorge, without whom none of this would have been possible, and whose good spirits and excellent humor made the trip a delight for everyone he came into contact with, and thanks as well to all you intrepid folks who braved international travel early on in Field Guides’ return to it, and helped make this first tour a success. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in the field, somewhere on this bird-filled planet of ours. ¡Hasta pronto!
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
A few encounters, with most extended views at Las Barrancas.
FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna bicolor)
A nice surprise were a flock of 6 of these flying around the wetlands at Barrancas towards the end of our final morning's birding.
MUSCOVY DUCK (Cairina moschata)
One female flew by while we were on the viewing platform at Cansaburro.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Spatula discors)
A couple of flyby migrant flocks at various spots along the coast, and one in a wetland at Las Barrancas.
Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows)
PLAIN CHACHALACA (Ortalis vetula)
Heard at several places, but seen quite well at Macuiltepetl.
Odontophoridae (New World Quail)
BEARDED WOOD-PARTRIDGE (Dendrortyx barbatus) [*]
The raucous vocals of this range-restricted bird were heard from several spots in the valley below us at Las Minas.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE (GRAYSONI/NIGRIPECTUS) (Colinus virginianus graysoni)
Heard calling a few times, and several incidentally flushed from the grasses at Laguna Miradores.
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus)
Some on the pond at Laguna Miradores, and then a confiding group of three at the small shaded pond at Xocotitla.
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
Every day of the tour.
RED-BILLED PIGEON (Patagioenas flavirostris)
Brief flybys at a few spots, and then excellent views during our evening boat ride at La Antigua.
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto) [I]
Every day.
INCA DOVE (Columbina inca)
Seen on most days, especially around human habitation.
COMMON GROUND DOVE (Columbina passerina)
Best views at Xocotitla.
PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND DOVE (Columbina minuta interrupta)
One at the grasslands near Xocotitla, and one or two in the Las Barrancas grasslands.
RUDDY GROUND DOVE (Columbina talpacoti rufipennis)
The most common of the Columbina doves.
WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi)
Heard at a couple of places, and a flyby between two patches of woodland and across the marsh at Cansaburro.
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
WOW!! We had a mind-boggling experience with White-winged Dovie migration not just once, but three times. Our evening at Cansaburro was a close-range eye-opener with a relentless flow of birds flying overhead along the dunes. Not to be outdone, our morning atop the ridge at Miramar yielded a mind-numbing stream of huge flocks below us along the coast, and then our final morning of birding at Las Barrancas featured a constant movement of more large flocks skirting along the edge of the big thunderstorm.
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
Just a couple here and there.
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
GROOVE-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga sulcirostris)
Some nice views, including at Chavarrillo and Cansaburro.
LESSER ROADRUNNER (Geococcyx velox)
A really nice bonus was some views of a pair of these sparsely distributed and often-shy birds below the hawkwatch site at Miramar.
SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana)
One really excellent view of a bird over the trail at Macuiltepetl, coincidentally right after Jorge had been talking about the local name for squirrels.
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccyzus americanus)
Singles at Xocotitla and Playa Juan Angel.
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LESSER NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles acutipennis)
A surprise was one of these flushing from near the path at Cansaburro- great views before it disappeared into the big dunes.
Apodidae (Swifts)
CHESTNUT-COLLARED SWIFT (Streptoprocne rutila)
A couple mixed in with the larger White-collared Swifts high over the road outside our hotel at Xalapa.
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT (Streptoprocne zonaris)
A nice flock of these foraging high over Xalapa as we walked back from the museum to the hotel on our first day there.
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
GREEN-BREASTED MANGO (Anthracothorax prevostii)
Some at Playa Juan Angel.
RIVOLI'S HUMMINGBIRD (Eugenes fulgens)
A brief view of one early in our walk at Macuiltepetl.
MEXICAN SHEARTAIL (Doricha eliza) [E]
Nice views of this sickle-billed endemic at the Laguna Miradores, and then brief views for a couple of folks at Playa Juan Angel.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus colubris)
A female at Los Humeros, then several around Xocotitla.
BUMBLEBEE HUMMINGBIRD (Atthis heloisa) [E]
A very brief view of a female for some of the group in the open area at Las Minas.
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus)
Multiple at Los Humeros.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus rufus)
Los Humeros, including an adult male.
CANIVET'S EMERALD (Chlorostilbon canivetii)
Excellent view of a male at Xocotitla, and then most people saw one at Playa Juan Angel.
WEDGE-TAILED SABREWING (CURVE-WINGED) (Campylopterus curvipennis curvipennis) [E]
An awesome experience with a territorial male at Macuiltepetl. It would repeatedly perch and sing, and do occasional display flights in between bouts of foraging on the hill side.
