Amazing Birds of Mexico

 Mexico has over 1,100 bird species that inhabit sandy deserts, rainforests, and mountainous regions.

Black-throated magpie jays have long tails, spiky crests, and brilliant blue, black, and white plumage. Their popular birding spots are San Blas and the dry forests near Mazatlan. These birds inhabit thorn forests, open woodlands, riparian areas, and even ranchlands, where they have room to forage and explore. Black-throated magpie-jays are almost always noisy, flashing through trees with constant chattering and frequent aerial chases.  Their omnivorous diet includes fruits, seeds, insects, small reptiles, eggs, and even chicks of other birds.

Bumblebee hummingbirds are among the tiniest birds on Earth. They inhabit the high mountain forest in Mexico and can be seen in the central and southern temperate cloud forests thriving in pine-oak woodlands, humid forest edges, and shrubby clearings. Their diet is mostly nectar from small flowers, but they also hunt tiny insects and spiders to fuel their high metabolism.

Crimson-collared grosbeaks can be spotted in the shadows of forests. Male birds are known for their black plumage accented with blood-red hoods and chests. Females have greenish backs and yellowish underparts. They inhabit humid forests in Mexico and can be seen from the Gulf coastal plains to southern Tamaulipas into Veracruz and northern Oaxaca. Their diet consists mainly of seeds, berries, soft fruits, and leaves, which they crack open easily using their powerful conical beaks.

Elegant trogons are recognizable by their metallic green backs, vivid red bellies, and crisp white chest bands. These birds fly through the mid-canopy of woodlands, and their distinctive, repetitive croaking and barking calls can be heard. Elegant trogons are found in the Sierra Madre Occidental. These birds favor riparian corridors and canyons that are lined with sycamores, oaks, and cottonwoods. They primarily eat insects and fruits, including a variety of insects such as beetles, caterpillars, cicadas, and grasshoppers. They also consume small lizards and favor berries and small fruits like chokecherry and wild grape, especially during late summer and fall.

Mexican jays are striking birds that inhabit the pine-oak and oak-conifer forests of Mexico. They are known for their soft sky-blue upper parts and pale gray underparts. These jays are highly social, living in cohesive family groups that are rarely seen alone. Their lively calls and constant movement bring energy and sound to the cool, forested mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental and other highland regions. Their diet changes with the seasons—acorns and pine nuts are vital in winter (often cached for later use), while in summer, they consume insects, spiders, small reptiles, and even eggs or nestlings.

Orange-breasted buntings are artistic creations The birds have plumage of neon turquoise, lime green, and fiery orange. (pictured above) They love to perch among the trees in coastal habitats along the Pacific Lowlands. They can be seen near Puerto Vallarta and along the coastal trail near Huatulco. They are commonly found in pairs or small groups, foraging in dense, bushy vegetation near the ground.

Pink-headed warblers look like puffs of cotton candy as they fly through misty woods with their rose-pink heads and chests and silvery-gray wings and backs. These are small songbirds. They inhabit the highlands of southern Mexico, especially in Chiapas, and extend into western Guatemala. Pink-headed Warblers forage low in the vegetation, hopping methodically through thickets as they search for insects and spiders. They delight with their soft, whistled songs.

Resplendent quetzals are among the most beautiful birds on Earth. The male birds are known for their iridescent emerald-green plumage and scarlet breasts. Their distinctive feature is a pair of elongated upper tail coverts that can extend up to three feet trailing behind them. They inhabit misty cloud forests in northern Mexico, the highlands of Chiapas in southern Mexico, and the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve. Essential to their diet is fruit from trees, particularly the tree of the laurel family. Resplendent quetzals are sacred to the Maya and Aztec cultures, their feathers symbolizing power and freedom.