Throughout Mexico, we have learned about the most unique birds! It all started in the Botanical Gardens Of Puerto Vallarta…

…My wonderful parents got a pamphlet of birds of the area and we got pretty interested in birds, especially because the birds of Mexico are pretty with their exotic shapes, colors, and types. So, for most of Mexico, that pamphlet of birds was how we knew which birds were which. Even though the pamphlet has 143 bird species, it wasn’t very useful all the way in the Yucatan peninsula, as the pamphlet was only about the birds in the Jalisco and Nayarit states, not the Yucatan states. When we were on a mangrove boat tour (that showed us the amazing pink flamingos), the drivers had a book about the birds of the Yucatan Peninsula. It was a really good book, containing over 450 species! And so my brother and I were eager to get that book. Getting it, we realized what an upgrade the book has been!! As the pamphlet didn’t have actual pictures (though it had really good drawings), the book did (and it had a full paragraph explaining the habitat, what they eat, and lots more)! So, we were very grateful for getting the book, and it’s amazing! Here is a handful of my top 5 (if I could, I would list all of the Mexican birds!!) favorite birds:

Turquoise-browed Motmot; This bird is really unique, it is a maroon color on its chest, with a turquoise "eye-brow” (hence the name). And the most unique part, it’s tail. This Motmot tail is a dark blue-ish color with a teardrop in the end! It surely is a beautiful bird! We saw this unique bird only ones in Chemuyil.

Osprey; This bird has a white chest and head, with black wings and a black stripe going across his face where his eyes are. Ospreys also have a really curved beak. We have seen several of these beautiful birds, throughout Mexico and in the U.S. as well.

American White Pelican; This water bird is seen everywhere near the coast. It is a really big bird with a white body, and a really large beak to eat fish. Sometimes, you can even see Pelicans with a green neck. When we were snorkeling (in Chemuyil), watching a humongous group of fish (about 10,000 fish, not that much…), every now and then, we would just see a big splash of water, tons of fish ducking down, and then, a big Pelican floating in the water just next to you. These birds are truly incredible.

American Flamingo; This bird is pretty commonly known in the knowledge of people. Flamingos are tall pink birds, with an odd (but really fascinating!!) beak, and long legs. Normally, you can expect to find these birds standing on one leg! Don’t worry, it’s just a way of resting one of their legs while the other supports the body. We see many seagulls do this as well. One of my favorite things about them is that when they fly, they look like a pink spear! Sometimes, while we are walking near mangroves, somebody just says “Flamingo!” and, sure enough, you see a “pink spear” flying across the sky!

(Last, but definitely not least) Great Kiskadee; This gorgeous bird has a bright yellow belly, a black stripe covering the eyes, and a white head. The Great Kiskadee also has a yellow stripe right on the top of their heads. It also has a brown back. This pretty bird was seen many times along our trip, both flying and walking. With its unique bright yellow belly, it was hard not to spot these little guys. Beautiful bird!!

Those are my ultimate top 5 favorite birds in Mexico. But… There’s one more prize that I’d like to hand out to a special bird. The prize of the bird with the most unique sounds/calls goes to…. (drumroll please)

The Great Tailed Grackle! The males are a gorgeous black color. Even though this doesn’t sound interesting when in the sun, these pretty guys shine a deep blue color! The female on the other hand, these are slightly smaller, but still really pretty! They are a light brown color, that shines when in the sun. Their eye-ring (a circle that loops around their eye, protecting it) is a white color, giving a beautiful contrasting color. The most attracting part of these birds are their tails! They are really long and when they are landing (or if they’re unstable), the tail fans out to reveal an intricate design of overlapping feathers! Now, the reason why I’m naming these birds as the most unique sounds is because, they have all sorts of sounds!! There is a sound that is a deep, throuty, gurgling sound; a high-pitched shriek; a beautiful call; and lots more! These are some of the most interesting birds!

Pretty much (if not all) of the birds in Mexico are gorgeous, and very unique in their own special way. I’m so glad we got to spend time in this country to check out lots of the prettiest birds I’ve ever seen!