AZURE-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD (AZURE-CROWNED) (Amazilia cyanocephala cyanocephala)
A good experience with several of these at the Museo de Antropología in Xalapa, and then some views early on in our visit to Macuil.
BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia yucatanensis)
Fairly widespread, and we encountered this species on six days, including several times below the Chichi tower.
WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD (Hylocharis leucotis)
Very nice views during our high elevation birding at Las Minas and Cofre de Perote.
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
SORA (Porzana carolina) [*]
Heard at Las Barrancas.
PURPLE GALLINULE (Porphyrio martinica)
A lot of these were out in the open at Las Barrancas, with many of them up high in the reeds feeding away. Their conspicuousness could have been abetted by the overcast conditions.
RUDDY CRAKE (Laterallus ruber)
At least two heard from the platform at Cansaburro.
Aramidae (Limpkin)
LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna)
We saw one of these perched up in a tree across the river at Tlacotalpan.
Burhinidae (Thick-knees)
DOUBLE-STRIPED THICK-KNEE (Burhinus bistriatus)
Two together, then a group of three, at Las Barrancas.
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
A couple of coastal spots, including groups at Juan Angel and La Antigua.
AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana)
Four of these mixed in with a small flock of nine Black-necked Stilts at the La Antigua River Mouth
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
Juan Angel.
COLLARED PLOVER (Charadrius collaris)
A fairly cooperative bird in the debris of the wrack-line at the La Antigua river mouth.
SNOWY PLOVER (Charadrius nivosus)
Foraging on the beach edge to the south of us at Juan Angel.
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus)
A few of these at La Antigua, and then twenty or so at Juan Angel.
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Los Humeros.
Jacanidae (Jacanas)
NORTHERN JACANA (Jacana spinosa)
Laguna Miradores, Cansaburro, Juan Angel, and Las Barrancas.
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numenius americanus)
A couple on the beach north of the river mouth at Juan Angel.
RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)
On the beach in Veracruz City, then at La Antigua River Mouth and Juan Angel.
SANDERLING (Calidris alba)
Same locations as the turnstones, but in much higher numbers. On the beach in Veracruz City, then at La Antigua River Mouth and Juan Angel.
LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)
One flyby at La Antigua, two well-studied at Juan Angel, and three distant flybys at Tlacotalpan.
WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri)
A couple of folks saw one of these in the wind at the Antigua river mouth.
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus)
A juvenile with some Willets at the river mouth at Juan Angel.
WILSON'S SNIPE (Gallinago delicata)
A couple seen in flight at Las Barrancas.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
Small numbers at the coastal areas, and then also seen at the river at Tlacotalpan.
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
The only time we laid eyes on one of these was at Juan Angel.
WILLET (WESTERN) (Tringa semipalmata inornata)
We did see some of these in expected contexts along the beach at Veracruz and at Juan Angel, but neither of these were our most memorable experiences with the species. We had a big group of these flying around over the La Antigua River mouth after a Peregrine Falcon flyby, but then they ditched out and landed on the water. We drove up to and by these as they floated in a flock, presumably awaiting for the coast to be clear before heading back to land.
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Several locations along the coast.
GULL-BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica)
A group of nine flying up the river at Tlacotalpan.
ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)
La Antigua and Juan Angel.
Ciconiidae (Storks)
WOOD STORK (Mycteria americana)
One of the most memorable of the large-scale migrants we encountered. We saw thousands of these migrating over the course of just a few days, including single groups of more than 500! The Wood Stork migration is definitely one of the hallmarks of Veracruz at this time of year, and we sure did revel in it.
Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens)
Any time we were right along the coast, we stood a good chance to see one of these massive birds floating along through the air.
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga)
We had one flock of over a hundred (~120) migrants from the hotel in Cardel, but otherwise we only had a few birds sprinkled into the migration here and there.
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
Some at Las Barrancas and Tlacotalpan, but our first encounter was our best, when we had one standing on a log right next to a Double-crested Cormorant, allowing for an excellent study of the differences between these two widespread and overlapping species.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
We had two singles, with the one at La Antigua (mentioned above) providing a very instructional experience.
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Another one of the large-scale migrant waterbirds through the region, we saw several thousand of these over five days in the lowlands. The numbers getting up from the river to migrate (they had been downed by rain) were truly astonishing, and watching them circle around in battalions as they gained altitude was magical.
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
We encountered these any time we were in direct view of saltwater.
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
PINNATED BITTERN (Botaurus pinnatus)
Always a much-desired species, we were able to pick one of these our of dense marsh grass and reeds at Las Barrancas, and when we stopped to look at it we found a second, and then a third individual hiding in plain sight. They really do have excellent camouflage, and it was great to watch one actively hunt, as it chased some unseen critter through the reeds.
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
We had these in wetlands and along the coast, and also had a flock of 8 migrating up high off shore at Juan Angel.
