[screech-owl]

I may be going to Yucatan this June (mid month), I will be staying around Merida.

Does anyone have a checklist of birds for the Yucatan or could send me a list of summer Yucatan birds?


Where are some good areas between Cancun and Merida?


Thanks,

[James Lowther]

Hi Corey,
there are checklists for the Yucatan peninsula, Yucatan, quintana roo and Campeche states here
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/checklist.jsp?lang=EN
In the summer you can discount most of the species that are migrants from north america, but pretty much all the "mexican" species on the list will be there.
In terms of birding in between cancun and merida, there is a nice track very close to Chichen Itza which is worth visiting early in the morning before going to the ruins (which are not great for birds but very good to visit!) If you're interested i will post more details. A bit further afield you could go to Rio Lagartos (famous wetlands with flamingos, also good savannah habitat for several Yucatan endemic species), and the lake and ruins in the forest at Coba. If you need any directions or tips i'd be happy to help.
Cheers,
James

[tomjenner]

I highly recommend 'Where to watch birds in Mexico' by Steve Howell, the co-author of the best field guide to the region. Its a few years old now, but it gave really good information for me when I travelled around the Yucatan a few years ago. My car broke down in Merida and I was stuck there for three weeks. Its a nice town with lots of good birding areas nearby. Sorry, I don't have my notebooks handy to give you more details.

Tom