Section 1 - Introduction, logistics, itinerary and general information.
Section 2 - Birding sites (Nuevo León to Veracruz).
Section 3 - Birding sites (Oaxaca to Coahuila).
Section 4 - Annotated checklist.
Section 5 - Other references and bibliography.

Annotated Checklist

The following systematic list includes (1) all species recorded during our trip, (2) all Red Data Book (cited as 'RDB') and Birds to Watch 2 (cited as 'BW2') threatened land birds that breed in Mexico, and (3) all endemics and near-endemics and other species that we think a world birder might want to see on a trip to Mexico, other than species restricted to offshore islands (Cozumel specialities are included.) Most of the distributional information for Oaxaca was extracted from Binford (1989), the only comprehensive and up-to-date work on the birds of a Mexican state. RLC = Rancho Los Colorados.

Great Tinamou Tinamus major
Oaxaca: uncommon in Atlantic region in heavy tropical evergreen forest.

Little Tinamou Crypturellus soui
Oaxaca: fairly common in the Atlantic region at lower elevations. Trip: Several heard from forest along the San Rafael road (8/4).

Thicket Tinamou Crypturellus cinnamomeus
Common in thorn forest along Rt. 125 en-route to Córdoba. Oaxaca: Uncommon in openings within semi-arid tropical deciduous forest in Atlantic lowlands. (On Pacific slope, common in Sierra Madre de Chiapas). Howell and Webb (1994c) found this species to be fairly common between San Vicente de Benitez and Paraiso, Guerrero. Trip: At least 10 heard at dusk near Puente Nacional (7/4).

Slaty-breasted Tinamou Crypturellus boucardi
Oaxaca: Common in the Atlantic region in tropical deciduous forest from sea level to 1,600 m. On Pacific slope, common in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas. Common at Felipe Carillo Puerto, Quintana Roo.

Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula
The Gulf slope form. Trip: RLC; 3 (5/4). Cola de Caballo: 2 (16/4).

Rufous-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis wagleri
Western Mexico south to northern Jalisco.

West Mexican Chachalaca Ortalis poliocephala
Western Mexico from Jalisco south to Oaxaca. Wilson and Ceballos (1993): fairly common resident in Cañón de Lobos, east of Cuernavaca.

White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra
Pacific slope of Chiapas.

Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens
Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4) seen in trees along the main track in late afternoon.

Highland Guan Penelopina nigra
Eastern Oaxaca and Chiapas. Common (in 1981) at easily accessible Fuentes Georgina, Guatemala, south of Quetzaltenango.

Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus
Endemic to the highlands of Eastern Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guatemala. Most easily seen, at least prior to 1990, at Fuentes Georgina, Guatemala.

Great Curassow Crax rubra
Rare and hunted relentlessly. Occurs on RLC.

Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
Trip: RLC; 3 (5/4).

Ocellated Turkey Agriocharis ocellata
Much easier to find in Guatemala than in Mexico. Common and tame at Tikal.

Bearded Wood Partridge Dendrortyx barbatus
Pedro Mota Hernández, a bird trapper and coffee planter in Coatepec, Veracruz, can show this local species to visiting birders on his coffee finca about 5 km northwest of town. To reach Coatepec, proceed first to Xalapa, Veracruz, which may be reached from the east (José Cardel) on Rt. 140. Coatepec is located on a secondary road south of Xalapa. To contact Pedro, one can look for him at his house in “Los Carriles”, a street on the northwest edge of Coatepec, or write to him (in Spanish) to “Sr. Pedro Mota, domicilio conocido, Los Carriles, Coatepec, Veracruz.” The birds are most vocal from December to April, but Pedro found a Wood-Partridge for Héctor Gómez in July, 1994. Héctor suggests that birders pay Pedro a fee of at least U.S.$15 per person per day for his guiding services. This species also occurs in the vicinity of Altogonga and Sierra de Misantla, also in central Veracruz (Gómez and Aguilar (in press)). Tlanchinol, Hidalgo is another recent locale (Howell and Webb (1992)). See Sutton (1972) for an account of the author’s observations of the species in San Luis Potosí in 1951.

Long-tailed Wood Partridge Dendrortyx macroura
Oaxaca: uncommon in all regions in pine-oak forest and adjacent cloud forest, but unrecorded from the Sierra de Yucuyaca. About 914 m; and 1,280-3,048 m. Trip: One seen at 06h15 on April 17 on the road up Cerro San Felipe about 1.5 km west of La Cumbre. The bird was walking on the road with its tail cocked up, the long tail feathers drooped over like those of a rooster or a Lophura pheasant. The bright red-orange legs and prominent crest were distinctive. Another was taped at 18h30 the same day up-slope from the sawmill on Cerro San Felipe. It gave two sequences of about 8 rapidly repeated “Hee (high) - Haw (low)” calls. Also seen by Faanes (1987b) at Pluma Hidalgo. Common on Volcán de Colima (Gee (1995a)).

Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx leucophrys
Occurs from Chiapas south to Costa Rica.

Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata
Trip: Saltillo; 6 (15/4) in short grass adjacent to the water tank.

Elegant Quail Callipepla douglasii
Common in northwest Mexico south to Colima.

Banded Quail Philortyx fasciatus
Trip: About 12 observed in a plowed cornfield adjacent to burned scrub along Rt. 95 libre south of Cuernavaca. See also Easley (1987) stakeout in Morelos south of Cuernavaca. Faanes (1987d) found a covey in a recently burned patch of desert scrub at Km 225 on Rt. 80 south Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Not in Oaxaca.

Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus
Trip: Two in roadside cultivation west of Pinotepa Nacional (13/4).

Yucatán Bobwhite Colinus nigrogularis
Common in the Yucatán. Regularly seen at Chichén Itza.

Spotted Wood-Quail Odontophorus guttatus
Gulf lowlands from Veracruz south.

Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus
Common at Rancho del Cielo, Tamaulipas. Heard by Clements and Principe (1992) near Puerto Los Mazos, which is about 16 km southwest of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, on Rt. 80, the road to the coastal town of Melaque. A trail runs south from km 169, where there is a fire station. Puerto Los Mazos, also known as La Cumbre, is not on the Pemex atlas (See Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976)). Recorded by Howell and Webb (1994c) at Arroyo Grande, below Nueva Delhi, Guerrero, and near San Vicente de Benitez, Guerrero.

Montezuma Quail Cyrtonyx montezumae
Highlands. Oaxaca: fairly common in the interior in the Sierra Aloapaneca, Sierra de Miahuatlán, Sierra de Yucuyacua, and Sierra de Cuartro Venados, occurring in arid and semiarid pine-oak forests (including highland pine) and upland oak scrub. 1,067 - 3,048 metres. Abundant in the Maderas del Carmen, northwest Coahuila (Wauer, 1992).

Ocellated Quail Cyrtonyx ocellatus
BW2: near-threatened. Probably conspecific with C. montezumae, which it replaces east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Trip: RLC; 6 (5/4).

Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata
Trip: A single en-route (4/4), and 4 at RLC (5/4).

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Trip: A total of 20+ on the two occasions along the Cola de Caballo road.

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Trip: A single _ on the small reservoir along the Cola de Caballo road (16/4).

Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; Common with 20+ (4,16/4) daily.

Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani
Oaxaca: Uncommon in Atlantic regions in tropical evergreen forest to a point 9.7 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes chrysogenys
Western Mexico south to central Oaxaca. Oaxaca: common in tropical deciduous forest.

Grey-breasted Woodpecker Melanerpes hypopolius
Oaxaca: Common in arid subtropical scrub of interior. 900 - 2,400 m. Nest record from 24 km southeast of Oaxaca City. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (12,13/4).

Yucatán Woodpecker Melanerpes pygmaeus
Common on Cozumel Island.

Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis
Occurs south to Jalisco in western Mexico.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons
Oaxaca: Common in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest, sea level to 975+ m. Trip: Seen daily in suitable areas.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
Oaxaca: Uncommon in arid subtropical scrub of the interior east of the Oaxaca Valley. Very uncommon in adjacent Pacific region and rare in Atlantic region. 45 - 1,860 m. Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4). Puente Nacional; 2 (7/4). Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4).

Strickland’s Woodpecker Picoides stricklandi
Nominate form, a likely split from arizonae, which occurs in oak forests north to Arizona. High mountains of South-central Mexico only. Rare. The best place to look for it is in tall pines just south of La Cima in the D.F. Trip: La Cima; A single (14/4) was heard to give one call, then it flew into an oak tree in response to tapping. The bird had been feeding in a pine and had a mouthful of pine borer larvae.

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Oaxaca: Fairly common in pine-oak forest, primarily humid, 1,070 - 2,960 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 1 (11/4). Huitzilac; 2 (14/4).

Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus
Oaxaca: Uncommon in tropical evergreen forest in Atlantic region. The only Veniliornis in Mexico. Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4).

Grey-crowned Woodpecker Piculus auricularis
Oaxaca: Uncommon in Sierras de Miahuatlán and Yucuyacua. Breeds primarily in humid pine-oak forest, wandering into adjacent forests. Elevations 730 - 2,620 m. Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 2 (12/4) in coffee shade forest.

Golden-olive Woodpecker Piculus rubiginosus
Oaxaca: fairly common in Atlantic region, ranging northwest to vicinity of Valle Nacional, in semi-open portions of tropical evergreen forest and tropical semi-deciduous forest. 60 m - 1,500 m. Howell and Webb (1995) have split off the northeastern form as Bronze-winged Woodpecker, P. aeruginosus.

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Oaxaca: Fairly common in humid and arid pine-oak forests of interior and at high elevations in Pacific region. Cerro San Felipe; 2 heard (10/4). La Cima; 2 (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4).

Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus
Oaxaca: Common in Pacific and Atlantic regions to 1,415 m. Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4).

Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic and Pacific regions in forest to 1,250 m. Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 1 (12/4).

Imperial Woodpecker Campephilus imperialis
RDB: 572-579, BW2: 128-129. Endemic to the highlands of northwest Mexico. Almost certainly extinct. The Red Data Book suggests that the species may have survived until the mid-1970's or perhaps later at a couple of remote sites. If only this information had been available to birders in the early 70's!

Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus
Trip: Amatlán; A single (8/4).

Collared Araçari Pteroglossus torquatus
The only Pteroglossus possible in Mexico (South only.)

Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus
Trip: A single near Valle Nacional (8/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 3 (11/4) heard.

White-necked Puffbird Notharchus macrorhynchos
Occurs as far north as west-central Veracruz.

White-whiskered Puffbird Malacoptila panamensis
Occurs as far north as Tabasco and Chiapas.

Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Occurs as far north as eastern Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Eared Quetzal Euptilotis neoxenus
RDB: 540-545, BW2: 122. Restricted to northwest Mexico, with a few birds in Arizona and New Mexico. Most common in the highlands of Chihuahua, Durango and Sinaloa. May still be found at Barranca del Cobre, Chihuahua and Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa.

Citreoline Trogon Trogon citreolus
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 2 (13/4) in arid scrub along the road.

Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus
Highlands from Tamaulipas south. Common at Tlanchinol. Oaxaca: Common in humid pine-oak forest and uncommon in arid pine-oak forest. 1,070 - 2,960 m. Trip: Tlanchinol; 20+ (6/4). Cerro San Felipe; 4+ (10,11/4). El Porvenir; 2 heard (11/4). Huitzilac; 1 heard (14/4).

Elegant Trogon Trogon elegans
Trip: Cola de Caballo; single (4/4) and (16/4).

Collared Trogon Trogon collaris
Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4).

Tody Motmot Hylomanes momotula
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest northwest at least to a point 1.6 km southwest of Valle Nacional. Also seen by Binford 9.7 road kilometres southwest of Valle Nacional. Occurs at El Triunfo and Palenque, Chiapas.

Blue-throated Motmot Aspatha gularis
Occurs in the highlands of eastern Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Keel-billed Motmot Electron carinatum
RDB: 546-553, BW2: near-threatened. There are old records from Veracruz, Oaxaca and Tabasco. If the species still occurs in Mexico, it should not be difficult to locate by voice.

Russet-crowned Motmot Momotus mexicanus
Pacific slope of Oaxaca. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (13/4).

Blue-crowned Motmot Momotus momota
Atlantic slope. Trip: Amatlán; 2 (8/4). San Rafael; 2 (8/4). Two others near Valle Nacional (8/4).

Ringed Kingfisher Ceryle torquata
Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4).

Amazon Kingfisher Chloroceryle amazona
Trip: One en-route (5/4).

Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
Trip: One en-route (8/4).

Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana
Trip: Amatlán; 1 (7/4), and another en-route, same date.

Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris
Trip: Up to 6 near Pinotepa Nacional (12,13/4).

Striped Cuckoo Tapera naevia
Trip: One en-route near Cuernavaca (13/4).

Pheasant Cuckoo Dromococcyx phasianellus
Reported by Howell and Webb between Paraiso and San Vicente de Benitez, Guerrero.

Lesser Ground-Cuckoo Morococcyx erythropygus
Oaxaca: common in Pacific region in tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub, sea level to 975+ m. Trip: One observed in flight in dry scrub near Oaxaca/Guerrero border (13/4).

Lesser Roadrunner Geococcyx velox
Oaxaca: uncommon in pine-oak forests of upper Pacific and interior regions. Also in arid tropical and sub-tropical scrub of interior. 914 - 2,743 m. Can be found at Mt. Alban (Gee (1995b)). Occurs with Greater Roadrunner near Alamos, Sonora (see comments under Five-striped Sparrow for directions) (Delaney (1987b)).

Military Macaw Ara militaris
BW2: 105-106. Clements and Principe (1992) found it at Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa (between km 200 and 201 on Rt. 40), and on the road to a quarry near El Tuito, Jalisco, reached as follows: on Rt. 200 south of Puerto Vallarta and just north of El Tuito, at km 174.5, turn (direction not specified) onto a dirt road to an abandoned quarry. Macaws were heard 1.6 km from Rt. 200. Faanes (1987d) had a flock of 16 fly over between kms 176 and 177 on the same road and heard others to the east from a pullout north of km 176. Other reliable spots are in the mountains east and west of El Naranjo, SLP and Rancho del Cielo, Tamaulipas.

Scarlet Macaw Ara macao
Fifty plus were reported along the Usumacinta in Chiapas in March, 1992. Euphonia 1:25.

Green Parakeet Aratinga holochlora
Northeastern Mexico. In Oaxaca, found only near the Chiapas border - possibly a different species. Trip: RLC; 20 around the bungalow (5/4).

Olive-throated Parakeet Aratinga nana
Oaxaca: common in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest.

Orange-fronted Parakeet Aratinga canicularis
Oaxaca: very common along entire length of Pacific region. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 4 west of town (13/4).