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
A few of these on each of the last two days of the tour.
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
Best views were at La Antigua river mouth.
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
Some nice views of multiple ages in the marsh at Cansaburro.
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)
Best views were birds in the riverside vegetation during our boat ride at La Antigua.
REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens)
We got to watch a white morph running around in the surf at the mouth of the stream at Juan Angel.
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
Starting at Cansaburro, we saw this common and widespread species every day for the rest of the tour, including mixed in with cattle, appropriately.
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
Laguna Miradores, Antigua River, and Las Barrancas.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Antigua River boat ride and Tlacotalpan.
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)
Some were hiding in a tree at Cansaburro, but we had much better views of many birds out in the open, including quite a few on fence posts, at Las Barrancas.
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus albus)
Migrant flocks in a few places along the coast, with the largest groups being at Juan Angel.
WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi)
A couple of flyby flocks in poor light, including at Juan Angel and Las Barrancas.
ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja)
A great treat was seeing one of these mixed into a massive Wood Stork flock migrating south directly overhead at Chichicaxtle on our final afternoon migration vigil. What a great juxtaposition!
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
It's important to get to know Black Vultures on this flight so you can filter them out and ignore them while scanning for migrant raptors. Some may migrate through, but most are resident and large local kettles are usually NOT associated with large flocks of other migrant raptors.
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
We saw tens of thousands of these staples of North American open lands as they poured south resembling formations of bombers. Watching them amidst this long-distance migration gives a new perspective on these much-maligned magnificent beasts.
LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (Cathartes burrovianus)
A few of these were coursing low over the opposite side of the river at Tlacotalpan.
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
Small numbers of migrants every day in the lowlands.
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus)
One perched way off in the distance at Tlacotalpan.
HOOK-BILLED KITE (HOOK-BILLED) (Chondrohierax uncinatus uncinatus)
We had a few of these migrating south during huge pushes of buteos and vultures, though they were always off on their own, rather than directly in the large streams and kettles.
SNAIL KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis)
At least one of these was patrolling the far shore at Tlacotalpan.
MISSISSIPPI KITE (Ictinia mississippiensis)
We were in Veracruz at the very tail end of their migration, but we still ran into a couple of small flocks, including one group of 11 circling up into the clouds in the highlands at Las Minas, which seemed out of place!
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (Accipiter striatus)
Small numbers of these throughout, most apparently in active migration.
COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii)
A handful of these around. A few seemed to be actively migrating, though a few were hunting or otherwise lollygagging around.
COMMON BLACK HAWK (Buteogallus anthracinus)
Some adults circling in the distance at both Cansaburro and Miramar, and then Mark spotted one perched on a stump in the fog upon commencement of our rain birding at Las Barrancas.
ROADSIDE HAWK (Rupornis magnirostris)
This resident, usually low-flying raptor was scattered all around the coastal plain, and we saw it every day after our first sighting at Laguna Miradores.
WHITE-TAILED HAWK (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)
A couple of adults were seen flying around various ridge tops (including the close one) from the viewpoint at Miramar.
GRAY HAWK (Buteo plagiatus)
This widespread species was seen only at a distance from Miramar and ChichiCaxtle.
BROAD-WINGED HAWK (Buteo platypterus)
Boom. Broad-wings were the largest player in the most impressive visual feast we took part in while in Veracruz. They accounted for the majority of birds in the mind-boggling migration spectacles of October 5 & 6, and it was especially fun to see their full range of plumages, with adults and immatures, and even some of the scarcer dark morphs joining the mix.
SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus)
Mostly residents in the lowlands, but we did see a couple high up in kettles, seemingly involved in the migratory movements of their fellow Buteos..
SWAINSON'S HAWK (Buteo swainsoni)
Over the course of just a couple of days, the breakdown of migrant buteos swung from a very small percentage of Swainson's Hawks to a noticeable majority of Swainson's Hawks. After our first mega-flight day, when Broad-wingeds were the predominant mover, Swainson's then outnumbered their smaller cousins for the rest of our days watching the raptor migration. It was a real special treat getting to constantly compare these to Broad-wingeds, as well as see the full range of color morphs, from dark, to light, to intermediate, and even some largely rufous birds.
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus)
Flyovers at Chichicaxtle (high) and Miramar (low).
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
A nice mixed morph pair circling over the road during our morning birding at Las Minas.
Strigidae (Owls)
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Great views in Veracruz City and at Macuiltepetl, and then heard in several other places.
Trogonidae (Trogons)
BLACK-HEADED TROGON (Trogon melanocephalus) [*]
We heard one of these downslope from us at Miramar.
GARTERED TROGON (Trogon caligatus)
A pair of these were in the distance at Chavarrillo.
MOUNTAIN TROGON (Trogon mexicanus)
Brief but good views during our morning excursion at Las Minas.
