Tropical Forest Birding Tour

After your private pickup utilizing a modern, high quality, air conditioned vehicle, we will follow coastal Highway #200 south from Vallarta, traveling through a beautiful array of still largely intact habitats to reach the turnoff for the hidden community of El Nogalito, which is surrounded by bird-rich forest habitats, in about a half hour.  

The community and surround forested habitats are home to such specialties as endemic West Mexican Chachalaca; Golden-crowned Emerald; Citreoline Trogon; Golden-cheeked Woodpecker; Mexican Parrotlet, etc. 

Resident Neotropical Species include Red-billed Pigeon; Groove-billed Ani and Squirrel Cuckoo; Broad-billed and Cinnamon hummingbirds; Gray and Short-tailed hawks; Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl; Elegant trogons; Russet-crowned Motmot; Green Kingfisher; Acorn, Pale-billed and Lineated woodpeckers; Collared Forest-Falcon and Bat Falcon; Orange-fronted Parakeet and Military Macaw; Ivory-billed Woodcreeper; Masked Tityra, Rose-throated Becard, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Black Phoebe, Bright-rumped Attila, Nutting’s, Boat-billed and Social flycatchers, Great Kiskadee, Tropical and Thick-billed kingbirds; Green Jay; White-throated Thrush; Scrub (Goldman’s) Euphonia; Rosy Thrush-Tanager; Stripe-headed Sparrow; Yellow-winged Cacique; Streak-backed Oriole; Red-crowned Ant-Tanager; Blue and Varied buntings; Grayish Saltator, etc. 

Migratory Pacific-Slope Flycatcher; Black-capped, Bell’s, Plumbeous and Warbling vireos; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; Yellow-breasted Chat; Louisiana and Northern waterthrushes, Black-and-White, Nashville, MacGillivray’s, Yellow, Black-throated Gray and Wilson’s warblers; Summer and Western tanagers; Painted Bunting, etc are present during winter.   

In spring and summer even Brown-crested and Sulphur-bellied flycatchers; Yellow-green Vireo; Gray-breasted Martin, etc. are commonly seen here.

Complimentary breakfast snacks will be provided to boost your energy levels while concurrently scanning the surrounding forests for birds first thing this morning.

Usually this “continental breakfast” consists of yogurt, fruit, juices, granola bars and other nutritious options.  Cold, bottled fresh water and a selection of soft drinks — including diet alternatives—are also readily on tap.  Supplies are limited.  We apologize if your preferred flavor is not available.

Restrooms are available on site at Nogalito Ecopark.  

*Timing is approximate and which trail we take or in which order may vary due to seasonality, weather, trail conditions and previous BIM experiences in the region; we also reserve the right to alter the stated program for the better in the event that we learn of a special nearby birding opportunity or rarity.

For a full list of birds recorded at El Nogalito and our next stop at Mismaloya please press here

We transit extensive deciduous Sinaloan Thorn Forest in the coastal lowlands as we continue the day’s outing.

Where the highway borders the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, a small chain of islands known as Los Arcos National Park and Marine Reserve is visible just offshore, where Brown Pelican, Magnificent Frigatebird, Blue-footed and Brown boobies, and Gray-breasted Martins may easily be seen.  

We will take the time to stop and scan for these and other interesting seabirds this morning, en route between El Nogalito and Mismaloya.

Mismaloya Valley gained its claim to fame in the late 80s as the site where the original Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Predator was filmed, so don’t get concerned if you see signs in english warning of “predators in the area!”

Come on… admit you saw it.  Almost everybody did, including birders like BIM’s Greg R. Homel, who, at the time, admired the incredibly verdant background scenes, in particular, wondering where the movie was filmed!

Well, look no farther… the set and some of the props are still there, as is most of Mismaloya’s remarkably lush, tropical habitat seen in the movie—replete with great birds that unfortunately weren’t.  

Endemic San Blas Jays and Citreoline Trogons, in addition to neotropical residents like Yellow-winged Caciques, Streak-backed Orioles and Russet-crowned Motmots seem to be particularly common here, while large hawk-eagles (Black-and-White and Black varieties), White-collared Swifts Golden-crowned Emeralds, and Crested Guans are always a possibility. 

We will explore part of the valley for birds as we work our way ever southward during this morning’s exciting outing!