Thick-billed Parrot Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncla
RDB: 314-322, BW2: 107. Still occurs in remote areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental, breeding in Chihuahua and Durango, but numbers much reduced due to intensive logging and removal of snags to supply large pulp mills (Lanning and Shiflett (1981)). Since it is highly nomadic, it occasionally has been seen at accessible highland locales from Chihuahua to Jalisco. A couple seen in May, 1994, between Guadalupe y Calvo and Baborigame, southwestern Chihuahua by Dirk Lanning, but he does not recommend that birders visit this drug-producing area due to violence (See Shoumatoff (1995)).

Maroon-fronted Parrot Rhynchopsitta terrisi
RDB: 323-327, BW2: 107. Much easier to find than pachyrhyncla, and not as critically threatened due to its use of cavities in cliffs, rather than in large trees, for nesting. Trip: About 30 observed, some at close range, next to cliffs where they breed beyond Cola de Caballo, south of Monterrey (4/4). Watching these large and handsome parrots fly about and feed at close focus is one of the world’s greatest birding experiences.

Blue-rumped Parrotlet Forpus cyanopygius
Endemic to northwest Mexico; in 1970, locally common near San Blas, Nayarit. Common along the road to Ahuacapán, Jalisco, which intersects with Rt. 80 about 6 km south of Autlán de Navarro.

Brown-hooded Parrot Pionopsitta haematotis
Oaxaca: northwest to a point 6 miles southwest of Valle Nacional.

White-crowned Parrot Pionus senilis
Oaxaca: fairly common 1 mile southwest of Valle Nacional at 100 m in tropical evergreen forest. Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4). Amatlán; 1 (7/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 1 (12/4).

White-fronted Parrot Amazona albifrons
Oaxaca: common in tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub in the Pacific region. Perhaps the most common parrot at Tikal, Guatemala.

Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis
RDB: 423-428, BW2: 109. Northeast only. Trip: RLC; About 10 birds, some observed at nest at (5/4).

Lilac-crowned Parrot Amazona finschi
BW2: near-threatened. Endemic to northwest Mexico from Oaxaca north. Oaxaca: very uncommon in humid and semi-arid pine-oak forests of Pacific region, 884 m - 1,493 m. Still widespread in the foothills from southern Sonora to Colima, moving downslope in the winter. Gee (1995b) reported observing about 120 birds flying to roost in late afternoon in January in thorn forest east of Pinotepa Nacional, between km posts 26 and 35.

Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis
Atlantic slope. Oaxaca: Common in tropical evergreen forest. Trip: Rancho los Colorados; 8 (5/4).

Yellow-headed Parrot Amazona oratrix
RDB: 394-401, BW2: 110. Rare and local in Atlantic and Pacific coastal lowlands. “The most popular and sought-after amazon in trade.” (BW2). Trip: About six birds, some at nest, observed on RLC (5/4). At least two pairs seen in thorn forest west of Pinotepa Nacional (13/4) at Km 233, and 7 unidentified Amazona observed in flight over thorn forest east of Pinotepa Nacional (12/4).

Chestnut-collared Swift Cypseloides rutilus
Uncommon at Tlanchinol. Oaxaca: fairly common over coastal slopes, including Sierra de Miahuatlán.

Black Swift Cypseloides niger
Common at Tlanchinol, Hidalgo (though we didn’t see them there). Oaxaca: rare in highlands of Pacific and interior regions. Recorded over pine-oak forests at La Cima and Cerro San Felipe, and over arid subtropical scrub at points 4 road miles east of Santiago Matatlán and 2 and 4 miles south of San Bartolo Coyotepec, near Oaxaca City. Trip: At least 50 en-route toward Puerto Ángel (11/4), and Pluma Hidalgo (12/4).

White-chinned Swift Cypseloides cryptus
Regularly seen in the Sierra de Atoyac, Guerrero. See Howell (1992a). Should be looked for in the Sierra de Yucuyacua, Oaxaca. There is a specimen from the Univ. de Guadalajara’s Estación Científica Las Joyas in the Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco (Navarro, et. al. (1993)).

White-naped Swift Streptoprocne semicollaris
Endemic to western Mexico, where it “is characteristic of arid interior regions” (Howell and Webb (1994c). See Wilson and Ceballos (1993) and Alden (1969) for sites, and Howell (1993d) for advice on how to distinguish it from White-collared Swift, S. zonaris.

Great Swallow-tailed Swift Panyptila sanctihieronymi
Local in southern highlands. Regular in the El Sumidero region north of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas on the road to Mirador. Oaxaca: rare breeder in and near Sierra de Miahuatlán and Sierra de Yucuyacua. Most regular over tropical semi-deciduous and cloud forests, but also found over nearby arid habitats of interior. 640 - 1,800 m.. Sight records: 2 miles south of La Soledad on Puerto Ángel road, and on Puerto Escondido road, km 136, 23 road miles north of San Gabriel Mixtepec, and 16 road miles north of San Gabriel Mixtepec. Seen by Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) over the southwest slope of Radio Tower Ridge at Puerto Los Mazos, Jalisco, and by Howell and Webb (1994c) over the town of Zumpango del Río, Guerrero, on 22 March 1990.

Vaux’s Swift Chaetura vauxi
Tlanchinol: fairly common. Oaxaca: fairly common permanent resident over all terrestrial habitats. Trip: Tlanchinol; 30+ (6/4).

White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis
Oaxaca: uncommon in the interior over arid subtropical scrub and arid pine-oak forest. Elevations: 1,585 m - 2,400 m. Trip: Cola de Caballo; 3 (5/4) feeding around the cliff-faces. Also observed over pine and juniper scrub along the road west of Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas.

Long-tailed Hermit Phaethornis superciliosus
Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 1 (12/4). This West Mexican form may be splittable as Mexican Hermit P. mexicanus.

Curve-winged Sabrewing Campylopterus curvipennis
Atlantic slope. Oaxaca: Fairly common 580 - 1,400 m.

Long-tailed Sabrewing Pampa excellens
BW2: near-threatened. Endemic to southeastern Veracruz. Quite likely conspecific with C. curivipennis.

Rufous Sabrewing Pampa rufa
Highlands of eastern Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Violet Sabrewing Campylopterus hemileucurus
Oaxaca: vicinity of Valle Nacional. Amatlán; 1 (8/4).

Mexican Violetear Colibri thalassinus
Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4) thought to be this species.

Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii
Oaxaca: fairly common in Atlantic lowlands in openings with large isolated trees within general range of tropical evergreen forest.

Emerald-chinned Hummingbird Abeillia abeillei
Oaxaca: fairly common in the Pacific region east of the Ithmus.

Short-crested Coquette Lophornis brachylopha
RDB: 479-480, BW2: 119. Sierra de Atoyac, Guerrero. See Howell (1992a) for detailed directions. (Take the road that runs inland from Atoyac, which is 80 km west of Acapulco.)

Black-crested Coquette Lophornis helenae
Oaxaca: rare in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest. Seen by Binford at 580 m., 9.7 road kilometres southwest of Valle Nacional in 1961.

Golden-crowned Emerald Cynanthus auriceps
Howell (1993a) has split the Fork-tailed Emerald, C. canivetii, into four purported species. This is the form endemic to western Mexico.

Canivet’s Emerald Chlorostilbon canivetii
The Gulf slope form of Fork-tailed Emerald.

Dusky Hummingbird Phaeoptila sordida
Fairly common in arid scrub in highlands from Hidalgo south. Oaxaca: fairly common in arid subtropical scrub throughout the interior. 915 - 2,225 m.. Trip: Monte Alban; 1 (9/4). Two in arid scrub by the “black tank” just outside Oaxaca on the Rt. 175.

Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris
Throughout. Oaxaca: Common in arid tropical scrub in Pacific lowlands, to 275 m. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (12,13/4), and one en-route (15/4).

Mexican Woodnymph Eupherusa ridgwayi
RDB: 482-483, BW2: 119. Restricted to Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima, where it may be locally common. At Puerto Los Mazos, Jalisco, Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) found it “at flowering trees in the high clearings and the tropical forest ravine, and it was quite common (along with Amethyst-throated) in the understory of the high forest.” John Gee recommends looking at the top of the ridge just beyond the microwave towers.

Xantus’s Hummingbird Hylocharis xantusii
Baja California endemic. Look for it along well-vegetated, broad, dry river beds (K. Overman, pers. comm.)

White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis
Highlands. Oaxaca: very common in all regions in humid and semi-arid pine-oak forests. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 4+ (10/4). El Porvenir; 2 (11/4). Huitzilac; 3 (14/4).

Blue-throated Sapphire Chlorestes eliciae
Lowlands and foothills of southern Veracruz, Chiapas (both slopes) and possibly the Yucatán (record from Belize).

White-bellied Emerald Chlorestes candida
Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Oaxaca: common in Atlantic lowlands in tropical evergreen forest.

Azure-crowned Hummingbird Saucerottia cyanocephala
Oaxaca: Uncommon in Atlantic region in humid, low-elevation oak and pine-oak forests, especially those adjacent to tropical evergreen and tropical semi-deciduous forests. 200 - 1,415 m.

Berylline Hummingbird Saucerottia beryllina
Oaxaca: Common in all regions. Breeds in late summer in pine-oak forests, and spends non-breeding season down to 730 m. in adjacent habitats. Trip: 1 en-route (13/4).

Blue-tailed Hummingbird Saucerottia cyanura
In Mexico, only occurs in Chiapas. Can be found at Km 197 south of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila
Oaxaca: common in Pacific region in arid tropical scrub, tropical deciduous forest and lower edge of tropical semi-deciduous forest, to 915+ m. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (12, 13/4).

Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis
Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4). A single en-route (7/4).

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl
Oaxaca: very common in Atlantic lowlands.

Green-fronted Hummingbird Amazilia viridifrons
Endemic to Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas. Oaxaca: fairly common in Pacific and adjacent interior regions in tropical semi-deciduous forest, tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub. Some locales: 11 miles north of San Pedro Pochutla on Puerto Ángel Road; near San Pedro Juchatengo (Km marker 136 on Puerto Escondido Road), and Cycad Camp, about 9.8 road miles south-southeast of San Gabriel Mixtepec on the Puerto Escondido Road. To 1,220 m (See Howell (1993b)).

Violet-crowned Hummingbird Ramosomyia violiceps
Oaxaca: uncommon in arid subtropical scrub in extreme northwestern portion of interior, where it has been recorded only from July to October. In recent years, frequently found at feeders in Arizona, in particular, the Pattons’ feeder in Patagonia.

White-tailed Hummingbird Eupherusa poliocerca
RDB: 499-502, BW2: 120. Endemic to Guerrero and extreme western Oaxaca. Recorded only from 4 to about 11.5 road miles north of Putla de Guerrero. 915 - 1,460 m. The entire area north of Putla de Guerrero has been deforested apart from a forest remnant 8 road miles north of Putla de Guerrero, where a bird was seen by SNGH in 1987. Can be seen on the road above Atoyac, Guerrero (See Howell (1992a)).

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird Eupherusa eximia
Veracruz. Oaxaca: uncommon in Atlantic region in upper reaches of tropical evergreen forest and lower reaches of cloud forest, 790 m - 1,250+ m.

Blue-capped Hummingbird Eupherusa cyanophrys
RDB: 496-498, BW2: 120. Oaxaca endemic. Recorded at numerous localities along Puerto Ángel Road and Puerto Escondido Road between 1,280 - 2,620 metres. Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 4 (12/4) in coffee shade-forest.

Blue-throated Hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae
Oaxaca: Uncommon in humid pine-oak forests of Sierra Aloapaneca and Sierras de Yucuyacua and Miahuatlán. Recorded at Río Molino and La Cumbre near Cerro San Felipe. Wanders into arid subtropical scrub of interior during non-breeding season (May specimen). Found by John Gee at the Ocellated Thrasher locale on Pico de Orizaba, Puebla.

Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Lampornis amethystinus
Highlands from San Luis Potosí south. Tlanchinol: fairly common (though not seen by us). Oaxaca: common in cloud forest and humid pine-oak forest in all regions. 1,250 - 2,900 m. Trip: A single at Huitzilac (14/4).

Green-throated Mountain-Gem Lampornis viridipallens
Occurs in the highlands of extreme eastern Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Garnet-throated Hummingbird Lamprolaima rhami
Highlands from D.F. south. Oaxaca: uncommon in all regions in cloud forest and humid pine-oak forest. 1,250 - 2,750 m. Faanes had it “in a flower patch at 10,500' on Cerro San Felipe.” (Faanes (1987b)).

Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens
Tlanchinol: Fairly common. Oaxaca: Fairly common in humid pine-oak forest and uncommon in cloud forest and arid pine-oak forest, occasionally wandering into adjacent arid subtropical scrub and juniper scrub. 1,250 - 2,900 m. Trip: Tlanchinol; 5 (6/5). El Porvenir; 3 (11/4).

Purple-crowned Fairy Heliothrix barroti
Common at Palenque, Chiapas.

Plain-capped Starthroat Heliomaster constantii
Oaxaca: fairly common in tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub along entire length of Pacific region, inland to km marker 136 on Puerto Escondido Road. 15 - 1,070 metres. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 2 (12/4).

Long-billed Starthroat Heliomaster longirostris
Oaxaca: uncommon in tropical evergreen forest, tropical semi-deciduous forest, and lower reaches of cloud forest. On Atlantic slope, recorded to 1 mile southwest of Valle Nacional, and on Pacific slope, recorded in Sierra de Miahuatlán, 75 - 1,830 m.

Slender Sheartail Doricha enicura
Highlands of Chiapas.

Mexican Sheartail Doricha eliza
Puente Nacional (Howell and Webb (1990)) stakeout. Howell found 9-10 Mexican Sheartails in the two fields between the east edge of the thorn forest and the village of Colonia Francisco Barrios in April/May 1990, including one male displaying to two females. Trip: found 1_ and 1_ in the same fields (7/4).

Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird Tilmatura dupontii
Highlands from D.F. southward. Oaxaca: Very uncommon in Sierra de Miahuatlán and Sierra de Yucuyacua in humid pine-oak forest and at least some adjacent arid pine-oak forest. 915 - 2,440 m. Reliable sites are in cloud forest above Nueva Delhi, Guerrero, and in the large barranca at La Calera on Rt. 80 between Barra de Navidad and Autlán, Jalisco (J.P. Gee, pers. comm.), El Sumidero, Chiapas (Edwards (1968) p197).

Lucifer Hummingbird Calothorax lucifer
Highlands throughout. Rare winter resident in arid subtropical scrub in interior of Oaxaca. In summer, often found at feeders in Portal, Arizona.

Beautiful Hummingbird Calothorax pulcher
Perhaps conspecific with C. lucifer. Only known from Guerrero to Chiapas. Oaxaca: Uncommon in interior in arid subtropical scrub, 975 - 2,225 m. Nest record from Oaxaca City. Found by Faanes at the Yagul ruins on Rt. 190 east of Oaxaca City (Faanes (1987b)).