Momotidae (Motmots)
BLUE-CAPPED MOTMOT (Momotus coeruliceps)
Excellent views up high at Macuiltepetl.
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquata)
One of these big bruisers was flying around the small tributary along the Antigua River.
BELTED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle alcyon)
Several along our various river spots.
AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona)
A great view of one of these along the river as we made our way back from the Antigua River mouth towards town.
Ramphastidae (Toucans)
KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
Don and Kathleen had at least one one flying up the slope across the valley at Chavarrillo.
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
ACORN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes formicivorus)
Nice views of a few at Chavarrillo.
GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER (VELASQUEZ'S) (Melanerpes aurifrons veraecrucis)
Seen on every day of the tour except for our high elevation day on the other side of the mountains from Xalapa. This subspecies may well be split into its own species in the future. They were especially common around Veracruz City and Chichicaxtle.
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Dryobates scalaris)
Fairly widespread in open habitats, though frequently just heard.
HAIRY WOODPECKER (Dryobates villosus)
Las Minas and Cofre de Perote (including right near the Strickland's Woodpeckers).
STRICKLAND'S WOODPECKER (Dryobates stricklandi)
An excellent experience with this range-restricted endemic up at Cofre de Perote. This one is restricted to a thin sliver of high elevation forests along the central transvolcanic belt.
LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus)
Calling loudly from the forest at Miramar upon our arrival, but we never laid eyes on it.
GOLDEN-OLIVE WOODPECKER (Colaptes rubiginosus)
Some saw one of these at Chavarrillo.
NORTHERN FLICKER (RED-SHAFTED) (Colaptes auratus mexicanus) [*]
Heard at Los Humeros.
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara cheriway)
Chichi, Los Humeros, Xocotitla, Las Barrancas, and Tlacotalpan.
LAUGHING FALCON (Herpetotheres cachinnans)
One of these was seen briefly by some at Cansaburro, and the species was also heard at Miramar and Las Barrancas.
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
Fairly widespread, and they were putting on a pretty good migration show throughout our time in the lowlands, especially during our morning at Miramar.
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
Several of these harbingers of death for all small winged beings during our trip, including one that that ripped by at eye level in the high winds at La Antigua river mouth.
APLOMADO FALCON (Falco femoralis)
Several quality experiences with this quality bird. Some of the more memorable encounters were the multiple individuals hunting at Cansaburro, the couple perched nicely at Juan Angel, and of course the ten or so individuals we had all along the road at Las Barrancas!
PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus)
We encountered more than ten individuals, which a couple of decades ago would have seemed like a remarkable number. With the increase in Peregrines in the Western Hemisphere over the past couple of decades though, this is likely a fairly standard number nowadays.
Psittacidae (New World and African Parrots)
MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)
These have been relatively recently introduced (or rather, have recently escaped and become feral) in Veracruz City, and they were the most conspicuous Psittacid at the hotel and along the waterfront. Comically, they seemed completely unbothered by the Pygmy-Owl they were sharing a tree with at one point.
RED-LORED PARROT (Amazona autumnalis)
Five of these flew by at Cansaburro, and then we had more flying around near Xocotitla.
YELLOW-HEADED PARROT (Amazona oratrix)
A nice treat was a small group of these flying across the road near Xocotitla. This is a bird whose population is heavily pressured by trapping for the cage-bird trade, so it's always heartening to see a few out in wild places.
WHITE-FRONTED PARROT (Amazona albifrons)
Very excellent views in the Casuarinas adjacent to the hotel in Veracruz City.
OLIVE-THROATED PARAKEET (AZTEC) (Eupsittula nana astec)
A flock of these flew across Rio La Antigua as we motored out towards the river mouth.
Thamnophilidae (Typical Antbirds)
BARRED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus doliatus)
Some folks at Xocotitla.
Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)
MASKED TITYRA (Tityra semifasciata)
Excellent repeated views of a troop of four or five hanging out around the tracks at Chavarrillo.
ROSE-THROATED BECARD (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
Most of the group got eyes on one of these at Juan Angel, but then the entire group had excellent views of a vocal pair hanging out nice and low on our final morning at Las Barrancas.
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
NORTHERN BENTBILL (Oncostoma cinereigulare)
This one gave us the runaround in the afternoon at Chavarrillo. We heard it call several times, and we saw it fly across the railroad tracks in front of us at close range once, but otherwise it stayed well-hidden and out of sight.
COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum cinereum)
A pair were flitting around in the treetops along the road at Las Barrancas, at the same location as the pair of becards!
NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma imberbe)
Laguna Miradores and Juan Angel.
YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster)
Brief views for some of this wide-ranging common Central and South American species at Las Barrancas.
