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Mexico Quintana Roo

Little Hermit Phaethornis longuemareus © Ian Montgomery http://www.birdway.com.au

The State of Quintana Roo is named after Andres Quintana Roo, Yucatan's first poet. In a fateful paradox, this was the first landfall of the Spanish conquistadors (1517); but the last part of Mexico to be conquered. It was designated a federal territory on 1902, but it was not until 1974 that it became a fully-fledged Mexican state, just in time to build Cancun.

Quintana Roo has a population of almost 1 million people living in several cities (Cancun, Chetumal, Cozumel, Carrillo Puerto, Isla Mujers and Playa Del Carmen); and many little Mayan towns throughout the state. The climate is hot and humid inland but ocean breezes cool the coastline. It rains in the summer.

The vegetation is mainly low and medium jungle, with a big section of mangroves and some savannah. The whole of the state is rich in both marine and land wildlife; we have part of the second largest coral reef in the world and a big Biosphere reserve where many animals and plants find shelter from development.

Our main protected areas are: Siankaán, Holbox, El Eden, Puerto Morelos, Cozumel reefs and Isla Contoy where ecotours are available so one can enjoy the wildlife. Furthermore, Quintana Roo has probably the friendliest people of all of Mexico (together with all the Yucatan in general).

top sites

Siankaan Biosphere Reserve

Siankaán was established as a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and incorporated into UNESCO`s list of natural world heritage sites in 1987. Covering more than 1.5 million acres along the central coast of the State of Quintana Roo, it is one of the largest protected areas of Mexico. The reserve is composed equally of semi evergreen tropical forest, wetlands & savannas and marine habitat.

The Yucatan peninsula has over 527 bird species in 62 families of which 12 are endemic with 4 subspecies, 2 morphs and 14 hipotetical registers. Siankaán itself is home to more than 345 bird species, including over 1 million wintering migratory songbirds from the US and Canada and the rare Jabiru stork.

The challenge in the area is to promote rational and sustainable use of the natural resources that is compatible with the conservation of the reserveand at the same time beneficial to the local inhabitants; integrating environmental policy into regional development planning.

contributor

Kenneth Johnson
Ecocolors
info@ecotravelmexico.com
http://www.ecotravelmexico.com

useful reading

Fieldguides, CDs etc.

For a selection of appropriate fieldguides and CDs etc see the general Mexico page of Fatbirder...

clubs

Pronatura Península de Yucatán

http://www.pronatura-ppy.org.mx/
Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A.C. (PPY); is a non-profit organization, affiliated to the national conservation organization Pronatura A.C. It was founded in 1985 with the enthusiasm of Mrs. Joann Andrews, who started the work with a group of volunteers working at her library. Today it is a well established organization, where the work of committed proffessionals is making a difference...

reserves

El Eden Ecological Reserve

http://www.uv.mx/citro/el_eden/index.html
Welcome to the Home on the Web for the El Eden Ecological Reserve. Here you can learn about research projects in progress at the reserve, available facilities, and details of the different habitats of the Yucatan Peninsula...

Quintana Roo National Parks

http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/parques/qroo.html
Parks in the state including Parque Nacional Tulum...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

1997 [October] - Mark Lockwood

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/Yucatan-10-97.htm
My wife and I spent six days visiting archeological sites and birding in Quintana Roo and Yucatan during late October 1997. The primary reason for the trip was to visit Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza. Therefore, the species list is smaller that what one might expect on a strictly birding trip to the region...

1998 [February] - Greg Roberts

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico1/mexico.htm
...Drove to Chamela Biological Research Station (CBS). Birded a dirt road near Chamela town and thorn forest around the station. Overnight at the station`s staff quarters (pre-arranged)...

1998 [March] - Glenn Czulada

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-03-98.htm
Carol and I chose the Yucatan for the same reasons you might have. It`s tropical and easy to get to...

1999 [May] - Terry Witt

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-05-99.htm
...Cozumel Emerald, Vireo, and Wren would be difficult to miss and Yucutan Flycatcher is present but not common. Green-breasted Mango and White-crowned Pigeon are common...

2000 [January] - Jim Turner and Kate Trainer

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-01-2000.htm
This trip report is edited to be of particular interest to birders without private transportation, wishing to minimize their expenses. All travel is done with public busses, but we used a few short taxi rides to save on the walking...

2000 [March] - Jim Sinclair

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-03-2000.htm
Weather was similar each day with lows around 70 degrees and highs around 90 degrees. The majority of the birding was done early in the morning along the road in the northwest corner of the island...

