NORTHEAST MEXICO: Monterrey, and El Cielo Biosphere preserve.

We will be birding Monterrey and adjacent areas such as the Sierra Madre Oriental, the montane range near Saltillo, the high plains of the Chihuahuan desert, and also in Tamaulipas visiting El Cielo Biosphere Preserve which is at only 4.5 hrs drive from Monterrey.

Monterrey and Saltillo area

Main locations to visit: Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, Chihuahuan Desert, and some birding hotspots near Monterrey city.

Habitat: Pine-oak Forest, dessert, and scrubland.

Target species: 

• Maroon-fronted Parrot*

• Crimson-collared Grosbeak

• Long-billed Thrasher

• Mexican Jay 

• Audubon Oriole 

• Blue-capped Motmot 

• Colima Warbler*

• Northern Pygmy-Owl 

• Brown-backed Solitaire 

• Russet Nightingale-Thrush 

• Rufous-capped Brushfinch 

• Hooded Yellowthroat 

• Worthen Sparrow 

El Cielo Biosphere Preserve 

Habitat: tropical and cloud forest

Target species:

• Altamira Yellowthroat

• Aplomado Falcon 

• Tamaulipas Crow

• Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl

• Thicket Tinamou 

• Sungrebe 

• Hooded Grosbeak 

• Military Macaw

• Mottled Owl 

• Stygian Owl

• Tawny-collared Nightjar 

Duration:

This trip is planned for a 6 days length, with the option to add the extension trip to Chihuahua and make it a 9 days trip, and which involves taking a domestic flight Monterrey-Chihuahua.

Recommendations: Best time of the year for this tour is from May through August. Any other date may be also good except that some species marked with asterisk are not found in the area since they migrate away from this range.

Arrivals/departures: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, at Mariano Escobedo International Airport.

Trip extension: Chihuahua 

Habitat: Pine forest

Target species:

• Thick-billed Parrot*

• Eared Quetzal 

**Only Summer**