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Contopus cooperi)
It was a real treat to see these boreal breeders stopping over during their very long-distance migration, and we saw them from the mountains of Xalapa, with multiples at both Macuiltepetl and the Anthropological Museum grounds, down to seacoast of the lowlands.
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus sordidulus)
Excellent side-by-side comparisons with the more strongly built Olive-sided Flycatcher at Macuiltepetl, and also at Las Minas and Chavarrillo.
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (Contopus virens)
One was actually singing from the large Ficus near the viewing platform at Cansaburro, and some folks saw it too.
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (Empidonax flaviventris)
Seen at the hotel in Xalapa, at Xocotitla, and in the dunes at Juan Angel.
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax virescens)
A surprise was one of these large empids along the road at Las Minas. It is scarce in the region during the southbound migration, so it was a surprise when this large-billed, long-winged, greenish empidonax foraging on the tree edges at first light was one of the very first birds we saw that morning.
WILLOW FLYCATCHER (Empidonax traillii)
Most of the group had one singing at Juan Angel.
LEAST FLYCATCHER (Empidonax minimus)
The most common Empidonax across all our travels, regardless of elevation.
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER (Empidonax hammondii)
Brief views of a singleton at Las Minas.
CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax occidentalis)
Macuil and Las Minas; singing and seen at both locations.
VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
Laguna Miradores, Juan Angel, the grasslands near Xocotitla, and at least three at Las Barrancas. Seeing these amazing bright red cherries never gets old.
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tuberculifer) [*]
We heard its mournful call at both Laguna Miradores and Xocotitla.
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus crinitus)
Migrants in several places, with best views at Macuil.
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus)
Singles seen at Laguna Miradores and Xocotitla (with many unseen birds vocalizing at the latter location).
GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus)
Widespread and abundant!
BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarynchus pitangua)
An excellent experience with a couple of incessantly vocal individuals at Chavarrillo. They were the background soundtrack for our birding for over an hour - not too shabby.
SOCIAL FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes similis)
Very common, especially in the lowlands, and we had a good look at why they're called social when we saw a stream of birds that amounted to over 40 individuals flying into one large tree near the hotel in Cardel!
TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus)
Widespread and common throughout the lowlands.
COUCH'S KINGBIRD (Tyrannus couchii)
Encountered in a couple of places, but much more seldom than its congener, the previous species on this list. Our only good views of calling birds were at the Xocotitla grasslands.
EASTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus tyrannus)
We had one that the entire group got to see, at Las Barrancas, and it happened to be perched in the same bush as three other species of its genus. It's not often you get to see a 4 Tyrannus tree!!
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus forficatus)
We saw a few of them in active migration, including several dozen moving south for the second group up the mountain at Miramar, but we got our most satisfying experiences in the grasslands near Xocotitla and Las Barrancas. They were adorning one of the trees at Xocotitla as if they were ornaments on a Christmas Tree. Amazing.
FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus savana)
We had a brief and tantalizing view of one in the grassland near Xocotitla, but then we got a grand helping of them on our final morning at Las Barrancas. What awesome birds!
Vireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus)
Our best views came at Macuil (where it was almost certainly just a migrant), and Xocotitla.
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Vireo flavifrons)
Most of the group got on one of these migrants at Juan Angel.
BLUE-HEADED VIREO (Vireo solitarius solitarius)
Multiples on our walk around Macuil.
WARBLING VIREO (Vireo gilvus)
One of these showed well in the top of an Acacia at Laguna Miradores.
RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus)
Some folks had a couple of these in a small flock of migrants on the trail to Miramar.
Laniidae (Shrikes)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
A nice bonus bird at the Grass Wren site near Miradores Lagoon.
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
BROWN JAY (Psilorhinus morio)
We heard them more than we saw them, but we had very good views at Macuil.
GREEN JAY (Cyanocorax yncas)
Macuil only.
STELLER'S JAY (Cyanocitta stelleri)
This stellar jay of the conifers stuck true to its reputation, and we found them only at Las Minas and Cofre de Perote.
WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAY (SUMICHRAST'S) (Aphelocoma woodhouseii sumichrasti)
Los Humeros.
TRANSVOLCANIC JAY (Aphelocoma ultramarina ultramarina) [E]
A fantastic encounter with this transvolcanic belt endemic as time was running out along the road at Cofre de Perote. We found a gregarious flock of over a dozen. This species used to be considered conspecific with Mexican Jay, but their ranges are quite disjunct, and Transvolcanic Jay only inhabits forests in the high central plateau that cuts across Mexico in a belt, and this is the easternmost end of their distribution.
Paridae (Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice)
MEXICAN CHICKADEE (Poecile sclateri sclateri)
Up high in the pines at Las Minas.
BLACK-CRESTED TITMOUSE (Baeolophus atricristatus atricristatus)
A couple put on a fantastic show at Laguna Miradores, and there were also some in the woods at Miramar.
