Barra de Navidad - A Paradise for Birds and Bird Watchers

Barra de Navidad - A Paradise for Birds and Bird Watchers

Rosseate Spoon bill, White Ibis, Kingfhisher and some others birds - Andres de Urdaneta St. in Barra de Navidad Jal.

Barra de Navidad is located on the east end of the Bahia de Navidad. With a lagoon behind , it offers great bird watching for experts birders or for those just nature lovers within relatively short distances.


A good time of the day to go birding and to observe the  Rosseate Spoon bill, White Ibis, Kingfhisher and some others birds is early in the morning just as the sun rises. 

Rosseate Spoon bill, White Ibis - Andres de Urdaneta St. in Barra de Navidad Jal. - Casa Las Margaritas

Rosseate Spoon bill, White Ibis - Andres de Urdaneta St. in Barra de Navidad Jal. - Casa Las Margaritas

Other birds like the Yellow Wing Cacique love the seeds  of the guamuchil tree. It has a long red seed pod with small white seeds. The seed pods are ripe in early February and many different types of birds and squirrels really love this fruit .

Yellow Wing Cacique love the seeds  of the guamuchil tree - Velero St. Barra de Navidad Jal. Mexico

Hummingbirds are always close to flowers like copa de oro and hibiscus.

Cinnamon Hummingbird  Amazilia rutila  Colibrí Canela - Casa Las Margaritas Barra de Navidad Jal. Mexico

Birds like painted buntings can be observed in gardens like here in Casa Las Margaritas

Birds like painted buntings can be observed in gardens like here in Casa Las Margaritas

Birds like painted buntings can be observed in gardens like here in Casa Las Margaritas

This is a rare view of a Caracara ,(Quebrantahuesos in Spanish) a type of falcon , sharing dinner with a street cat. The Caracara  likes to hang around with a family of cats on Calle  Velero in Barra de Navidad. 

Caracara Quebrantahuesos a type of falcon - Barra de Navidad Jal. Mexico 

Ginger (gingercito) and a Caracara Quebrantahuesos a type of falcon , sharing food with a street cat - Barra de Navidad Jal. Mexico

Swallows are also common to see. These swallows were hanging around by Calle Velero  during a rainy day in Barra de Navidad.

Swallows hanging around by Calle Velero  during a rainy day in Barra de Navidad Jalisco.

Some of the birds that can be observed by the Barra de Navidad Lagoon and surrounding area are:

English                                           Scientific                        Spanish 
Tropical Kingbird                          Tyrannus melancholicus    Tirano Melancólico/Tirano Tropical
Roseate Spoonbill                       Ajaia ajaja                              Espátula Rosada/Chocolatera 
Great Blue Heron                         Ardea herodias                     Garza Azulada/Garza morena/Garzón Cenizo
Little Blue Heron                          Egretta caerulea                   Garceta Azul/Garza Azul
Brown Pelican                              Pelecanus occidentalis       Pelícano Pardo/Pelícano Café
Great-tailed Grackle                    Quiscalus mexicanus         Zanate Mexicano/Zanate Mayor
Cinnamon Hummingbird           Amazilia rutila                       Amazilia Canela/Colibrí canela/Colibri Canelo
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron    Nyctanassa violacea           Garza-nocturna Coroniclara/Pedrete corona clara 
Great Egret                                    Ardea alba                             Garza blanca/Garza Grande 
Streak-backed Oriole                  Icterus pustulatus                Turpial de Fuego/Bolsero de fuego 
Yellow-winged Cacique             Cacicus melanicterus         Cacique Mexicano                  -  Endémico
Wood Stork                                   Mycteria americana              Tántalo Americano/Cigüeña americana/Galletán
Magnificent Frigatebird               Fregata magnificens           Rabihorcado Magnífico/Fragata Magnífica 
Great Kiskadee                            Pitangus sulphuratus          Bienteveo Común/Luis bienteveo/Luis Grande
Orange-fronted Parakeet           Aratinga canicularis              Perico Frentinaranja
Royal Tern                                    Sterna maxima                      Charrán Real / Golondrina Marina
Crested Caracara                       Caracara cheriway                Carcara Común/ Caracara Quebrantahuesos
Black Vulture                                Coragyps atratus                   Carronero Común/Zamuro Negro/zopilote común
White Ibis                                      Eudocimus albus                  Corocoro Blanco/Coco pato/Ibis Blanco 
Double-crested Cormorant       Phalacrocorax auritus           Cormorán Orejudo 
Painted Bunting                           Passerina ciris                       Colorín sietecolores   ----> Near Threatened
Barn Swallow                               Hirundo rustica                       Golondrina Común
Snowy Egret                                  Egretta thula                          Garza Nívea/Garceta pie-dorado
Melodious Blackbird                   Dives dives                            Turpial Cantor/Tordo Cantor
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker  Melanerpes Chrysogenys  Carpintero Cachetidorado/Carpintero cariamarillo/carpintero enmascarado
Great White Heron                       Ardea Alba                               Garza Blanca
Elegant Trogan                             Trogon Elegans                       Trogón Elegante / Pájaro Bandera
Northern Jacana                           Jacana Spinosa                     Jacana Norteña

In this album you can see more pictures of birds:  

A great source I found for information of birds in Mexico is:  Avibase – Listas de Aves del Mundo – Mexico

Visiting Barra de Navidad? Stay at Casa Las Margaritas

Barra de Navidad Jalisco México

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker  Melanerpes Chrysogenys  Carpintero Cachetidorado - Barra de Navidad Jal.

Orange oreol bird - Barra de Navidad, Jalisco Mexico ere in Casa Las Margaritas

Bird watching -  Barra de Navidad, Jalisco Mexico ere in Casa Las Margaritas

White Ibis - Andres de Urdaneta St. in Barra de Navidad Jal. Casa Las Margaritas

Visiting Barra de Navidad? Stay at Casa Las Margaritas

Northern Jacana bird- Grand Bay Isla Navidad Golf Course