Nayarit is Home to 460-plus Species of Birds
The bird life of the area is rich and diverse, with the state of Nayarit finding itself home to more than 460 species. The sub-tropical winters in Nayarit draw a plethora of birds that flock to the mangrove-lined estuaries, coastal shore, and mountains, making it one of the more prominent natural bird shelters in our hemisphere.
Due to the geographical location, length of the coast, and climate, Nayarit has practically as many acuatic and pelagic species as it does land species. Approximately 20 of the species found here are included on the list of NOM - 059 - ECOL - 1994, which is a list of species and subspecies of flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction, threatened or rare, and subject to special protection.
Ornithologists from around the world know that Nayarit offers possibly the finest birding in Mexico, with the opportunity to see more than 30 Mexican endemics, large numbers of neo-tropical migrants, and many tropical birds for whom this is the northern-most point they will travel to. Within 75 miles of Playa Las Tortugas you can enjoy photographing more than 300 species of birds and visit habitats that include pelagic, coastal, shore, mangrove, flatland, intermediate mountain, and high mountain. And all of these habitas are found within an hour-and-a-half ride by car or boat! Some of the birds of special interest that you can see are the Spotted Wren, Citreoline Trogon, Elegant Quail, Purplish-backed Jay, and Russet-crowned Motmot.
December through April are the peak months for visits from the Northern migrants, while numerous local species can be seen year-round. Some of the special interest species that nest here in the summer are the Elegant Trogon, Russet-crowned Motmot, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, and Spotted Wren. The summer months are also a good time to see numbers of Least Storm Petrels, Black Storm Petrels, and Black-vented Shearwater.
Many, many species are observed in places within the easy reach of our visitors.
The variety of birds found just in the immediate area of Playa Las Tortugas is extensive………standing out are some 125 species like the kite (Elanus caeruleus), or the black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) that are considered threatened, and the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) that has special protection, as well as spotted sandpipers, roseate spoonbills, and great blue herons. In August and September there is a plentiful presence of nests with the young of such as the snowy egret.
In addition to our estuary you can enjoy a bird watching excursion to nearby favorite birder places, with or without a guide. Within ninety minutes of Playa Las Tortugas it’s possible to see as many as 330 species of birds from sea level to habitat at over 3000 feet of elevation. With a friendly, English-speaking guide it’s not unusual to see from 30 to 50 species in morning and 20 to 30in afternoon.