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
The second most common migrant swallow we encountered, with an especially notable concentration feeding in the middle of the heavy rain storm at Las Barrancas, as we watched from inside the van.
MANGROVE SWALLOW (Tachycineta albilinea)
We finally caught up to these at Tlacotalpan, where there were a dozen or so viewable from the restaurant, flying around and perching over the river.
BANK SWALLOW (Riparia riparia)
At least three were in the modest line of southbound swallows at Juan Angel, passing by fairly close as they made their way down the beach.
BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
The swallow whose numbers all other migrant swallows are judged against in Veracruz in the fall. We saw incredible numbers migrating on a couple of days, once from Cardel and Chichi in the afternoon, and then again on our final morning at Las Barrancas.
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
A somewhat common migrant, and we encountered them in most locations that featured active swallow migration, including 25 or so on our first afternoon visit to Chichi, and even more among the throngs of southbound swallows later in the week there and at Las Barrancas.
Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
BUSHTIT (MELANOTIS GROUP) (Psaltriparus minimus personatus) [*]
Heard only at both Los Humeros and coming down from Cofre de Perote.
Regulidae (Kinglets)
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus satrapa)
Cofre de Perote.
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula)
Cofre de Perote.
Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
BROWN CREEPER (Certhia americana)
Lois had at least one of these up at the high elevation forest at Las Minas.
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila caerulea)
One of our most common passerine migrants, and encountered every day, often in good numbers. One at Laguna Miradores was re-growing it's entire tail, and we could only guess at to what predator it narrowly escaped.
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
HOUSE WREN (BROWN-THROATED) (Troglodytes aedon brunneicollis) [*]
Singing at Las Minas.
SEDGE WREN (GRASS) (Cistothorus platensis jalapensis)
This newly split species (now known as Grass Wren) put on a good show for us in the fields near Laguna Miradores.
BEWICK'S WREN (Thryomanes bewickii)
Los Humeros.
BAND-BACKED WREN (Campylorhynchus zonatus)
Good views in Veracruz City, and then again at Macuil and Chavarrillo.
GRAY-BARRED WREN (Campylorhynchus megalopterus)
A couple of these curious cloud forest inhabitants were below eye level (thanks to the steep slope below us) along the road at Las Minas, allowing us to watch them from close range at leisure. In most contexts you're looking up at them as they root around among epiphytes and moss high in the trees above you, so this was a real treat!
RUFOUS-NAPED WREN (VERACRUZ) (Campylorhynchus rufinucha rufinucha) [E]
Excellent views of this endemic subspecies of Rufous-naped Wren on multiple occasions, with the best coming upon our arrival at Laguna Miradores.
SPOT-BREASTED WREN (Pheugopedius maculipectus) [*]
Heard only out in the distance at Chavarrillo.
WHITE-BELLIED WREN (Uropsila leucogastra) [*]
Heard only at Xocotitla.
GRAY-BREASTED WOOD-WREN (CENTRAL AMERICAN) (Henicorhina leucophrys mexicana) [*]
We heard several of these singing their loud strident meandering songs at Las Minas, though we never did see one out in the open.
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
BLUE MOCKINGBIRD (Melanotis caerulescens)
A real treat was seeing one of these oft-secretive birds out in the open sunning itself in the morning rays at Macuiltepetl.
GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis)
Las Barrancas.
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
The grasslands at Xocotitla, and then again at Las Barrancas.
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis)
A small backlit flock at Laguna Miradores.
WESTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia mexicana)
Los Humeros.
BROWN-BACKED SOLITAIRE (Myadestes occidentalis) [E*]
We only heard this ethereal and amazing tinkling song along Las Minas, but the birds stayed hidden out of sight.
CLAY-COLORED THRUSH (Turdus grayi)
Macuil for all, and Miramar for the second group up the mountain.
AMERICAN ROBIN (Turdus migratorius)
Quite a few in the forest at Cofre de Perote.
Ptiliogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers)
GRAY SILKY-FLYCATCHER (Ptiliogonys cinereus)
A few of these at Las Minas and then a big flock that flushed out of the trees at Cofre de Perote as we were leaving the sparrows.
Peucedramidae (Olive Warbler)
OLIVE WARBLER (Peucedramus taeniatus)
In the mixed flock of warblers among the pines at Las Minas.
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
We only saw these on day three, so they just barely made it onto the list, unlike another widely introduced species- European Starling, which we succeeded in missing!
Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
YELLOW-THROATED EUPHONIA (Euphonia hirundinacea)
In a couple of places on day two of the tour, with the best views coming at Chavarrillo.
HOUSE FINCH (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Los Humeros and Cofre de Perote.
LESSER GOLDFINCH (Spinus psaltria)
One was perched on some rebar sticking out of a concrete structure as we descended from Las Minas, and then we also saw them at Laguna Miradores and Juan Angel.
