| Birding in El Cielo updated February 2008 |
Birdwatching in El Cielo is a fantastic way to explore the biosphere reserve. El Cielo serves as a crossroads for North and South American bird species – providing a wonderful birding experience. Some species include the ornate hawk-eagle, thicket tinamou, singing quail, military macaw, Aztec parakeet, maroon-fronted parrot, white-crowned parrot, red-loried parrot, yellow-headed parrot, red- crowned parrot, squirrel cuckoo, bronze-winged woodpecker, ivory-billed wood creeper, blue mocking bird, flame-colored tanager, elegant trogon, mountain trogon, blue-crowned motmot, and fifteen species of hummingbirds. A keel-billed toucan (the largest toucan found in Mexico) has even been sighted in Gomez Farias and Alta Cima (January 2005). Bird-watching in El Cielo can be carried out from the roadways with highly successful results. We encourage you to use local guides (even for bird-watching from the road). Local guides have organized a bird naturalist group, called ‘El Grupo de Aves’. Their knowledge of the local birds is impressive and they can certainly enhance your experience. The guides have been university-trained in both visual and song-based identification. Furthermore, the guides are learning English specifically related to bird- watching (names, identification characteristics, and spotting directions). They are also very patient with Americans who want to practice their Spanish vocabulary. Most importantly, as they are all local residents, they know where to find species better than anyone else! Utilizing local guides also supports the development of a sustainable way of life for people living within El Cielo. A portion of the proceeds from guiding also supports trail maintenance and equipment. LOCAL NATURALIST GUIDES Alta Cima Gomez Farias Esteban Berrones Ricardo Jimenez Ramirez Eduardo Padrón Serrano San José Fidel Serrano Garay Francisco Marin Berrones Adelfio Serrano Garay La Gloria Efren Guerrero Gudiuo |
Send an email to: BIRD GUIDE FOR EL CIELO to make arrangements to hire one of the local guides. Or visit Aves de Tamaulipas With the support and training of several organizations (Pronatura Noreste, the Institute for Food and Ecology at the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, WildShare International,) a group of individuals who live in the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve have formed "El Grupo de Aves," a professional birding outfit that operates throughout the Reserve. They are not only available for professional bird guiding, they also are fully trained in ornithological research activities. They have been employed as research assistants by several major universities and non-profit ornithological research organizations. |
| Photos courtesy of Kerry Wilcox of the Institute for Bird Populations; taken during a field study conducted with local parabiologists in El Cielo |