2000 [November] - Tony Clarke

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico4/MEXandGUAT.htm
...Today I was up at dawn and walked along the road as far as the entrance to the small ruins to the south of the hotel and then back again for breakfast. I repeated this walk in the afternoon but this time I returned on the bus. The highlights of the day included my first Yucatan endemics, Black Catbird and Yucatan Vireo, and also Plain Chachalaca...

2000 [October] - William D. Moon

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-10-2000.htm
Scattered showers each day. Make reservations for a rental car ahead of time if you plan to drive from Cancun airport. There are several casa de cambios with good exchange rates along Hwy. 307, including Tulum...

2001 [July] - Daniel M. Brooks

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-07-2001.htm
I just got back from Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and did some REALLY casual birding. Encountered about 27 species, of which 2 were endemic to the Yucatan (+); and 3 were endemic to Cozumel Island (nearly 20% were endemics total)...

2002 [June] - Gruff Dodd - Yucatán and Quintana Roo

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico9/mex-jone2002.htm
This was our second trip to Mexico, having previously visited the area between Mexico City and Oaxaca two years ago. We had just over a week available to us, and wanted somewhere where we could combine good birding with general tourist stuff, without having to do too much driving, and the Yucatán peninsula fitted the bill very well...

2003 [March] - Neil Osborne

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico15/mex-03.htm
This report covers a trip to West Mexico ( Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima) and The Yucatan Peninsula (Yucatan and Quintana Roo).

2005 [March] - David Ousey

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico17/mexico-march-05.htm
Family holiday in Playacar at Viva Wyndham Azteca Hotel, which was excellent in every part, food, accommodation etc. The Mayan people are friendly and interested in the birds and just a wave and greeting seem to help if you came across anyone in the outback...

2005 [October] - Eduard Sangster

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/mexico/mexico18/cozumel-nov-2005.htm
My visit to Cozumel Island was part of a 5 week trip to Mexico. In total I travelled with my (non-birding) girlfriend 3 months and visited Mexico, Galapagos, Ecuador and Peru. In total I saw 1035 species. It was a fantastic trip. The highlights were 1. Galapagos 2. Antpittas, Mindo (see other note on this website) 3. Diademed Plover, Peru. Downer of the holiday was birding at Cozumel. In Mexico I saw 430 species of birds in nearly 30 mornings of birding...

2006 [March] - Jason Hill

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/Yucatan-03-2006.htm
I spent one week chasing birds and Mayan ruins in the Yucatan during early March of 2006. I traveled by myself via the bus in a circular loop starting and ending in Cancun...

2007 [March] - Gail Mackiernan & Barry Cooper - Isla de Cozumel

http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/QuintanaRoo-02-2007.htm
...We did not get a whiff of either resident tanager, the attila (a Cozumel endemic subspecies), nor any raptors save a single kestrel. The status of these birds seems to be uncertain as several recent reports also have missed them. Wintering North American warblers also seemed thin on the ground. We saw no wintering thrushes...

tour operators

Birding Pal

http://www.birdingpal.org/Mexico.htm
Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...

Ecocolors

http://www.ecotravelmexico.com/indexe.html
Explore the fascinating Maya World, refuge of great biodiversity, exhuberant jungles, the second largest coral reef in the World, natural springs (cenotes); the most important archeological sites of the ancient Maya and impressive colonial cities - This unique eco-tour is specially design for bird watchers. We will be able to visit the main protected areas in theYucatan peninsula such as Sianka`an, Holbox, Coba, and El Eden, as well as Guatemala and Belize rainforest. Mexico has around 1,040 different bird species, just in the Yucatan peninsula there are 509 different species in 62 families, from which 12 are endemic, with 4 subspecies, 2 morphos and 14 hipotetical registers. Belize and Guatemala have also more than 550 species of birds.

places to stay

Amigo's B&B - Cozumel

http://www.bacalar.net
Cozumel bed and breakfast, Amigo's B&B, started back in 1998 with the opening of Cozumel bed and breakfast, Amigo's B&B Cozumel.Here you will find three cottage style units, all with private bath and complete kitchenettes. A large swimming pool is most refreshing after a day Scuba Diving the famous reefs of Cozumel...

Baldwin's Guest House

http://www.mexonline.com/baldwins.htm
What a wonderful place to stay. Your accommodations and hospitality are first class...

Checklist

http://www.birdlist.org/nam/mexico/quintana_roo/quintana_roo.htm

Dan Mennill's Bird Songs of the Yucatan Peninsula

http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/biology/dmennill/Mexico/Mexico.html
Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is home to an amazing diversity of birds, yet the vocalizations of most resident birds have not been studied in detail. By recording the songs and calls of tropical birds and presenting an analysis of their vocalizations on this website I hope to accomplish three things...