Passerellidae (New World Sparrows)
COMMON CHLOROSPINGUS (NORTHEAST MEXICO) (Chlorospingus flavopectus ophthalmicus)
Nice views of several individuals along the road at Las Minas.
BOTTERI'S SPARROW (Peucaea botterii)
A couple of these were at Laguna Miradores, and one perched out in the open in the lower boughs of a tree for a very long time.
LARK SPARROW (Chondestes grammacus)
Along the road at the Xocotitla grasslands.
YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (MEXICAN) (Junco phaeonotus phaeonotus)
A few of these in the highest areas of Cofre de Perote.
STRIPED SPARROW (Oriturus superciliosus superciliosus) [E]
This charismatic large sparrow is a Mexican highland endemic, and we had a great experience with a troop of a half dozen chattering and "singing" individuals as the fog rolled in up at Cofre de Perote.
RUSTY SPARROW (Aimophila rufescens)
One was loudly singing at Macuil and with patience George even got a photo of it.
RUFOUS-CAPPED BRUSHFINCH (Atlapetes pileatus pileatus) [E]
This endemic was seen nicely at Las Minas.
Icteriidae (Yellow-breasted Chat)
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens)
These raucous but shy birds were heard in many places, but only seen well at Xocotitla.
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK (Sturnella magna)
Excellent looks at several of the dozens along the road at Las Barrancas.
MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius montezuma)
Good looks at a few birds flying hither and yon at Chavarrillo.
ORCHARD ORIOLE (ORCHARD) (Icterus spurius spurius)
Several at Las Barrancas.
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (Icterus bullockii bullockii)
Brief views of one at Macuil.
ALTAMIRA ORIOLE (Icterus gularis)
Several of these, including at Chavarrillo and Miramar.
AUDUBON'S ORIOLE (Icterus graduacauda)
Two males singing their hearts out at the Miramar gates for the second group to go up the mountain.
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Icterus galbula)
Common migrant throughout. Not huge numbers, but very widespread.
BRONZED COWBIRD (Molothrus aeneus)
A couple of observations of groups at Chichi, and a flyby of 15 at Laguna Miradores.
MELODIOUS BLACKBIRD (Dives dives)
A few sites along the route, including Macuil, Cansaburro, Xocotitla, and the La Antigua river mouth.
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
Quite common and widespread, and seen on every day of the tour.
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapilla)
Nice views at Xocotitla.
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis) [*]
We heard a couple of these along the boat ride at La Antigua and again at Las Barrancas.
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia)
This widespread migrant was seen at five sites.
CRESCENT-CHESTED WARBLER (Oreothlypis superciliosa)
Great views of a couple at Las Minas.
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Leiothlypis celata)
Los Humeros.
NASHVILLE WARBLER (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)
A few encounters here and there.
GRAY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis poliocephala)
A singing male gave stellar views at Laguna Miradores.
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (Geothlypis tolmiei)
A couple giving views at Macuiltepetl.
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas)
Cansaburro and Las Barrancas.
HOODED YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis nelsoni nelsoni) [E]
A male of this secretive endemic gave us the runaround at Las Minas, but we did eventually all get some kind of views. There was also a female seen by some folks along the stream nearby, before we encountered the male.
HOODED WARBLER (Setophaga citrina)
A strikingly beautiful male on our first morning on the hotel grounds in Veracruz, and heard only at a couple of other sites over the next week.
AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla)
Low density migrants at a few places in both the highlands and the lowlands.
NORTHERN PARULA (Setophaga americana)
Several migrants at Miramar, and birds at Xocotitla, Juan Angel, Las Barrancas, and a very close one at the restaurant at Tlacotalpan.
YELLOW WARBLER (Setophaga petechia)
Many of them at sites along the coastal plain.
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Setophaga dominica)
Excellent low views at Laguna Miradores and La Antigua, and then a very good number at Juan Angel.
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Setophaga townsendi)
Nice views at various high elevation sites: Macuil, Cofre de Perote, Las Minas.
HERMIT WARBLER (Setophaga occidentalis)
A few of these up in the pines along the road at Las Minas.
GOLDEN-BROWED WARBLER (Basileuterus belli)
One of the most stunning wood-warblers there is, we had excellent views of this awesome bird at Las Minas.
GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (STRIPE-CROWNED) (Basileuterus culicivorus brasierii)
We had one calling loudly at Macuil, and eventually some folks got eyeballs on it.
CANADA WARBLER (Cardellina canadensis)
A couple of these low-density migrants at Macuil.
WILSON'S WARBLER (Cardellina pusilla)
Especially common around the highlands.
RED WARBLER (Cardellina rubra) [E]
Excellent views at Las Minas and then again at Cofre de Perote. Whew, what a bird!!!