Bumblebee Hummingbird Selasphorus heloisa
Highlands. Uncommon in humid pine-oak and cloud forest. Oaxaca: Most southeasterly point in the range of species is Río Molino. Two seen by Howell at Tlanchinol, Hidalgo, and one by John Gee in scrub about 1 mile south of Tlanchinol. Tours get it at Cerro San Felipe.

Wine-throated Hummingbird Selasphorus ellioti
Replaces A. heloisa in Chiapas.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus
Highlands. Very uncommon winter resident in Oaxaca, in pine-oak forest of interior. Common in spring and summer at feeders in Portal, Arizona.

Flammulated Owl Otus flammeolus
Maroon-fronted Parrot stakeout (Cola de Caballo) south of Monterrey and elsewhere in highlands. Short and Sibley had three on Cerro San Felipe at 3,000 m on 2 April 1948.

Western Screech-Owl Otus kennecottii
Throughout western Mexico. Marshall and King have lumped seductus and cooperi into kennecottii (Sibley and Monroe 1993).

Eastern Screech-Owl Otus asio
Occurs south to southern Tamaulipas and eastern S.L.P.

Whiskered Screech-Owl Otus trichopsis
Maroon-fronted Parrot stakeout south of Monterrey. Oaxaca: fairly common in dense clumps of oaks within humid and arid pine-oak forest in highlands of interior region in Sierra Aloapaneca, Sierra de Yucuyacua and Sierra de Miahuatlán, extending to somewhat lower elevations on Pacific slope of Miahuatlán (Pluma Hidalgo). 1,219 m - 2,895 m. A pair flew in and called in daylight in December, 1994, in response to a prerecorded tape at about 6,400' on the Volcán de Colima (Gee (1995a))

Bridled Screech-Owl Otus barbarus
BW2: near-threatened. Endemic to the highlands of Chiapas and eastern Guatemala. Occurs at the Estación Biológica Huitepec-Pronatura, near San Cristóbal, Chiapas (Sada (1989)). For directions, see Saw-whet Owl.

Variable Screech-Owl Otus atricapillus
Tamaulipas to Veracruz. Oaxaca: uncommon in tropical evergreen forest of Atlantic region, and in tropical semi-deciduous forest and adjacent tall-tree tropical deciduous forest of the Pacific region from a point 7 miles north of Putla de Guerrero to a point 13 miles north of Puerto Ángel. Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa is a well-known site. Marshall and King have lumped most populations of vermiculatus with atricapillus of eastern South America (Sibley and Monroe 1993). However, from personal experience, the song at Tikal, Guatemala is distinctly lower (and much more difficult to whistle) than the song at Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil (JWW pers. obs.).

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Maroon-fronted Parrot stakeout. Heard by Binford 6 road miles south of San Miguel Suchixtepec on Puerto Ángel road.

Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Maroon-fronted Parrot stakeout.

Barred Owl Strix varia
Oaxaca: rare in high elevation humid pine-oak forest of interior. Collected between 3,050 - 3,140 m. on Cerro San Felipe (old record).

Fulvous Owl Strix fulvescens
Replaces varia from Chiapas south. Can be seen near the restaurant at Fuentes Georgina, Guatemala.

Mottled Owl Strix virgata
Trip: Pair in canopy of tall trees at White-throated Jay locale (12/4).

Black-and-White Owl Strix nigrolineata
Occurs as far north as southeastern S.L.P.

Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata
Occurs as far north as Veracruz.

Spectacled Owl Pulsatrix perspicillata
Occurs as far north as Veracruz.

Mountain Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma
A recent split from Northern Pygmy-Owl, Glaucidium califoricum, ranging from south-east Arizona through to Guatemala (Sibley and Monroe 1990) Found at Maroon-fronted Parrot stakeout. Oaxaca: uncommon in interior and upper Pacific region in humid pine-oak forest, 2,011 m - 2,895 m. A number of specimens collected at Río Molino, a tributary of the Río Copalita which crosses the Puerto Ángel road about 3.5 road miles southwest of San Miguel Suchixtepec in the Sierra de Miahuatlán. Also collected 10 road miles south of San Miguel Suchixtepec, and at 3,048 m on Cerro San Felipe. Trip: One bird observed during the day being mobbed by small birds at 3,000 m on Cerro San Felipe (9/4). The same bird or its mate was whistled out at dusk the following day. Common in the vicinity of the South Fork picnic area near Portal, Arizona.

Cape Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium hoskinsii
The form of Northern Pygmy-Owl found in the mountains of southern Baja California, split to purported full-species status by Howell and Webb (1995).

Colima Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium palmarum
Howell and Robbins (1995) split the Least Pygmy-Owl, Glaucidium minutissimum, into 6 purported species, none of whose ranges overlap. This form occurs along the Pacific slope from Sonora to Oaxaca, ranging form sea level to 1,500 m. Oaxaca: very common in Pacific region in tropical deciduous forest and Pacific swamp forest to 320 m north and northwest of Puerto Escondido. Trip: bird squeaked out in late afternoon in dry second growth about 50 km east of Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca (Red-breasted Chat locale).

Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium sanchezi
The form of Least Pygmy-Owl endemic to southwest Tamaulipas and eastern San Luis Potosí, from 900 m to 2,100 m elevation.

Central American Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium griseiceps
The form of Least Pygmy-Owl found from southeastern Mexico to northwestern South America. Found from sea level to 1,300 m.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
RLC; 1 heard (5/4). Puente Nacional; 2 heard (7/4). San Rafael; 1 (8/4) seen in response to call imitation.

Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
Rare in humid pine-oak forest of interior highlands. Taken at 3,050 m on Cerro San Felipe. Voice in Sonoma County, California on 7 February 1992: Two-part call: 3-5 seconds of 4 notes per second (steady), followed by about 1 note per second, uneven, 2 notes pairs followed by rest of same length as a note (JWW). The Unspotted Saw-whet Owl A. ridgwayi (BW2: near-threatened), which occurs from Chiapas south to Panamá, is now considered to be a subspecies of acadius (Sibley and Monroe 1993). ridgwayi can be found at the Estación Biológica Huitepec-Pronatura, a private nature reserve located 3-5 km from San Cristóbal, Chiapas, on the left side of road to San Juan Chamula. For permission to enter, contact Nancy Wood, telephone (967) 81-065 (San Cristóbal) (Sada (1989)).

Stygian Owl Asio stygius
Apparently uncommon in highlands. Still occurs at Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa. Faanes (1987d) found one at the ecotone between the dry oak forest and the cloud forest about 2 km up the trail to Puerto Los Mazos (Km 169) on the road to Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Another good spot is near the turnoff at 7,800' on Volcán de Colima. (J.P. Gee, pers. comm.)

Common Potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis
Lowlands from eastern San Luis Potosí south. In Oaxaca, only recorded from the far east on both slopes. The boatmen at San Blas, Nayarit who know birds may be able to take you to a daytime roost and should be able to find the bird at dusk.

Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Trip: Puente Nacional; 1 flying over (7/4).

Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis
Trip: Rancho Los Colorado; common (4,5/4). Puente Nacional; 5 (7/4). Monte Alban; 1 (9/4) flushed during the day on the slope below the ruins.

Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Trip: Monte Alban; 2 (9/4) flushed on slope below ruins. Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4).

Eared Poorwill Nyctiphrynus mcleodii
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Rare on Pacific slope of Oaxaca. Binford locales: 1,100 m, 11.3 road kilometres south of La Soledad on the Puerto Ángel road (signposted in 1993); 1,325 m, 25.8 road kilometres north of San Gabriel Mixtepec on the Puerto Escondido road; 1,770 m at La Cima. (La Cima was a collecting station at km 184 on the Puerto Escondido road about 34.3 road kilometres north of San Gabriel Mixtepec.) Faanes (1987d) had one at km 168 on Rt. 80 southwest of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) found several birds at Puerto Los Mazos, primarily on the north side of Rt. 80. Howell and Webb (1994c) report that 4 birds were heard calling shortly after dusk on 14 December 1985, 6-10 km SW of Filo de Caballo, Guerrero.

Yucatán Poorwill Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus
RDB: near-threatened. The voice of this species is confused with that of Tawny-collared Nightjar until both species were seen calling by Pierson near Uxmal in 1986. Yucatán Poorwill was found on 26 March 1986 along the San Simón Road near the ruins at Uxmal, in an area of low, dry, deciduous scrub (Pierson (1986)). Taped by Coffey 6 km north of Uxmal on 25 March 1976. Infrequently appears on bird lists from Tikal, Guatemala.

Tawny-collared Nightjar Caprimulgus salvini
Eastern lowlands. Found near the town of Alta Cima, Tamaulipas, along the road to the right past town (Wauer (1992)). Split into two purported species by Howell & Webb. Their new species is the Yucatán Nightjar Caprimulgus badius. Pierson (1986) had a bird calling along the San Simón Road near Uxmal.

Buff-collared Nightjar Caprimulgus ridgwayi
Puente Nacional (Howell and Webb 1990): Thorn forest on Rt. 125 on the way to Córdoba, 3.5 to 6 km east of the start of Rt. 125 in Conejos. One good point of access is a track into the thorn forest about 350 m before it ends in a field, just before the village of Colonia Francisco Barrios. Howell heard 5-6 Buff-collared Nightjars in April 1990. Oaxaca: uncommon in Pacific region in arid tropical scrub and in open areas within tropical deciduous forest and locally (La Cima) pine-oak forest.

Western Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus arizonae
Oaxaca: fairly common winter resident and uncommon permanent resident in Pacific region and interior region, breeding from 1,400 m - 3,050 m in pine-oak forests (especially humid pine-oak). Trip: Cola de Caballo; 10+ (4/4). Cerro San Felipe; 5+ heard (9,10/4).

Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Trip: Common and widespread in towns.

White-crowned Pigeon Columba leucocephala
Common on Cozumel Island.

Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 4 (4/4), 2 (16/4). Cerro San Felipe; common (8,9/4). La Cima; 6 (14/4).

Red-billed Pigeon Columba flavirostris
Trip: RLC; 20 (5/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 2 heard (12/4).

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Trip: Widespread and common except in the arid south, where none were seen.

Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita
North coast of Yucatán Peninsula and Cozumel Island.

White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 4 (4/4), and three en-route (15/4).

Inca Dove Columbina inca
Trip: Fairly widespread and common.

Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina
Trip: Widespread and common.

Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti
Trip: Fairly widespread and common.

Maroon-chested Ground-Dove Paraclaravis mondetoura
A local, bamboo specialist. Recorded by Steve Howell between kilometre posts 16 and 18 on the road between Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, and El Sumidero (Mirador), where he had at least 8 to 10 individuals in July, 1988. Also found by Howell in February, 1984, in cut-over montane rain forest on the slopes of Volcán Santa Marta, Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, and by P. Bubb in August, 1989, and August, 1990, at Cerro Huitepec, the PRONATURA sanctuary near San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas (Howell (1992b)). Has been seen at Fuentes Georgina, Guatemala.

White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi
Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 2 (12/4). Cola de Caballo; 6 (16/4).

Grey-headed Dove Leptotila plumbeiceps
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in tropical evergreen forest of Atlantic lowlands. Trip: San Rafael road; At least 10 heard, and two seen (8/4).

Caribbean Dove Leptotila jamaicensis
Cozumel Island.

Grey-chested Dove Leptotila cassini
Occurs at Palenque, Chiapas.

White-faced Quail-Dove Geotrygon albifacies
Oaxaca: Common in Sierra de Miahuatlán. Trip: One flushed in cloud forest at Tlanchinol (6/4), and about 10-15 heard and one flushed in coffee plantation along road to Pluma Hidalgo (12/4).

Veracruz Quail-Dove Geotrygon carrikeri
BW2: 92. Endemic to the highlands of southeast Veracruz. Purportedly split from Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, G. lawrencii. (Peterson 1993).

Ruddy Quail-Dove Geotrygon montana
Oaxaca: fairly common in Pacific region in tropical semi-deciduous forest, and uncommon in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest. To 1,500 m. Places where collected include: 18 miles north of San Gabriel Mixtepec on road from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido and km marker 135 on Putla de Guerrero Road.

Ruddy Crake Laterallus ruber
Marshes, wet fields on Gulf slope. Abundant in central Veracruz, less so farther north. Calls during the day and quite easy to find. Dickerman described the call as an explosive downward trill. Another call is a wren-like churring. Dickerman and Phillips collected 5 birds by squeaking from one spot in a tall saw-grass swale 43 miles south of Acayucán, Veracruz.

Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
Bird collected at Tecolutla, Veracruz in 1961.

Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Oaxaca: only one specimen, collected by Dickerman 2.5 km east of Putla de Guerrero in rice field in October.

Uniform Crake Amaurolimnas concolor
Oaxaca: 8 specimens from the vicinity of 30 miles WSW of Tezonapa, Veracruz (not on Pemex atlas), 3 from El Mirador (1960s) and 5 from Rancho Caracol (1948). There also is a specimen from Sontecomapan, Veracruz (not on Pemex atlas). Try playing a canned tape in any relatively intact moist forest, as this species can be common but inconspicuous.

Russet-naped Wood Rail Aramides axillaris
Common in degraded mangroves on Pacific coast from north of Mazatlán, Sinaloa to south of Manzanillo, Jalisco. Try playing a canned tape in any accessible mangroves. Faanes (1987d) had one in mangroves below the bridge just north of the Hotel Oceano Palace in Mazatlán.

Yellow-breasted Crake Laterallus flaviventer
Five or six birds flushed by Dickerman in one day in the marsh 2 miles west of Tecolutla, Veracruz, in August, 1969.

Spotted Rail Pardirallus maculatus
There is a reliable stakeout along the lake adjacent to Cobá National Archeological Park, Cobá, Quintana Roo (See map in Elliot (1986)). In Veracruz, found as far north as Tecolutla. In August, 1969, Dickerman saw 1-5 birds and heard 6-7 others in a marsh 2 miles west of Tecolutla. “The call note sounded like the repeated notes of the American Bittern with the increasing tempo of a Ruffed Grouse, becoming less loud towards the end of the call. The grunts or chuffings are so low in pitch that at times one has the impression he feels them prior to hearing them. The birds appeared to have calling stations. Calling diminished rapidly after sunrise. All calling birds were located away from tall cattail in areas of flooded pasture or sedges, where there were occasional bushes. One specimen was squeaked back into view after running into the edge of a solid stand of cattail.” (Dickerman and Haverschmidt (1971)). Common in the river valley just east of Putla de Guerrero, Oaxaca, at about 730 m, which is along Rt. 125 near the border with Guerrero. Binford: “I am informed by the inhabitants of Putla that during the dry season, the Spotted Rails frequent marshes and small weed-choked ponds in the vicinity of the river and then disperse over the valley to breed during the rainy season, when water is said to cover the valley floor to a depth of two feet. So common is the species that the natives consider it a nuisance in the rice fields.” Found at least as far north as San Blas, Nayarit.

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Trip: A few en-route in wet areas along the east coast (5,7/4).

