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Birds of Puerto Vallarta

Some of our regular habitants have flown back north for the next few months. Humans have also left but it’s the birds we’ll miss the most! We love the birds of Puerto Vallarta. Many of them winter here, just as we do and then leave for a few months to find warmer climes.

One species that not only doesn’t leave the area, they also lives here year round; we have a special fondness for this noisy feathered friend, the chachalaca. They are found only on the Pacific slope of Western Mexico and you will see them from Jalisco to Chiapas. Though they are often mistaken for a turkey, they are related to the guans and curassows. This member of the Cracid family makes a lot of noise and is easily discovered by birdwatchers, but his raucous nature also makes him vulnerable to poachers. The chachalaca travels in groups, as many as a dozen at a time; they congregate in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. The brusque, throaty, cadenced vocalization is the chachalaca you are hearing in the jungle  of Puerto Vallarta.

The hummingbirds are who we will miss. Our research tells us that there are millions of species of hummers around the world and we aren’t surprised by that. These magical little creatures come in different sizes, tiny to wren sized; colors, drab to brilliant; varied chatter from squeaking to lively twitter. The bright orange Rufus is beginning to make their journey north at this time. We always look forward to their return in mid to late summer, when they fly non-stop, without resting and are voraciously hungry upon their return to Puerto Vallarta. We always make sure our feeders are filled and refilled during this time. You can recognize the popular Rufus by the white ring around their neck.

Flocks of green parakeets got our attention on our first visit to Puerto Vallarta and we have enjoyed them daily over the years. Their chattering character adds delight to any afternoon as they dart around in flocks as large as a hundred or more. Hummingbirds roost after dark in fruit trees and often have an afternoon siesta perching together, gossiping in shrubs and gardens. We have witnessed them flying like starlings in a murmuration, swooping and diving, in large open spaces. They are primarily seen in Mexico from Sinaloa all the way south to Honduras, and Nicaragua. We’re lucky to have them here in Puerto Vallarta.

There are several sites to find out about bird watching in Mexico and we recommend www.birdinginmexico.com for valuable information pertaining to Puerto Vallarta.

Que es cómo es.