SLATE-THROATED REDSTART (Myioborus miniatus)
A couple of these snappy looking whitestarts at various spots along Las Minas.
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
We heard the familiar tucky-tuck calls in several spots, and then we got great views of a male from the boat at La Antigua.
NORTHERN CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Xocotitla, Las Barrancas.
BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea)
Best views were in the morning at Las Barrancas.
INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea)
One flew over at Miramar.
VARIED BUNTING (Passerina versicolor)
Lois spotted one of these males at the grasslands at Laguna Miradores!
PAINTED BUNTING (Passerina ciris)
Some folks had a nice green female/immature bird at Juan Angel.
DICKCISSEL (Spiza americana)
An omnipresent species, but not visually! These migrants are common flyovers at this season, but usually fairly high, so we didn't get any good perched views until Las Barrancas on our final morning.
Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
BLUE-GRAY TANAGER (Thraupis episcopus)
Good views in Veracruz City and around the docks at La Antigua.
YELLOW-WINGED TANAGER (Thraupis abbas)
Best views were in Veracruz City, at La Antigua, and at Chichi.
CINNAMON-BELLIED FLOWERPIERCER (Diglossa baritula baritula)
A female was around the bushes at our second stop at Las Minas.
BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina)
Laguna Miradores, Xocotitla grasslands, Las Barrancas.
MORELET'S SEEDEATER (Sporophila morelleti)
Best views at Laguna Miradores, but also a few other open habitats we birded, including Las Barrancas.
YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris olivaceus)
Excellent views at Laguna Miradores and the grasslands near Xocotitla.
BLACK-HEADED SALTATOR (Saltator atriceps)
Macuil and Chavarrillo.
MAMMALS
MEXICAN GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus aureogaster)
The red-bellied squirrels all along the tour route.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Butterflies:
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Anna’s Eighty-eight (Diaethria anna anna)
Navy Eighty-eight (Diaethria astala astala)
Four-spotted Sailor (Dynamine postverta)
Mexican Sailor (Dynamine postverta mexicana)
Blue-eyed Sailor (Dynamine dyonis)
Elf Butterfly (Postverta elva)
Pearly Leafwing (Consul electra electra)
Pale-spotted Leafwing (Memphis pithyusa)
Red-striped Leafwing (Siderone galanthis)
Ruddy Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus)
Guatemalan Cracker (Hamadryas guatemalena)
White Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon albata)
Regal Hairstreak (Evenus regalis)
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
Barred Yellow (Eurema daira)
Starred Ruddy (Marpesia petreus)
Silver Emperor (Doxocopa laure)
Common Spurwing (Antigonus erosus)
Starred Oxeo (Oxeoschistus tauropolis tauropolis)
Mexican Longwing (Heliconius hortense)
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia moderata)
Mexican Silverspot (Dione moneta)
Three-tailed Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio pilumnus)
Blue-studded Skipper (Sostrata Nordica)
Narrow-banded Dartwhite(Catastica flisa)
Linnaeus’s Joker (Cyllopoda jatropharia)
Common Banner (Epiphile adrasta adrasta)
Variable Banner (Bolboneura sylphis)
Pale-banded Crescent (Anthanassa tulcis)
Longwing Crescent (Eresia phillyra phillyra)
Rosita Patch (Chlosyne rosita)
Soldier (Danaus eresimus montezuma)
Zilpa Longtail (Chioides zilpa)
Dorantes Longtail (Thorybes dorantes dorantes)
White-crescent Longtail (Codatractus alcaeus alcaeus)
Belus Skipper (Phocides belus)
Sickle-winged Skipper (Eantis tamenund)
Junonia
Burnsius
Spicauda
Carrhenes
Urbanus
Hermeuptychia
Staphylus
Heliopetes
Grais
Adelpha
.
.
.
Dragonflies & Damselflies:
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Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata)
Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii)
Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor)
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata)
Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)
Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini)
Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum)
Filigree Skipper (Pseudoleon superbus)
Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa)
Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala)
Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum)
Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma)
.
.
.
Other creatures of interest:
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Slender Brown Scorpion (Centruroides gracilis) - on the tracks at Chavarrillo
Veracruz Red-rumped Tarantula (Tliltocatl kahlenbergi) - Trail up to the lookout at Miramar
Golden Silk Spider - Macuiltepetl
Sycamore Tussock Moth (caterpillar climbing on Jorge) - Macuiltepetl
White-tipped Black (Melanchroia chephise) - the dark moths flying south en masse at Playa Juan Angel
Phaedropsis solis - An orange moth at Laguna Miradores
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Cerogenes auricoma (the lanternbugs flying around with the fuzzy white stuff trailing behind them at Miramar)
.
.
Totals for the tour: 260 bird taxa and 1 mammal taxa