American Coot Fulica americana
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 3 (16/4).

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Trip: A single en-route near RLC (5/4).

Spotted Sandpiper Tringa macularia
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 1 (13/4), and Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4).

Northern Jacana Jacana spinosa
Trip: A total of 3 en-route (12,13/4)

Double-striped Thick-Knee Hesperoburhinus bistriatus
Often heard at night in March and April by Edwards and Lea (1955) in pastures and cultivated fields and along drainage ditches on the Monserrate plateau in southwestern Chiapas, near the border with Oaxaca.

Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
Trip: A total of 6 en-route (5,12/4).

Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
Trip: Eight along the east coast (5,7/4).

Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Trip: Ten en-route (5/4).

Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Trip: Amatlán; A single flying (8/4).

White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
Trip: A total of seven singles in the northeast (4-5/4).

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
Trip: Puente Nacional; 1 (7/4).

Cooper’s Hawk Astur cooperii
Trip: Cola de Caballo; A single bird, probably this species (4/5).

Bicoloured Hawk Astur bicolor
Rare in Mexico, most frequently found on the Atlantic slope. Has been found at El Nacimiento, near Ciudad Mantes, Tamaulipas (See driving instructions, above).

Crane Hawk Geranospiza caerulescens
A reliable stakeout is at El Nacimiento, Tamaulipas (Faanes (1987a)).

Common Black-Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4)

Great Black-Hawk Buteogallus urubitinga
Trip: RLC; 1 imm. (5/4), and one en-route (8/4).

Solitary Eagle Harpyhaliaetus solitarius
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Frequently misidentified. Howell and Webb are skeptical of recent reports from Oaxaca, Veracruz and the lowlands of Chiapas. Nests were found above Alamos, Sonora in 1947, 1958 and 1959. For details, see Harrison and Kiff (1977)

Grey Hawk Asturina plagiata
Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4), and 2 en-route (7/4).

Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
Trip: A total of 6 recorded from several areas.

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Trip: A few in most localities.

Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Apparently still occurs in the least disturbed areas of eastern Chiapas.

Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle Spizastur melanoleucus
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Three were reported along the Usumacinta in Chiapas in March, 1992. Euphonia 1:25.

Black Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus tyrannus
Uncommon but widespread on both slopes. JWW once called down a soaring bird with tape playback in Panamá. See Webb and Howell (1993).

Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus
Uncommon but widespread on both slopes. See Webb and Howell (1993).

Crested Caracara Polyborus plancus
Trip: A few in several scattered localities.

Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans
Trip: A single at Puente Nacional (7/4).

American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Trip: Widespread. A total of 14 recorded.

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
BW2: near-threatened. There are well-known nesting sites in northern Guatemala and Belize. However, the traditional site on the great pyramid at Tikal has been taken over by Black Vultures, attracted by the abundance of rubbish.

Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus
Observed from shore near the Hotel Anita in Manzanillo in December (Gee (1995a))

Neotropic Cormorant Nannopterum brasilianum
Trip: A few records daily in northern and eastern areas.

Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolor
Trip: Three en-route (4-5/4).

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Trip: A single en-route (16/4).

Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Trip: A total of 8 on three well-separated dates.

Western Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Trip: A total of 11 from scattered localities.

Eastern Cattle Egret Ardea coromandus
Trip: Fairly common and widespread.

Agami Heron Agamia agami
BW2: near-threatened. Widespread in the neotropics but easily missed.

Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius
The boatmen at San Blas, Nayarit who know birds should be able to take you to a daytime roost, or to a feeding area at night. In the 70's the recommended boatmen were (1) Manuel Lomeli and (2) Salvador Galeano (Mowbray (1980)).

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum
Uncommon on both slopes in swamps and along forested streams.

Pinnated Bittern Botaurus pinnatus
Has been observed in marshes near Tecolutla, Veracruz.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Yucatán Peninsula. Take the coastal highway east of Progreso to a sign reading “San Miguel Km 10", which is located about 500 m beyond the Km 5 post. Turn right on a dirt road and continue to a disused airstrip, now a rubbish tip (Rogers (1994)).

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Trip: RLC; 4 (5/4).

Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
Trip: Common throughout.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Trip: Common throughout.

Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
Trip: One seen en-route along the east coast (7/4).

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus
Oaxaca: Uncommon in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest.

Sepia-capped Flycatcher Leptopogon amaurocephalus
Oaxaca: Atlantic slope. Limit of range is 1.5 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum sylvia
Oaxaca: Uncommon in clearings in tropical forest on Atlantic slope, at least to San Juan Bautista, Tuxtepec.

Common Tody-Flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum
Oaxaca: Rare in Atlantic region in brushy openings within general range of tropical evergreen forest.

Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet Ornithion semiflavum
Limit of range is 1.6 km southwest of Valle Nacional, Oaxaca. Very uncommon in patches of oaks in tropical forest.

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe
Oaxaca: In Pacific region, common in tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub, and in the interior in the lower reaches of arid subtropical scrub. Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 2 (11,12/4).

Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic tropical evergreen forest, and up to 1,525 m on Pacific slope in tropical semi-deciduous forest and adjacent Pacific swamp forest and along rivers through arid tropical scrub of interior. Found from s Tamaulipas south.

Caribbean Elaenia Elaenia martinica
Cozumel Island.

Yellow-bellied Elaenia Elaenia flavogaster
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region in semi-open portions and margins of tropical evergreen forest.

Northern Bentbill Oncostoma cinereigulare
Oaxaca: Northern limit of range is 8 km west of Temascal.

Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris
Oaxaca: Atlantic slope - fairly common, breeding at 1,250 - 1,600 m. Also fairly common along Pacific slope, 580 - 1,830 m.

Yellow-olive Flycatcher Tolmomyias sulphurescens
Oaxaca: Common in Atlantic region to a point 1.6 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Stub-tailed Spadebill Platyrinchus cancrominus
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region to a point 1.6 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher Myiobius sulphureipygius
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region to a point 1.6 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Endemic to Chiapas, Guatemala and El Salvador. A reliable site is El Sumidero, 12.1 miles north of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. We thank Alan Greensmith for the following directions: park in the lot at the end of the El Sumidero Road, and walk back along the road for about 1.5 km. Belted Flycatchers were observed on both sides of the road just before a small clearing with an empty shack on the right and a trail downhill on the left. There are barbed wire fence gates to both the clearing and the trail. See Edwards (1968) at 196-198.

Pileated Flycatcher Xenotriccus mexicanus
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Central Mexico only, Michoacán to Oaxaca. In Oaxaca, very uncommon in interior in mesquite within arid subtropical scrub, 915 - 1,830 m. Breeding locale in Binford: 2 miles south of San Bartolo Coyotepec at 5,000 ft, on upper Puerto Escondido Road. Tours get it somewhere near Cuernavaca. Trip: Monte Alban; common in arid scrub around the ruins, with at least 5 seen in one the morning (9/4). It is obviously larger than Empidonax, with a prominent crest, and it wags its tail. Observed feeding on the ground.

Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Oaxaca: Fairly common, both slopes. Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4). Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4). El Porvenir; 1 (11/4). La Cima; 1 (14/4).

Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus borealis
Oaxaca: Uncommon transient. Trip: Amatlán; 1 (8/4). Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4).

Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Oaxaca in humid pine-oak forest of Sierra de Miahuatlán and Sierra de Yucuyacua and in arid pine-oak forest throughout most of interior. 1,375 - 2,600 m.

Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
Oaxaca: Common transient in all regions. Trip: Two Contopus spp. at Cerro San Felipe (10/4).

Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
Oaxaca: Probably rare transient, but could be confused with sordidulus when not calling.

Northern Tropical Pewee Contopus bogotensis
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in Atlantic region to a point 1.5 km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Empidonax flycatcher sp.
Trip: Very frustrating. Many unidentifiable, silent birds seen daily in all habitats.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
Oaxaca: very common transient on both slopes in forest. Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (4/4). Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4).

Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
Oaxaca: Apparently casual transient migrant.

Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Oaxaca: Fairly common transient in Pacific region and uncommon in Atlantic.

White-throated Flycatcher Empidonax albigularis
Highlands from San Luis Potosí south. Oaxaca: very uncommon, breeding in interior in arid subtropical scrub (Oaxaca Valley and Tamazulapan del Progreso). Several nests found in scrub about 1 mile south of Tlanchinol in July, 1994 (J.P. Gee, pers. comm.) John Gee also reports that in the winter, this species can be found anywhere along the Manzanillo airport road by playing the tape where there are large stands of Phragmites (Gee (1995a))

Hammond’s Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii
Trip: Several birds presumed to be this species on account of tail-wagging, seen at Tlanchinol, Cerro San Felipe, and Pinotepa Nacional.

Pine Flycatcher Empidonax affinis
Highlands from sw. Tamaulipas southward. In Oaxaca, rare in the interior in humid pine-oak forests of Sierra de Juárez (Llano de las Flores), Sierra Aloapaneca (Cerro San Felipe, Cinco Señores, and La Parada) and Sierra de Miahuatlán (Río Molino). Apparently breeds in the first two localities, which are the most southerly in the known breeding range. 2,225 - 2,960 m. Recorded in Oaxaca only after 5 May.
Several were found on Pico de Orizaba, Puebla, in 1994 by John Gee. From Córdoba, Veracruz, take the Autopista west toward Mexico City. Exit onto Route 140 North at Acatzingo and proceed about 35 km to the turnoff to Tlachichuca and San Miguel Zoapan. Turn east and continue through Tlachichuca and San Miguel Zoapan to the village of Hidalgo (not on map). It is essential to keep asking directions, since the upper portion of the road is a jumble of tracks, some of which lead nowhere. Pine Flycatchers were observed in spectacular, tall pines at about 3,700 m, at a point where it was impossible to drive any further due to the poor condition of the road. Faanes (1987d) had this species at Hortensia’s barranca (km 206) on the Durango highway, Rt. 40.

Western Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis difficilis (Pacific-slope Flycatcher)
Oaxaca: Rare on Atlantic slope, common on Pacific slope, up to 2,250 m in all habitats. Common at Tlanchinol (where we didn’t identify it).

Buff-breasted Flycatcher Empidonax fulvifrons
Oaxaca: Rare breeding bird in pine-oak forests of Sierra de Miahuatlán, where recorded only at Río Molino. Common and easily observed from late April to August in Saw Mill Canyon, Arizona.

Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya
Trip: Saltillo; A single (15/4) around the water tank.

Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
Widespread and common, but missed.

Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus obscurus
Trip: Puente Nacional; 10 (7/4). Monte Alban; 2 (9/4).

Bright-rumped Attila Attila spadiceus
Oaxaca: common, both slopes.

Rufous Mourner Rhytipterna holerythra
Oaxaca: Northern limit of range in Atlantic region is a point 9.7 km southwest of Valle Nacional. Trip: San Rafael; 1 (8/4). Amazingly, as of 1993, no nest of any Rhytipterna had been described (W. Lanyon, pers.comm.) It presumably is a hole nester. See Lanyon, W., A phylogeny of the Myiarchus flycatchers, in Buckley, et al. (1985).

Speckled Mourner Laniocerca rufescens
Caribbean lowlands of Chiapas. Laniocerca is not closely related to Rhytipterna.

Yucatán Flycatcher Myiarchus yucatanensis
Apparently uncommon, but widespread in the Yucatán.

Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer
Very common in forest throughout Oaxaca. Common at Tlanchinol. Two en-route (13/4). Huitzilac; 4+ (14/4).

Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
Oaxaca: Uncommon winter resident to May in Pacific and interior regions in arid subtropical scrub, arid tropical scrub and tropical deciduous forest. Possibly a rare permanent resident. Trip: Colla de Caballo; 1 (4/4), and 2 (16/4). Amatlán; 1 (8/4). Oaxaca; 2 (11/4) near the “black tank”.

Nutting’s Flycatcher Myiarchus nuttingi
Oaxaca: Pacific slope in arid tropical scrub and tropical deciduous forest to 1,830 m. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; At least three (11,12/4) in arid scrub to the west. Taped.

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
Oaxaca: Very uncommon transient migrant (in April).

Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus
Puente Nacional (Howell and Webb 1990): thorn forest along Rt. 125 on the way to Córdoba. Oaxaca: Fairly common in Pacific region in tropical deciduous forest, Pacific swamp forest and arid tropical scrub, uncommon in interior in arid tropical scrub and the subtropical scrub of the Oaxaca Valley, and uncommon in open forest on Atlantic slope. Trip: Puente Nacional; 3 (7/4). Cerro San Felipe; 1 (9/4).

Flammulated Flycatcher Ramphotrigon flammulatum
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in Pacific region in tropical deciduous forest, to 915 m. A record from 24 road km northwest of Puerto Escondido. Lanyon studied this species during the breeding season at a site 10 km north of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, on the El Sumidero Road (to Mirador) at an elevation of 1,030-1,120 m. (Lanyon (1982)). Following are Dale Delaney’s directions to a (non-breeding) locale in Colima, the “cobblestone” road to Playa de Oro: “To find this road, it’s best to begin at the paved road to the Manzanillo airport [which is about 37 km north of Manzanillo.] About 7 km ESE from the airport road (back toward Manzanillo), you will see the road heading toward the ocean. There is a small sign, marked ‘Playa de Oro’, which may be obscured by vegetation. I have found up to six different individual Flammulated Flycatchers on this 8 km road in one day, exclusively in the hilly sections.” (Delaney (1987c)).

Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; common (13/4). Surprisingly, the only place recorded.

Couch’s Kingbird Tyrannus couchii
Oaxaca: status uncertain. Trip: RLC; 6+ (5/4).

Cassin’s Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
Oaxaca: fairly common in interior in arid subtropical scrub, oak scrub and adjacent portions of open, arid pine-oak forest. Trip: Pacific coast of Oaxaca; 7+ (12,13/4).

Thick-billed Kingbird Tyrannus crassirostris
Oaxaca: Fairly common winter resident in lower portions of Pacific region in savanna, arid tropical scrub and in openings within tropical deciduous forest. Uncommon in the interior, and rare in Atlantic region. Trip: Km 88 south of Cuernavaca (13/4). A pair observed in a tree in the middle of a recently-plowed cornfield surrounded by arid scrub.

Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
Oaxaca: Uncommon transient in interior in arid subtropical scrub and in Pacific region in arid tropical scrub, savanna and openings in tropical deciduous forest. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3+ (12/4).

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus
Trip: RLC; 20+ (5/4). Amatlán; 1 (8/4).

Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua
Trip: Several records from scattered areas.

Streaked Flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus
Oaxaca: rare in Atlantic region.

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher Myiodynastes luteiventris
Oaxaca: fairly common on both slopes. Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 1 (12/4).

Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis
Trip: Amatlán; 10+ (8/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 10+ (12/4).

Piratic Flycatcher Legatus leucophaius
Oaxaca: Atlantic region.

Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
Trip: Common and widespread.

Rufous-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis erythrothorax
Oaxaca: Fairly common in lower portions of Atlantic region in brushy clearings within tropical evergreen forest. Trip: found in edge between fields and forest remnants off San Rafael Road (8/4).

Spectacled (Scaly-throated) Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region and rare in Pacific region in cloud forest. 1,250 - 1,830 m.

Fawn-throated Foliage-gleaner Automolus cervinigularis
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region in dense and semi-open tropical evergreen forest northwest to a point 1 mile southwest of Valle Nacional.

Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus rubiginosus
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in Atlantic region and uncommon in Pacific region in cloud forest and upper reaches of tropical semi-deciduous forest. Nests at La Cima, km marker 195 on Puerto Escondido Road, and 24 road km southwest of Valle Nacional. Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4).

Tawny-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus mexicanus
Oaxaca: Rare in cloud forest of Atlantic region, 915 - 1,600 m. Howell and Webb (1992) report (at Tlanchinol), “as common and conspicuous as we have found the species anywhere”. Trip: neither seen nor heard at Tlanchinol or elsewhere.

Scaly-throated Leaftosser Sclerurus guatemalensis
8Oaxaca: Rare in tropical evergreen forest of Isthmus.

Tawny-winged Woodcreeper Dendrocincla anabatina
Oaxaca: Uncommon in tropical evergreen forest in Atlantic region to a point 24 road km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Ruddy Woodcreeper Dendrocincla homochroa
Oaxaca: Rare in Atlantic region in cloud forest and upper reaches of tropical evergreen forest, recorded to a point 24 road km southwest of Valle Nacional.

Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus
Oaxaca: Both slopes to 1,585 m. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Amtalán; 1 (8/4).

Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in humid pine-oak forest of interior. One sight record for Sierra de Miahuatlán is discounted by Binford, although an endemic race occurs in Guerrero. To 2,835 m. Uncommon at Tlanchinol.

Barred Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes certhia
Oaxaca: Rare in Pacific region in tropical semi-deciduous forest of Sierra de Miahuatlán west to a point 1.5 km west of San Gabriel Mixtepec.

Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster
Oaxaca: Very common in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest, and uncommon in Pacific region in cloud forest and humid pine-oak forest.

Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region in cloud forest and upper reaches of tropical evergreen forest. Common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Tlanchinol; 10+ (6/4).

White-striped Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes leucogaster
West and central Mexico only, south to Oaxaca and Veracruz. Very uncommon in Oaxaca in pine-oak forests. 1,950 m to 3,290 m. Tours get it at Cerro San Felipe. Fairly common but inconspicuous in pine-oak forest near Coajomulco and Huitzilac, D.F. Faanes (1987d) found one in cloud forest near the microwave towers at the end of the trail to Puerto Los Mazos, which runs east from Rt. 80 at Km 169 south of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Schaldach (1969) described it as a common resident of the humid pine-oak forest above Los Corralitos, Jalisco. John Gee reports that the best place to find this species is on the Volcán de Colima in the vicinity of the junction of the main Volcán road and the side road which leads to the microwave towers. This junction is 7.8 miles from the start of the Volcán road.

Streak-headed Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
Oaxaca: Fairly common, occurring in Atlantic region in semi-open as well as fairly dense tropical evergreen forest northwest to the vicinity of Valle Nacional, and in Pacific region in Sierra de Yucuyacua. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 2 (11/4).

Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis
Oaxaca: Common in all regions in humid pine-oak and cloud forest. 1,220 m - 2,960 m. Common at Tlanchinol.

Scaled Antpitta Grallaria guatimalensis
Tlanchinol, Hidalgo and south in highlands, primarily in cloud forest. Trip: Tlanchinol; one heard (6/4) to call about a dozen times at 15h00 about 100 metres down-slope from the road on the north side of the main trail (on the west side of the road).

Rufous Piha Lipaugus unirufus
Oaxaca: Uncommon in Atlantic lowlands.

Lovely Cotinga Cotinga amabilis
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in tropical evergreen forest, often in association with oaks in Atlantic region. Limit of range is points 9.7, 17.7 and 24 road km southwest of Valle Nacional. Occurs at Palenque, Chiapas.

Red-capped Manakin Pipra mentalis
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic lowlands.

White-collared Manakin Manacus candei
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Atlantic region.

Cinnamon Becard Pachyramphus cinnamomeus
Oaxaca: Very uncommon in Atlantic lowlands.

Grey-collared Becard Pachyramphus major
Throughout. Breeds in cloud forest and winters lower. Uncommon at Tlanchinol. Trip: possible at Tlanchinol; One female (6/4) of either this or Rose-throated.

Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae
Trip: RLC; 3 (5/4). Oaxaca; 1 (11/4) at the “black tank”. Coajamulco; 1 (13/4).

Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata
Trip: Amatlán; 2+ (8/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 10+ (12/4).

Steller’s Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
Trip: Common at Cerro San Felipe, Pluma Hidalgo, and El Porvenir. La Cima; 4+ (14/4).

Scrub Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens
Trip: Two en-route (15/4).

Grey-breasted Jay Aphelocoma ultramarina
Highlands south to Veracruz. Common at Coajomulco, Morelos. Trip: La Cima; 3 (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 20+ (16/4) eating bread at a picnic stop.

Unicoloured Jay Aphelocoma unicolor
Local in highlands of Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca. Fairly common in cloud forest of Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de Zempoaltepec, Oaxaca. 1,250 - 1,600+ m. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Tlanchinol; 20+ (6/4).

Azure-hooded Jay Cyanolyca cucullata
Mountain forests of Gulf slope, Hidalgo south. Common on Atlantic slope of Oaxaca at 1,250 - 1,585 m. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4).

Black-throated Jay Cyanolyca pumilo
Occurs in the highlands of Chiapas, including Estación Biológica Huitepec-Pronatura.

Dwarf Jay Cyanolyca nana
RDB: 1004-1007, BW2: 208. Fairly common in Oaxaca at high elevations (2,500 - 3,050 m) in humid pine-oak forest of interior in Sierra Aloanpanceca, Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de Zempoaltepec. Specific locales mentioned by Binford are La Cumbre and Cerro San Felipe at 2,900 m. Trip: several observed at higher elevations on Cerro San Felipe in the morning (10/4). None observed in the afternoon, when, according to Hardy (1971), the birds move far down-slope.

White-throated Jay Cyanolyca mirabilis
RDB: 1000-1003, BW2: 208. Humid pine-oak forests of Sierras de Miahuatlán and Yucuyacua, Oaxaca. Recorded at only three localities: 1.5 km north of San Andrés Chicahuaxtla (22.5 km southwest of Tlaxiaco on the Putla de Guerrero Road) at 2,440 m, where once common before forest was cleared, and at Río Molino and Río Guajolote on the Puerto Ángel Road, where very uncommon or rare. 1,830 - 2,440 m. Trip: Two pairs found in second growth pine-oak forest along logging track about 25 km north of La Soledad (near El Porvenir) on the Puerto Ángel Road (11/4).

San Blas Jay Cyanocorax sanblasianus
Endemic to western Mexico from Nayarit to Guerrero, where it is reasonably common. A reliable spot is along the road to Playa de Oro, Colima (see Flammulated Flycatcher).

Yucatán Jay Cyanocorax yucatanicus
Common in the Yucatán.

Purplish-backed Jay Cyanocorax beechei
Endemic to western Mexico from Sonora to Nayarit. Faanes (1987d) had one in desert scrub near Concordia, on the Durango highway (Rt. 40) about 10 km from the pueblo of Villa Unión.

Tufted Jay Cyanocorax dickeyi
BW2: near-threatened. Clements and Principe (1992) found it to be common and vocal at Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa in early May. “One bird was seen flying across the highway at km 208, which is 8 km west of the Comedor El Punte.” Whitney (1986) recommends starting at km 211 at 08h00 and walking slowing down the highway toward the Barranca. Birds usually are encountered between km 200 and km 212.

Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas
Trip: Four en-route (7,8/4), and 2 Cola de Caballo (16/4).

Brown Jay Cyanocorax morio
Oaxaca: very common in Atlantic lowlands. Trip: RLC; 10+ (5/4). Puente Nacional; 10+ (7/4). Amatlán; 10 (8/4). Others en-route (8/4).

Black-throated Magpie-Jay Cyanocorax colliei
Common in northwest Mexico.

White-throated Magpie-Jay Cyanocorax formosus
Oaxaca: very common in Pacific region. Trip: Pacific slope of Oaxaca and Guerrero; common (12-13/4).

Tamaulipas Crow Corvus imparatus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; common (4/4).

Sinaloa Crow Corvus sinaloae
Endemic to northwest Mexico south to Colima.

Northern Raven Corvus corax
Trip: Monte Alban; 1 (9/4). Cerro San Felipe 2 (9,10/4). Oaxaca; 2 (12/4).

Chihuahuan (White-necked) Raven Corvus albicollis
Trip: Fairly common in northern areas.

Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Highlands from San Luis Potosí south in oaks in humid pine-oak forest. In Oaxaca, fairly common in Sierra de Miahuatlán and very uncommon in Sierra de Yucuyacua (6.5 km north of San Andrés Chichuaxtla), Sierra Aloapaneca (Capulalpan and a point 16 km northeast of Cerro San Felipe), and perhaps Sierra de Zempoaltepec (one questionable record). 1,325 - 2,740 m. Other locales in Binford: 24 road km north of San Gabriel Mixtepec, 1,325 m, and La Cima. Uncommon at Tlanchinol. Trip: several singing birds at Huitzilac (14/4).

Slaty Vireo Vireo brevipennis
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. In Oaxaca, very uncommon in the interior and adjacent upper reaches of Pacific region, inhabiting oak scrub and undergrowth of pine-oak forest east to km marker 183 near La Cima and to a point 6.5 km east of Santiago Matatlán. 1,800 - 2,000 m. Other locale in Binford: km marker 116 on Putla de Guerrero Road. Tours get it somewhere near Cuernavaca. Two singing males were observed by John Gee in 1994 north of Xalapa, Veracruz on the road to Naolinco, near a grassy pulloff on the west side of the road 2.5 miles north and uphill from a sign naming the village of Coacoatzintla, and 2.1 miles north of a the “Consupo” factory. (See Perrigo and Booher (1995)). Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) had one bird in the brushy clearing at the Radio Tower at Puerto Los Mazos, Jalisco. Trip: Single birds observed in scrub west of Monte Alban ruins (9/4), and in scrub across the road and across the stream from the “black tank”, northeast of Oaxaca City (11/4).

Bell’s Vireo Vireo bellii
Migrant. Fairly common in Oaxaca, late date: 8 May. Trip: Two near Pinotepa Nacional (12/4).

Black-capped Vireo Vireo atricapillus
RDB: 1024, BW2: near-threatened. In winter, can be found at Puerto Los Mazos and Volcán de Colima, Jalisco (Gee (1995a)).

Dwarf Vireo Vireo nelsoni
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. In Oaxaca, very uncommon in interior in arid subtropical scrub, recorded from a point 22 km southeast of Huajuapan de León to a point 5 km southeast of Tamazulapan del Progreso. Presumably a permanent resident, but recorded, according to Binford, only from 10 May to 22 July. Perhaps winters at elevations higher than those on breeding grounds. 2,000 m. Locale in Binford: 3.2 km northwest of Tamazulapan del Progreso. Tours get it somewhere near Cuernavaca. Delaney (1987b) recommends a road running from Teotitlán del Valle to Benito Juarez and beyond. The road turns off to the north from Rt. 190 10 to 15 miles east of Oaxaca City. The Dwarf Vireo is found in scrub-filled ravines starting at the first switchback curve beyond Benito Juarez. Delaney has encountered three pairs along this road between 1670 m and 1900 m. Peter Kaestner found it in March, 1994 “on a sunny slope under the power line (just below the microwave tower)” at Puerto Los Mazos, 16 km southwest of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco. Erickson and Hamilton (1993) found a singing bird in July, 1992 at km 205 on Rt. 175 northeast of Oaxaca City and another nearby “in well developed riparian vegetation near El Estudiante (first highway switchback at the base of the mountains)”. Trip: searched for both in scrub adjacent to the Monte Alban ruins and in scrub across the Tuxtepec Road from the “black tank”, but no birds observed, and no response to canned tape at either place.

Hutton’s Vireo Vireo huttoni
Fairly common in Oaxaca, 1,675 - 3,290 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4) high on mountain.

White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
Trip: RLC; A single heard (5/4).

Mangrove Vireo Vireo pallens
Mangroves along the Pacific coast and on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Cozumel Vireo Vireo bairdi
Heavy underbrush on Cozumel Island. Should be looked for along a track running to the left about 3 km from town on the cross-island road, and along a road to the left about 7 km south of town.

Golden Vireo Vireo hypochryseus
In Oaxaca, common in Pacific region in tropical semi-deciduous forest and uncommon in Pacific swamp forest and tropical deciduous forest and in the interior (near Tamazulapan del Progreso and in valleys of San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán and San Miguel Sola de Vega) in arid tropical scrub and adjacent arid subtropical scrub, occurring east to Guelatao, Rancho Las Animas, and a point 3 road miles north of Pluma Hidalgo. Unrecorded in Oaxaca Valley. 30 - 1,920 m. Trip: coffee plantation north of Pluma Hidalgo turnoff (12/4); along road to Pluma Hidalgo; in patch of trees and scrub about 50 km east of Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca (12/4).

Solitary Vireo Vireo solitarius
This species has been split into three: Cassin’s Vireo, V. cassinii, of the Pacific Coast ranges, Plumbeous Vireo, V. plumbeus, of the Rockies, and the nominate form, now named Blue-headed Vireo, of the Eastern U.S. Trip: Several records from scattered areas, not specifically identified.

Yellow-green Vireo Vireo flavirostris
Lowlands on both slopes.

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4). Coajomulco; 1 (14/4).

Yucatán Vireo Vireo magister
Common on the Yucatán Peninsula and Cozumel Island.

Western Warbling-Vireo Vireo swainsonii
Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 2 (12/4).

Brown-capped Vireo Vireo leucophrys
Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4).

Lesser Greenlet Pachysylvia decurtata
Common in Oaxaca, both slopes.

Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Trip: A few scattered records.

Grey Silky-flycatcher Ptilogonys cinereus
Highlands. Trip: Huitzilac; 4 (14/4).

Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens
Arid subtropical scrub. Trip: cactus scrub along road west of Concepción del Oro (15/6).

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Trip: Flocks of up to 50 on several days.

American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus
Oaxaca: occurs at Río Molino on the Puerto Ángel Road.

Aztec Thrush Zoothera pinicola
West and central ranges south to Oaxaca and Veracruz. In Oaxaca, very uncommon in the interior in broadleaved portions, especially ravines, of humid pine-oak forest of Sierra de Miahuatlán and Sierra Aloapaneca, recorded only in general vicinities of Río Molino, La Cima and La Cumbre, at 1,830 m - 2,740 m. Binford localities: above km marker 183 on Puerto Escondido Road, about 1,980 m, and near Río Molino, 2,600 m. Faanes had it at Cerro San Felipe (Faanes (1987b)). Clements and Principe (1992) had a pair gathering nesting material on 5 May at 2,140 m in heavy pine-oak forest overlooking the floor of Barranca Rancho Liebre, Sinaloa. It is relatively common on Volcán de Colima, especially from about 2,400 m up to treeline (J.P. Gee, pers. comm.)

Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana
Trip; La Cima; 1 (14/4). Concepción del Oro; 4 (15/4).

Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis
Highlands. Not on Atlantic slope of Oaxaca. Common above 1,190 m on Pacific slope of Oaxaca. Common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Recorded in several areas.

Slate-coloured Solitaire Myadestes unicolor
Highlands from Hidalgo south. Common on both slopes of Oaxaca. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Heard at La Porvenir (11/4).

Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus aurantiirostris
Lower slopes from San Luis Potosí southward. Common in Oaxaca, 915 - 2,290 m.

Russet Nightingale-Thrush Catharus occidentalis
Highlands. Common in interior Oaxaca in humid pine-oak forest, 1,770 to 3,290 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; Up to 5 (9,10/4). Huitzilac; 2 (14/4). See map in Riatt and Hardy (1970).

Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush Catharus frantzii
Highlands from San Luis Potosí south. Uncommon in cloud forest and along shadiest ravines in humid pine-oak forest on both slopes of Oaxaca. 1,480 - 3,050 m. Cerro San Felipe. See map in Riatt and Hardy (1970). At higher elevations on Volcán de Colima (Gee (1995a)).

Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush Catharus mexicanus
Highlands. Uncommon in cloud forest on Atlantic slope of Oaxaca, 915 - 1,675 m. Common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4).

Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Trip: Widespread and fairly commonly recorded.

Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus
Fairly common in cloud and pine-oak forest in Oaxaca, 1,490 - 2,960 m. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Tlanchinol; 3+ (6/4) singing. Cerro San Felipe; two singing birds in late afternoon (10/4).

Clay-coloured Thrush Turdus grayi
Trip: Widespread and fairly common.

White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis
Trip: Tlanchinol; 2 (6/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 20+ (12/4). Huitzilac; 6+ (14/4).

Rufous-backed Thrush Turdus rufopalliatus
Oaxaca: Common on Pacific slope. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; common (13/4).

American Robin Turdus migratorius
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 20+ (9,10/4). El Porvenir; 4 (11/4). La Cima; 10+ (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 3 (16/4). The San Lucas Robin, confinis, is endemic to Baja California. Drive north of San José del Cabo to the turnoff to San António de la Sierra, about 10 km north of San António. Turn onto the rough dirt road and continue for 10 to 11 km until you reach a creek, with a few large cottonwoods and live oaks lining the streambed on one side. Confinis has been seen along this creek and along a dry riverbed lined with oaks farther along the road (K. Overman, pers. comm.)

Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris
BW2: near-threatened. Common on Cozumel Island.

Blue Mockingbird Melanotis caerulescens
Southern Tamaulipas southward. In Oaxaca, common in Pacific region in openings in humid pine-oak and adjacent cloud forests and in the interior in oak scrub, arid subtropical scrub adjacent to oak scrub, openings in humid pine-oak forest and brushy, arid pine-oak forest. Uncommon on Atlantic slope. Recorded at 90 m, and 730 - 2,960 metres. Trip: Monte Alban; 1 (9/4) in scrub. Huitzilac; 4 (14/4) in forest edge.

Blue-and-White Mockingbird Melanotis hypoleucus
Replaces M. caerulescens in Chiapas. In scrub near the end of the road to El Sumidero, Chiapas (Edwards (1968) at 197)

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Trip: Puente Nacional; 10+ (7/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 2 (13/4).

Cozumel Thrasher Toxostoma guttatum
BW2: near-threatened. The only difficult endemic on Cozumel Island. “Preliminary data suggests that this species has become scarce since the September 1988 hurricane, although the other island endemics seem to be recovering.” (Howell 1995) At least formerly occurred in the vicinity of the El Cedral ruins (H. Gómez, pers. comm.). Drive southwest of the main town, San Miguel, past Laguna Chankanab, to a road that forks off to the left. That fork leads to El Cedral.

Grey Thrasher Toxostoma cinereum
Endemic to Baja California. Found by Karl Overman in November, 1994 in dense desert scrub on the northeast perimeter of a clearing for a soccer field 3.5 miles north of the San José del Cabo airport.

Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
Oaxaca: Common in the interior in arid scrub. Trip: a pair in cactus scrub along the road west of Concepción del Oro (15/4).

Ocellated Thrasher Toxostoma ocellatum
Highlands from Hidalgo to Oaxaca. In Oaxaca, uncommon in the interior, primarily in oak scrub but also bushy areas within arid pine-oak and adjacent humid pine-oak forests and arid subtropical scrub adjacent to first two habitats. Recorded east to Santiago Matatlán. 1,750 - 2,750 m. Taped by Hardy at La Cumbre, which is a group of houses near km marker 20 on the San Juan Bautista - Tuxtepec Road about 4.8 km northeast of Cerro San Felipe. Also found by John Gee on Pico de Orizaba, Puebla, in scrub downslope from the Pine Flycatcher locale. Trip: 2 singing birds in scrub on the west side of the Monte Alban ruins (9/4).

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4).

Brown Creeper Certhia americana
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 2 (9,10/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 1 (12/4).

Spotted Wren Campylorhynchus gularis
Northern Mexico only. “Along the left side of the "Y" intersection (as you go west) in Agua Zarga, SLP.” (Faanes (1987a)). Quarry near El Tuito, Jalisco (Clements and Principe (1992)).

Boucard’s Wren Campylorhynchus jocosus
Southern Mexico only. Common in arid subtropical scrub in interior of Oaxaca, 915 - 2,600 m. Trip: Monte Alban; 2 (9/4).

Yucatán Wren Campylorhynchus yucatanicus
Coastal scrub in the vicinity of Progreso, north of Mérida.

Giant Wren Campylorhynchus chiapensi
Endemic to the Pacific lowlands of Chiapas. Common on the hotel grounds at Tapachula, Chiapas, about 11 miles from the Guatemala border on Rt. 200. (J.F. Clements, pers. comm.)

Rufous-naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha
Trip: Common in many habitats in the middle and south.

Grey-barred Wren Campylorhynchus megalopterus
Central Mexico highlands. Common in Oaxaca in humid pine-oak forest of Sierra Aloapaneca, Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de Zempolatepec. 2,740 - 3,050 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 11+ (9,10/4).

Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
Trip: common along road west of Concepción del Oro (15/4).

Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus
Mostly in high basins and rocky canyons, south to Chiapas.

Sumichrast’s Wren Hylorchilus sumichrasti
RDB: 812-815, BW2: 153. Vicinity of Córdoba, Veracruz (rare). Confined to mid-elevations (760 m) in steep hill country covered by evergreen or semi-deciduous tropical forest. All known locations are characterized by extensive limestone outcropping and heavy undergrowth. The bird remains at or near ground level and forages among rocks. Trip: (8/4), one seen and at least two heard far up the trail running from the quarry 1.5 km south of Amatlán into a coffee plantation. A large, chocolate-coloured, long-tailed bird with a decurved bill, reminiscent of the Brown Trembler, Cinciocerthia ruficauda.

Nava’s Wren Hylorchilus navai
RDB: 812-815, BW2: 153. Recently split from H. sumichrasti (Atkinson et al. (1993)). Endemic to eastern Veracruz and Chiapas. The most accessible known site is Uxpanaga, southeast Veracruz, Uxpanaga is just across the Oaxaca border, near the road running east from Rt. 185 at Sarabiá, Oaxaca, toward Cuauhtémoc. Héctor Gómez writes: “The forest has been extensively cleared except for small islands which were spared because the ground is too rocky. All of these ‘islands’, as far as I know, contain Nava’s Wren. A good spot is 27 miles from Sarabiá, where a pair of forested hills can be seen about .5 mile south of the road.” In May, 1995, he found the wren easily 24 km from Sarabiá. The Uxpanaga Road is paved to Km 15, where there is a toll gate (NP 5), and thereafter becomes a gravel road in good condition at least to Km 50.

Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii
Oaxaca: Fairly common permanent resident in the interior.

Happy Wren Thryothorus felix
Oaxaca: Fairly common in Pacific region in tropical semi-deciduous forest and tropical deciduous forest, recorded east to Puerto Ángel, the southeastern limit of the species’ range. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 1 (12/4), and another en-route (13/4).

Spot-breasted Wren Thryothorus maculipectus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (16/4) in roadside scrub at entrance to Cola de Caballo Hotel.

Banded Wren Thryothorus pleurostictus
Oaxaca: Common in Pacific region in arid tropical scrub and tropical deciduous forest and uncommon in tropical semi-deciduous forest. Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 1 (12/4).

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 2 (16/4).

Sinaloa Wren Thryothorus sinaloa
Oaxaca: Very common in Pacific region in scrub situations within tropical semi-deciduous forest and tropical deciduous forest at points 1.5 km east, 9.7 km northeast and 11.3 km north of Putla de Guerrero, the southeasternmost localities of this species. Not observed on our trip.

Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Trip: Widespread and fairly common. Howell and Webb (1995) split the form found on Cozumel Island as the Cozumel Wren Troglodytes beani.

Rufous-browed Wren Troglodytes rufociliatus
Highlands of Chiapas south to Nicaragua.

White-bellied Wren Uropsila leucogastra
Lowlands from southern Tamaulipas south. Uncommon on Atlantic slope of Oaxaca in tropical forest up to 100 m. Howell: Common in thorn forest at Mexican Sheartail stakeout along Rt. 125 on the way to Córdoba. Common at Felipe Carillo Puerto. Occurs at Palenque and Uxmal.

Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Henicorhina leucophrys
Trip: Fairly widespread and common.

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
Trip: RLC; 4+ (5/4). Puente Nacional; 10+ (7/4).

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Polioptila nigriceps
Endemic to northwest Mexico.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura
Northern Mexico.

California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica
Baja California and southern California only.

Black-capped Gnatcatcher Polioptila nigriceps
Western Mexico south to Colima.

White-lored Gnatcatcher Polioptila albiloris
Oaxaca: Very common in Pacific region. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 4+ (12, 13/4).

Mexican Chickadee Parus sclateri
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 6 (9/4).

Bridled Titmouse Parus wollweberi
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 10 (4/4), and 6 (16/4).

Black-crested Titmouse Parus atricristatus
Trip: Rancho Los Colorados; 6 (5/4). Cola de Caballo; 2 (16/4).

Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; common (9,10/4). La Cima; 6 (14/4). Concepción del Oro; 4+ (15/4).

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Trip: La Cima; 10+ (14/4).

Mangrove Swallow Tachycineta albilinea
Lowlands near water.

Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; common (9,10/4).

Grey-breasted Martin Progne chalybea
Trip: 20+ en-route (13/4).

Sinaloa Martin Progne sinaloae
Found by Clements and Principe at the quarry near El Tuito, Jalisco. See notes under Military Macaw, above (Clements and Principe (1992)). Faanes (1987d) saw it at Km 211 on the Durango highway.

Black-capped Swallow Atticora pileata
Occurs in the highlands of Chiapas.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Split into two purported species by Howell & Webb. Their new species, Ridgway’s Rough-winged Swallow S. ridgwayi is endemic to south-eastern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Trip: Common and widespread north of Oaxaca.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Trip: Common and widespread.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
Trip: Recorded in small numbers from scattered localities.

Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Oaxaca: savanna and steppe of interior. Trip: common on road to Worthen’s Sparrow stakeout at Saltillo (15/4).

House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Trip: Common in towns and villages.

Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus
Humid and semiarid pine-oak forests of high mountains throughout. Fairly common in Oaxaca, 1,675 - 3,050 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 2 (10/4) at 3000 m. El Porvenir; 1 (11/4).

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 50+ (4,15/4). La Cima; 10+ (14/4).

Black-capped Siskin Carduelis atriceps
BW2: near-threatened. Restricted to the highlands of Chiapas and Guatemala.

Black-headed Siskin Carduelis notata
Highlands from Sonora south.

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria
Trip: Widespread and fairly common.

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Trip: Oaxaca; a few in the grounds of the Misión de los Angeles Hotel. La Cima; 6 (14/4). Concepción del Oro; 4+ (15/4).

Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Trip: La Cima; 2 (14/4).

Hooded Grosbeak Coccothraustes abeillei
Highlands from sw. Tamaulipas south. Fairly common at Tlanchinol. Other sites include Rancho del Cielo and the top of a ridge in cloud forest near the El Naranjo, SLP hydroelectric plant.

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Trip: A few scattered records.

Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
Fairly common winter resident in Oaxaca in tropical evergreen forest, arid and humid pine-oak forest tropical deciduous forest and arid subtropical scrub, sea level to 2,960 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4).

Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus
Split into two purported species by Howell & Webb. Their new species is Baird’s Junco, J. bairdi, endemic to southernmost Baja California. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; common (9,10/4). La Cima; 20+ (14/4).

Large-billed Sparrow Passerculus rostratus
Sibley and Monroe (1993) re-split this endemic form from Savanna Sparrow, P. sandwichensis. It occurs in Baja California and along the Pacific slope south to central Sinaloa. See Garrett (1994).

Baird’s Sparrow Ammodromus bairdii
Winters in open country in northern Mexico. Has been recorded at Tanque de Emergencía (Gee (1995b)).

Sierra Madre Sparrow Xenospiza baileyi
RDB: 830-834, BW2: 186. La Cima (see Birds of Mexico City). Trip: La Cima; one bird early in the morning of (14/4) in bunch grass.

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
Trip: La Cima; 100+ (14/4).

Worthen’s Sparrow Spizella wortheni
RDB: near-threatened, BW2: 186-187. Rare and local near Monterrey. See Sada (1987b). Tanque de Emergencía may now be a wintering area only, for a recent survey found no breeding birds. Nests have been found in another valley, but details are being suppressed to minimize disturbance to the breeding birds. Trip: one bird next to the water tank in late afternoon on (15/4).

Black-chinned Sparrow Spizella atrogularis
In Oaxaca, very uncommon in interior in arid subtropical scrub and steppe, recorded with certainty only at Tamazulapan del Progreso and points 34 miles north-northeast of Huajuade León (about 3 miles northeast of Santiago Chazumba), 6 miles northeast of San Pedro y San Pablo Teposcolula, and 2 miles southeast of Asunción Nochixtlán. 1,830 -2,225 m.

Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4). Puente Nacional; 4 (7/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 20 (13/4).

Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
Northern Mexico south to Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí and Sinaloa in semi-desert areas.

Five-striped Sparrow Aimophila quinquestriata
During breeding season (late April-August), common in California Gulch, Arizona, about a 45-minute drive from Nogales, near the Mexican border (See Groschupf (1994), Mills (1977)). A breeding site in southern Sonora can be reached as follows: “As you leave the town of Navajoa, heading inland for Alamos, you will pass through relatively flat, scrubby areas with scattered chicken ranches. About 8-9.6 kms (5-6 mi.) from town, you will encounter the first large, solitary hill on the left side of the paved road. There should be a sign on the paved road, which reads ‘Microondas’ or ‘Cerro Prieto’ or both. The stone road eventually winds its way up to the very top, where a microwave tower is located. Although I have not recorded Five-striped Sparrow at the very bottom or very top of the hill, I have found it just about everywhere in between (July).” (Delaney (1987b)). Russell found a remarkable concentration of about 40 in November, 1965, “on the first (rocky) hills above the coastal plain in northwestern Sinaloa, north-northwest of San Blas.” (Phillips and Phillips (1993)).

Bridled Sparrow Aimophila mystacalis
Veracruz, Oaxaca. Common in interior of Oaxaca, primarily in arid, subtropical scrub but also in adjacent oak scrub and adjacent arid tropical scrub. 915 - 1,860 m. Occurs in scrub across from the “black tank” on Rt. 175 near Oaxaca City (Faanes 1987b)

Black-chested Sparrow Aimophila humeralis
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 feeding in roadside scrub (13/4).

Stripe-headed Sparrow Aimophila ruficauda
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; A total of 9 feeding in roadside scrub (13/4).

Botteri’s Sparrow Aimophila botterii
Common in thorn forest along Rt. 125 on the way to Córdoba. Trip: Puente Nacional; 2 (7/4).

Cassin’s Sparrow Aimophila cassinii
Breeds in Coahuila and northeast Tamaulipas.

Rufous-winged Sparrow Aimophila carpalis
A reliable stakeout for this local and uncommon species is across the street from the cemetery next to the Mission San Xavier, on the southern outskirts of Tucson, Arizona.

Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps
Fairly common in Oaxaca, occurring usually in association with rocky substrate in arid subtropical scrub, oak scrub and adjacent lower limits of arid pine-oak forest. 1,250 -2,200 m. Found in interior and inner part of Pacific region. Trip: Cola de Caballo; 3 (4,16/4). 4 en-route (8/4). Oaxaca; 4 (11/4) by the “black tank”.

Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow Aimophila sumichrasti
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Restricted to southern Oaxaca. Héctor Gómez writes that he has seen this species everywhere in thornscrub along the Tehuantepec/Oaxaca Road from about 100 km northwest of Tehuantepec to Tehauntepec.

Oaxaca Sparrow Aimophila notosticta
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. Very uncommon in the interior of Oaxaca in oak scrub, recorded only at Ejutla de Crespo, at Tamazualapan del Progreso, on Cerro San Felipe, and at several places just east of Santiago Matatlán. 1,850 m. Trip: Oaxaca; 2 in dense scrub by the “black tank” (11/4).

Rusty Sparrow Aimophila rufescens
Lower and mid-levels in mountains. Common in Pacific region of Oaxaca, then up major river basins locally into the interior, primarily in pine-oak forest, but also in oak patches and brushy clearings within upper reaches of tropical deciduous forest. 75 m - 2,130 m. Found disjunctively in lower portions of the Atlantic region. Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; 2 (12/4).

Striped Sparrow Oriturus superciliosus
In Oaxaca, fairly common in the interior in bunch grassland and probably other scrubby and grassy openings in or near humid pine-oak forest. Found only in two general areas: “common in wet meadows above 2,750 m at a point 24 km southwest of Oaxaca City” (1894), and recent records near San Andrés Chicahuaxtla: Also in the La Cima area near Sierra Madre Sparrow stakeout. Trip: La Cima; 20+ (14/4).

Collared Towhee Pipilo ocai
Oaxaca highlands. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 12+ (9,10/4).

Rufous-sided Towhee Pipilo erythropthalmus
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 12 (9,10/4). Huitzilac; 15+ (14/4).

Canyon Towhee Pipilo fuscus
Trip: Concepción del Oro; 6 (15/4).

White-throated Towhee Pipilo albicollis
S. Puebla, Oaxaca. Trip: Monte Alban; At least 12 (9/4) feeing in the car-park. Oaxaca; 4+ near the “black tank” (11/4).

Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow Melozone kieneri
Oaxaca: Very uncommon and apparently local in upper reaches of Pacific region and in the interior, in arid subtropical, oak and juniper scrubs. Only seven records in four general localities, including: km marker 123 on Putla de Guerrero Road at 1,415 m (1974), along Pan American highway between Puebla border and a point 12.6 km into Oaxaca (1965), 6.5 km southeast of pass southwest of Sola de Vega (1964), San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán (1894). VENT lists it for Cerro San Felipe. Wilson and Ceballos (1993): fairly common resident in the Cañón de Lobos, east of Cuernavaca. Faanes (1987d) found it at Km 230 on the Durango highway (Rt. 40) and near km 169-170 on the Autlán de Navarro highway (Rt. 80). John Gee saw this species along the lower part of the road to Volcán de Colima and at La Calera, Jalisco (Gee (1995a))

Prevost’s Ground-Sparrow Melozone biarcuatum
See Macias Caballero and Duncan (1993) for sites in Chiapas (Lacanjá, Chilón, Tziscao and the Ruins of Chinkultic).

White-eared Ground-Sparrow Melozone leucotis
Occurs as far north as southeast Chiapas. A reliable site is Santiago de Atitlán, Guatemala.

Orange-billed Sparrow Arremon aurantiirostris
Trip: Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4).

Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus
Pinotepa Nacional; 1 (12/4). Cola de Caballo; 2 (16/4).

Green-backed Sparrow Arremonops cholornotus
Occurs in Tabasco, northern Chiapas, and the Yucatán.

White-naped Brushfinch Atlapetes albinucha
Highlands from San Luis Potosí south. Fairly common in Atlantic region of Oaxaca within openings in cloud forests of Sierra de Juárez (Vista Hermosa and points 24 and 27 km southwest of Valle Nacional) and Sierra de Zempoaltepec. 1,250 - 1,500+ m. Common at Tlanchinol. Found in a thicket in mountains near the Hotel Ángel near Teziutlán, Puebla (Faanes (1987a)).

Rufous-capped Brushfinch Atlapetes pileatus
Endemic. Highlands. Common in pine-oak forest of Oaxaca, 1,770 - 3,290 m. Trip: El Porvenir; 2 (11/4). Huitzilac; 6 (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 2 (16/4).

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch Atlapetes brunneinucha
Highlands from eastern San Luis Potosí south. Common to very common in undergrowth within pine-oak and cloud forests of Oaxaca. 1,220 m - 3,050 m. Trip: Tlanchinol; 6 (6/4). Cerro San Felipe; 4 (9,10/4). El Porvenir; 10 (11/4).

Green-striped Brushfinch Atlapetes virenticeps
Huitzilac and Coajomulco, D.F., between Cuernavaca and La Cima. Secretive and inconspicuous, but fairly common. Trip: A total of 4 individuals observed at both Huitzilac and Coajomulco (14/4).

Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
Trip: Huitzilac; 1 (14/4).

Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
Trip: A few from scattered localities.

Virginia’s Warbler Vermivora virginiae
Winters in central plateau to Oaxaca.

Colima Warbler Vermivora crissalis
RDB & BW2: near-threatened. See article by Lanning, Marshall and Shiflett on breeding distribution in Nuevo León and Coahuila. A good place to see them is along Rt. 57 at Diamante Pass, east of Saltillo (J.T. Marshall, Jr., pers. comm.) Trip: one bird observed in oak scrub at Huitzilac (14/4). Did not find any along road west of Concepción del Oro (a site in Lanning, Marshall and Shiflett (1990)) on April 15.

Crescent-chested Warbler Parula superciliosa
Highlands from Nuevo León south. In oaks. Trip: Fairly common and widespread in its habitat.

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 4+ (12,13/4).

Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
Trip: Amatlán; 2 (8/4), and 4 others en-route (8,9/4).

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 6+ (10/4). Huitzilac; 4 (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 5 (16/4).

Black-throated Grey Warbler Dendroica nigrescens
Trip: Oaxaca; 1 by the “black tank” (11/4).

Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi
Trip: Common and widespread in southern half of country.

Hermit Warbler Dendroica occidentalis
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 6 (9,10/4).

Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (4/4). RLC; 2 (5/4). Tlanchinol; 1 (6/4). Cerro San Felipe; 1 (10/4).

Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4).

Grace’s Warbler Dendroica graciae
Oaxaca: uncommon along entire length of Pacific region, frequenting pines of humid and arid pine-oak forest. 215 - 2,315 m. Common and conspicuous breeding bird in the mountains of Arizona.

Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 8 (9,10/4). La Cima; 6 (14/4).

Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Trip: RLC; 4 (5/4).

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
Trip: A few in scattered localities.

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus
Trip: Oaxaca; 1 (11/4) by the “black tank”. Pinotepa Nacional; 6+ (12,13/4).

MacGillivray’s Warbler Oporornis tolmiei
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (12,13/4).

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Trip: Cola de Caballo; 1 (4/4). RLC; 2 (5/4).

Belding’s Yellowthroat Geothlypis beldingi
BW2: 193. Baja California “endemic”, if you favor splits. Can be found along the nature trail through the palm grove at the estuary at San José de Cabo. Park at the Presidente Hotel (K. Overman, pers. comm.)

Altamira Yellowthroat Geothlypis flavovelata
BW2: near-threatened. Another “endemic” form of the Common Yellowthroat. S. Tamaulipas, n. Veracruz. Coastal marshes. Faanes (1987a): in the vegetation below the El Naranjo sewage plant along Rt. 80 and at El Nacimiento, near Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas (See Hoffman (1989)). A reliable place to find this species is in cattail marsh just past the toll booth south of Tampico on the bypass road (Gee (1995b)).

Black-polled Yellowthroat Geothlypis speciosa
RDB: 940-943, BW2: 193. Pair found in 1994 by John Gee across the road from a large pond about five miles south of Molango, the next major town south of Tlanchinol. The pond is on the east side of the road. On the west side is a large, apparently man-made hill of gravel or shale and asphalt. There is an unpaved gravel road going up the hill, with a couple of hairpin curves. Near the top of the hill, next to a flat area on the left, is a pond with some open water. A pair of Black-polled Yellowthroats were in pond-side bushes (See Faanes (1987a) for a locale near Mexico City).

Hooded Yellowthroat Geothlypis nelsoni
Eastern highlands south to Oaxaca. In Oaxaca, uncommon in bunch grassland and underbrush of humid pine-oak forest of interior, 2,440 m - 2,840 m. Tours apparently get it at Cerro San Felipe. Wilson and Ceballos-Lascurain (1986) recommend oak woodland in the Contreras Valley, D.F.: “The preferred habitat of this species is that area of the Pedregal de San Ángel where palo loco (Senecio praecox) is dominant. Although the bird is rather shy, it can easily be found from March to September when it is singing.” Pairs found in scrub about 1 mile south of Tlanchinol and in trees and shrubs next to the large, roadside pond about 5 miles south of Molango in 1994 (J.P. Gee)

Grey-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis poliocephala
Lowlands on both slopes. Oaxaca: uncommon throughout lower portions of Atlantic region. In Pacific region, in the valley of Putla de Guerrero, frequenting hedgerows and brushy clearings (including guamil) within tropical evergreen and deciduous forests. 45 -250 m; 730 m at Putla de Guerrero. Trip: pair along creek on Rancho los Colorados (5/4). On Pacific slope, in scrub about 50 km east of Pinotepa Nacional (12/4).

Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
Trip: Widespread and very common.

Red-faced Warbler Cardellina rubrifrons
Very uncommon winter resident in Oaxaca in pine-oak forest of interior and adjacent upper reaches of Pacific region, 1,490 - 2,620 m.

Red Warbler Ergaticus ruber
Highlands from Hidalgo south. Common in Oaxaca in humid and semi-arid pine-oak forests of interior, 2,160 - 2,960 m. Trip: Cerro San Felipe; 30+ (9,10/4). La Cima; 4 (14/4).

Pink-headed Warbler Ergaticus versicolor
BW2: near-threatened. Endemic to Chiapas and Guatemala. Edwards (1968) recommends an area about 5 miles west of San Cristóbal de las Casa, Chiapas, where a stream goes under the road.

Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus
Highlands. Arid and semi-arid pine-oak forest. Trip: Cola de Caballo; common (4,16/4). Amatlán; 1 (8/4).

Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus
Highlands. Humid pine-oak forest. Cerro San Felipe; common (9,10/4). El Porvenir; 5 (11/4). Huitzilac; 4 (14/4).

Fan-tailed Warbler Basileuterus (Euthlypis) lachrymosa
Thickets and understory in mountains. In Oaxaca, fairly common in Pacific region in tropical semi-deciduous forest of Sierra de Yucuyacua and Sierra de Miahuatlán, and very uncommon in Atlantic region in the most arid sections of tropical evergreen forest. 75 m - 1,770 m. Trip: one bird in coffee plants along Quail-Dove trail above road to Pluma Hidalgo (11/4). Posture and behavior reminiscent of a Rhipidura fantail.

Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus
Sea level to 2,225 m. Common in Oaxaca. Trip: pair at Crimson-collared Grosbeak spot down-slope from Cola de Caballo Hotel (16/4).

Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
Foothills. Common in Oaxaca. Trip: Widespread and fairly common.

Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli
Highlands from sw Tamaulipas south. Common in Oaxaca. Common at Tlanchinol. Trip: Widespread and common.

Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
Trip: Southern Guererro; 2 (13/4) in roadside scrub.

Red-breasted Chat Granatellus venustus
Uncommon in Pacific lowlands of Oaxaca to 500 m, east (not west - typo in Binford) to Puerto Ángel. In Pacific swamp forest and arid tropical scrub. Trip: 2 singing birds in second growth next to dangerous curve about 50 km east of Pinotepa Nacional (12/4). Broadcast tape in any decent dry scrub in the Pacific lowlands.

Grey-throated Chat Granatellus sallaei
Very uncommon in Atlantic lowlands of Oaxaca in brushy clearings within tropical evergreen forest, recorded northwest to San Juan Tuxtepec and Playa Vincente, Veracruz. Has been seen at Uxmal. Three seen at Felipe Carillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, in July, 1991 (Dremeaux & Dremeaux (1995)). Regularly found at Tikal, Guatemala.

Common Chlorospingus Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
Trip: Common at Tlanchinol; 100+ (6/4), and El Porvenir; 20+ (11/4).

Rosy Thrush-Tanager Rhodinocichla rosea
Clements and Prinicipe (1992) had one at Puerto Los Mazos, but failed to find any near Novilleros, Nayarit, where the habitat has suffered substantial disturbance since Alden (1969). Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) described the habitat at Puerto Los Mazos as a tropical forest ravine that “began on the north side of Hwy. 80 about a hundred yards west of the forest fire station and ran downhill away from the highway.” Also found along the road to Playa de Oro, Colima (Delaney (1987c)) (see Flammulated Flycatcher), “especially where there are thickets in arroyos and other low or damp places.” (J.P. Gee, pers. comm.) This species is easy to see on the Caribbean side of the Canal Zone, where it is a backyard bird in Coco Solo.

Black-throated Shrike-Tanager Lanio aurantius
Uncommon in Oaxaca in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest northwest to a point 1 mile southwest of Valle Nacional. 60 - 580 m.

Red-crowned Ant Tanager Habia rubica
Oaxaca: Fairly common on both slopes.

Red-throated Ant Tanager Driophlox fuscicauda
Oaxaca: Very common in Atlantic region in tropical evergreen forest and dense brush.

Flame-coloured Tanager Piranga bidentata
Rare in Oaxaca, primarily in cloud forest. Trip; Tlanchinol; 10+ (6/4).

Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava
Trip: Several records from scattered localities.

Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
Oaxaca: common winter resident.

Rose-throated Tanager Piranga roseogularis
Common in Yucatán and on Cozumel Island.

Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
Trip: RLC; 2 (5/4). Pluma Hidalgo; 2 (12/4). Huitzilac; 2 (14/4).

White-winged Tanager Piranga leucoptera
Trip: 2 near Valle Nacional (8/4).

Red-headed Tanager Piranga erythrocephala
Highlands. Oaxaca: Fairly common in Sierra de Miahuatlán and Sierra de Yucuyacua and rare in Sierra Aloapaneca (Cerro San Felipe “probably” above 3,050 m, where tours get it) and Sierra de Zempoaltepec, occurring primarily in humid pine-oak forest and adjacent tropical semi-deciduous and cloud forests. Unrecorded in Sierra de Juárez ( 1,415 - 1,830+ m.). Common at Hortensia’ barranca (Km 206) on the Durango highway, and found regularly in the highlands of Nayarit and Jalisco (Faanes (1987d)).

Crimson-collared Tanager Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
Fairly common in Atlantic region of Oaxaca in brushy clearings within tropical evergreen forest at least to a point 8 km west of Temascal. 30 m - 580 m. Occurs at Palenque, Chiapas.

Yellow-winged Tanager Thraupis abbas
Common in Oaxaca in forest, 30 - 1,600 m. Trip: 2 near Valle Nacional (8/4).

Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis
Trip: Puente Nacional; 4 (7/4). A single near Valle Nacional (8/4).

Yellow-throated Euphonia Euphonia hirundinacea
Oaxaca: common resident in Atlantic region in openings within tropical evergreen forest. Uncommon in Pacific region.

Blue-hooded Euphonia Chlorophonia elegantissima
Trip: Oaxaca; A single in scrub by “black tank”.

Olive-backed Euphonia Euphonia gouldi
Uncommon in Atlantic region of Oaxaca. Tropical evergreen forest (frequenting epiphites) northwest to a point 1 mile southwest of Valle Nacional, 75 - 1,250 m.

Blue-crowned Chlorophonia Chlorophonia occipitalis
Common in cloud forest of Atlantic region of Oaxaca northwest to a point 24 km southwest of Valle Nacional. 1,250 - 1,600 m.

Azure-rumped Tanager Poecilostreptus cabanisi
RDB: 918-921, BW2: 191. Restricted to Chiapas and Guatemala, where it may easily be found along the road running to the west of the road south from Quetzaltenango at Km 197. For details of the distribution of this species at El Triunfo, Chiapas, and a map of the El Triunfo trail, see Heath and Long (1991).

Golden-hooded Tanager Stilpnia larvata
Atlantic slope from Oaxaca south.

Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus
Trip: Valle Nacional; 2 (8/4).

Slate-coloured Seedeater Sporophila schistacea
Few records from Mexico, but this bird’s range is expanding.

Slaty Finch Haplospiza rustica
Local and rarely detected. There is one old record from Veracruz, and an August, 1982 record from a ranch at El Temazcal, 27 km east-southeast of Morelia, Michoacán, at 2,190 m. (Barajas and Phillips (1994)). Contrary to that article’s assertion that this species remains unreported from Guatemala, it has been seen at Fuentes Georgina, including an observation by David Bradford in 1991 (Pers. comm.)

Variable Seedeater Sporophila americana
Trip: RLC; 4 (5/4). San Rafael; 10+ (8/4).

White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola
Trip: San Rafael; 4+ (8/4). Valle Nacional; 1 (8/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 10+ (13/4).

Ruddy-breasted Seedeater Sporophila minuta
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 4+ (13/4).

Blue Seedeater Amaurospiza concolor
Split into two purported species by Howell & Webb (1995). Birds from Oaxaca north are called Slate-blue Seedeater, A. relicta (BW2: near-threatened). Should be looked for near bamboo in the highlands from Jalisco south. Has been seen 15-20 km north of Nueva Delhi, Guerrero (Howell and Webb (1994c)). Found by Schaldach (1969) and by Kaufman, Parker and Robbins (1976) at Puerto Los Mazos. The bird observed by Kaufman et al. was seen in shaded forest edge adjacent to a bamboo thicket. Also recorded from El Sumidero, north of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.

Cinnamon-bellied Flower-piercer Diglossa baritula
Trip: El Porvenir; 1 (11/4).

Dickcissel Spiza americana
At times abundant migrant. Trip: Large flocks of migrants encountered in open country near the Guerrero/Oaxaca border west of Pinotepa Nacional (13/4).

Yellow Grosbeak Pheucticus chrysopeplus
Widespread in highlands, but, surprisingly, missed on this trip.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Trip: Pluma Hidalgo; A single _ (12/4).

Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
Breeds south to Oaxaca. Huitzilac; 6+ (14/4). Cola de Caballo; 4 (16/4).

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Trip: Huitzilac; A single singing _ (14/4) heard but not seen. Apparently wary due to intense pressure from bird trappers (Offered for sale by bird vendor in Oaxaca City).

Crimson-collared Grosbeak Periporphyrus celaeno
Endemic to Eastern Mexico. Trip: at least two singing birds in ravine down-slope from Hotel Cola de Caballo (16/4). Reach them by walking down the “Buick” Trail, which starts to the left between a furniture stand and a 1940 Buick Special just above the Hotel.

Black-headed Saltator Saltator atriceps
Oaxaca: common in Pacific region and fairly common in Atlantic region.

Buff-throated Saltator Saltator maximus
Trip: Amatlán; 10+ (8/4). Valle Nacional; 4 (8/4).

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator Saltator grandis
Trip: Valle Nacional; 2 (8/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 4+ (12,13/4).

Blue Bunting Cyanocompsa parellina
Trip: Valle Nacional; 2_ (8/4). Cola de Caballo; A single _ female in second growth in the ravine below the Hotel (14/4).

Blue Grosbeak Guiraca caerulea
Breeds throughout. Trip: Monte Alban; 4+ (9/4).

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Trip: Several scattered records.

Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor
Common in thorn forest along Rt. 125 on the way to Córdoba. Breeds south to Oaxaca and Veracruz. Very uncommon in Oaxaca in arid subtropical scrub of the interior. Trip: Puente Nacional; 1 (7/4).

Painted Bunting Passerina ciris
Common winter resident in Oaxaca, both slopes. Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 3 (12/4).

Orange-bellied Bunting Passerina leclancherii
Common in Pacific lowlands of Oaxaca north to a point 24 km northwest of Puerto Escondido in tropical scrub and deciduous forest, to 975 m. Trip: 2 birds in vicinity of organ pipe cactus about midway between Acapulco and Cuernavaca, and three birds farther north in scrub (13/4).

Rose-bellied Bunting Passerina rositae
BW2: near-threatened. From Oaxaca City, take Rt. 190 south to the Chiapas border. Park at a small turn-off on the right 0.6 km beyond the border. Walk across the road and look in the wooded ravine between two high hills (See Faanes (1987b)).

Montezuma Oropendola Gymnostinops montezuma
Trip: A few breeding in the village at the Mexican Sheartail stakeout.

Yellow-winged Cacique Cacicus melanicterus
Trip: Pinotepa Nacional; 8+ (12, 13/4).

Orange Oriole Icterus auratus
Restricted to the Yucatán, where it is regularly found at Uxmal.

Spot-breasted Oriole Icterus pectoralis
Pacific slope lowlands from Colima south. A good place to look for this species is supposed to be the Manzanillo airport road.

Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis
Trip: RLC; 4 (5/4). Pinotepa Nacional; 4 (7/4).

Streak-backed Oriole Icterus pustulatus
Oaxaca: very common in Pacific region in tropical deciduous forest and arid tropical scrub and uncommon in interior in low elevation, arid subtropical scrub. To 1,830 m. Trip: 6 at Km 88, south of Cuernavaca (13/4).

Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus
Trip: A few between Oaxaca and Cuernavaca (11-13/4).

Northern Oriole Icterus galbula
Local race abeillei now lumped with Northern Oriole. Central plateau from s. Nuevo León to Oaxaca, where known from 4 specimens. Trip: Two en-route (7/4).

Ochre (Orchard) Oriole Icterus spurius fuertesi
Breeds in s. Tamaulipas and n. Veracruz. A subspecies of Orchard Oriole. Found in marsh at Tecolutla, Veracruz. Trip: Scattered records.

Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri
Oaxaca: fairly common in interior in arid subtropical scrub and to a lesser degree in oak scrub and juniper scrub. 975 m - 3,290 m.

Audubon’s (Black-headed) Oriole Icterus graduacauda
Oaxaca: common from 1,280 m to 2,010 m in humid pine-oak forest and adjacent cloud forest of Pacific region and very uncommon at 200 m in arid pine-oak forest in Pacific region. Trip: Scattered records.

Scott’s Oriole Icterus parisorum
Central states. Oaxaca: uncommon winter resident in interior in arid subtropical scrub, juniper scrub, oak scrub and adjacent lower reaches of arid pine-oak forest and in Pacific region in humid pine-oak forest of Sierra de Miahuatlán. Probably breeds sparingly in arid subtropical scrub throughout the interior. 1,585 - 2,560 m. Trip: Oaxaca; 2 near the “black tank” (11/4). Two en-route (15/4).

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4).

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Trip: A few scattered records.

Melodious Blackbird Dives dives
Gulf slope from S. Tamaulipas south. Trip: RLC; 1 (5/4). Puente Nacional; 3 (7/4).

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
Trip: Abundant throughout.

Slender-billed Grackle Quiscalus palustris
Extinct. Formerly endemic to central Mexico. Wiped out by the complete destruction of its marsh habitat.

Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus
Trip: Scattered records.

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Trip: Scattered records.

Mammals Observed

Mexican Freetail Bat Tadarida brasilensis. One at dusk at Banded Quail site south of Cuernavaca.
Opossum Didelphis spp. Road kill.
Tamandua Tamandua mexicana. Road kill.
Volcano Rabbit Romerolagus diazi. A couple at La Cima, D.F.
Mexican Prairie Dog Cynomys mexicanus. Large colony at Worthen’s Sparrow stakeout.
Rock Squirrel Spermophilus (variegatus?). Observed in late afternoon basking on a rock in cactus forest
above Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas. Large, blackish face, lighter grey-brown back and tail.
Squirrels Sciurus spp. Squirrels the size of Eastern Grey Squirrel were observed from Nuevo León to
Oaxaca at various places. One seen well above Cola de Caballo, N.L., was blackish on the head with a ruddy back and tail.
Unidentified mouse. Cola de Caballo.
Unidentified skunks. Road kills.
Northern Ringtail Bassarischus astutus. Crossing road at night en-route from Valle Nacional to Oaxaca
City.
Grey Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus. Crossing road at night en-route from Valle Nacional to Oaxaca
City.
White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus. Seen at night near RLC, Tamaulipas.
Collared Peccary Tayassu tajacu. Adult male raised in captivity and released to the wild a couple of
years ago comes in to the breakfast nook at RLC to beg for tortillas.

Reptiles and Amphibians Observed

Various unidentified frogs, lizards and snakes were observed. Notable was a bright orange lizard that ran across the road in a marsh south of Tampico.

Butterflies Identified

Without my butterfly glass (very close focusing Zeiss 8 x 30 monocular) and butterfly books, it was difficult to identify butterflies. I only deliberately looked for butterflies in the afternoon on 16 April on the Cola de Caballo Road, when the prospects for finding life birds were poor. There is no comprehensive butterfly guide for Mexico (See Glassberg (1994)).

Black Swallowtail Papilio polynexes. One on Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April.
Two-tailed Swallowtail Papilio multicaudatus. Morelos.
Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes. This or similar species. Observed in coffee plantation along
Pluma de Hidalgo Road, Oaxaca.
Tropical White Appias drusilla.
Giant White Ganyra josephina
Mexican Yellow Eurema mexicanum
Catasticta nimbice. Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April. One caught and released. At least 2 observed.
American Painted Lady Vanessa virginiensis. Road to Pluma de Hidalgo, Oaxaca.
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta. Cola de Caballo Road on 16 April.
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa. One in Morelos.
Sister Adelpha bredowii. Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April.
Laure Doxocopa laure. Morelos.
Zebra Heliconius charitonius. Pluma de Hidalgo Road, Oaxaca.
Empress Leilia Asterocampa leilia. Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April.
Blue Wave Myscelia ethusa. Dead road kill on Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April.
Red Rim Biblis hyperia. Common on Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April.
Malachite Siproeta stelenes. Morelos.
White Peacock Anartia jatrophae. One on track between hedgerows at edge of town in Southwest
Guerrero.
Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia. White-throated Jay stakeout, 25 km north of La Soledad near
Puerto Ángel Road, Oaxaca.
Theona Checkerspot Thessalia theona. Mating pair about 1 km above Cola de Caballo Hotel on 16
April.
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae. Various places.
White Morpho Morpho polyphemus. Pluma de Hidalgo Road, Oaxaca.
Morpho peliedes. Pluma de Hidalgo Road, Oaxaca.
Monarch Danaus plexippus. Various places.
Golden-banded Skipper Autochton cellus. Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April. At least three observed.
Arizona Banded Skipper Autochton pseudocellus. Cola de Caballo Road, 16 April. At least two
observed. Smaller than A. cellus with narrower band across forewing.

Anyone interested in observing a wintering site of more than 50 million Monarchs, Danaus pleixippus, should proceed to Angangueo, Michoacán, north of Zitacuaro, and ask directions at the Hotel Don Bruno (D. Riepe, pers. comm.) Information may be available from Texas Monarch Watch, (800) 468-9719.

Moth Identified

Io Moth Automeris io. One on light at Budget Rent-a-Car office, Monterrey Airport.

Section 1 - Introduction, logistics, itinerary and general information.
Section 2 - Birding sites (Nuevo León to Veracruz).
Section 3 - Birding sites (Oaxaca to Coahuila).
Section 4 - Annotated checklist.
Section 5 - Other references and bibliography.