For a full list of birds recorded at Mismaloya and Nogalito Pueblo please press here

Boca Tomatlan is a small fishing village turned vacation getaway, and it retains the character of both.  It is also the launching point for water taxis serving the roadless, remarkably well forested north coast of Cabo Corrientes—most famously the town of Yelapa.  

We will take the time to briefly scan for interesting shore and seabirds from a point overlooking Boca Tomatlan, and if time allows, we’ll explore the estuary of the Rio Los Horcones for cormorants, herons, Rufous-backed Robins and Louisiana Waterthrushes, etc.

feeder restocking at their now famous bird feeding station, where the frenetic bird activity and concurrent photographic activities are usually very impressive:

From Boca Tomatlan, Highway #200 turns inland and ascends the dramatic canyon of the Rio Los Horcones, grading from thorn forest to montane tropical forest and finally encinal (pine-oak woodland) during this ascent.  

During our morning drive through the gorge, we can safely pull aside at a strategic turnoff to scan for raptors like Zone-tailed and Gray hawks, as well as for a haze of White-collared Swifts swirling above the highway, as our transit may coincide with their a.m. activities as they leave their roost site deep in the canyon each morning.  

Military Macaws and Lilac-crowned Parrots are also possible overhead while driving this route, so we will listen for and keep an eye out for their silhouettes in the sky while scanning for swifts as we ascend the grade.

This river is one of the only unobstructed, still naturally flowing rivers remaining locally—though this status is now threatened by a planned dam.  The small community of Las Juntas y Los Veranos sits atop this canyon and the Vallarta Botanic Garden lies a few kilometers beyond.  

*Timings are approximate and the itinerary may vary due to seasonality, weather, trail conditions and previous BIM experiences at VBG; we also reserve the right to alter the stated program for the better in the event that we learn of a special nearby birding opportunity or presence of a rarity.

Once a degraded scrape on a hillside in Cabo Corrientes, the now lushly foliated and welcoming Jardín Botánico Vallarta (Vallarta Botanic Garden) is a keystone natural landmark in Cabo Corrientes and a must see destination for any visitor to Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit!

Well established fruit and nectar feeders maintained by the VBG for years, now regularly attract a plethora of exciting regional birds… all of which are conditioned to expect a literal smorgasbord of high quality fruit and hard boiled eggs lovingly put out for them twice each day by staff at the VBG.  

West Mexican Chachalaca (endemic); White-tipped Dove, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (endemic); Green and San Blas (endemic) jays; White-throated Thrush and Yellow-winged Cacique, are all regulars at the feeding station and can be easily seen and photographed from above while you stand comfortably shaded on the cheerful first story verandah of Restaurante Hacienda del Oro enjoying the frenzied antics of the fearless birds below you!  

This is one of the best places to see the extremely colorful Jalisco Race of Green Jay—which is usually very skulky and shy, but comes out in the open to feed here and is much more brightly colored than the race seen by US birders in South Texas!

Have your cameras at the ready!

VBG’s open-air Hacienda del Oro restaurant comes complete with several active hummingbird feeders hanging from its eves, and a stunning view of the Preserve’s verdant hillsides and canyon of the Rio Los Horcones below it, to boot!

If we decide to eat here we will compile our checklist, enjoying the regional dishes served up there, while taking in the thrilling sight of a variety of hummingbirds attracted to the VBG’s nectar feeders.

Plain-capped Starthroat, Broad-billed, Ruby-throated and Violet-crowned hummingbirds are the most common seasonal regulars at VBGs hummingbird feeders.

For a full list of birds recorded at VBG please press here

Please realize that BIM offers separate full and half day birding options at VBG.  The full day option also visits The Military Macaw Sanctuary.  The difference is that the current tour focuses more intently on general viewing at a variety of habitats and the full day VBG tour focuses on exploring the trails at VBG, which are not visited on the current tour out of time considerations. 

Whichever you choose, you’ll be glad to know that according to the Garden’s monthly periodical, El Papelillo / The Leaflet — VBG is one of North America's premier botanic gardens—now designated among the “Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Traveling For" by the North American Garden Tourism Conference (a program managed by the Canadian Garden Council)!

Highlight birds to be expected at VBG are those inhabiting the interface between three biomes at VBG—the upper edge of the Sinaloan Thorn Forest, lower Encinal (Pine-Oak Woodland) and Riparian ecosystems associated with the still wild Rio Los Horcones which bisects this keystone wildlife sanctuary in Cabo Corrientes.  There are plans for the Garden to expand its preserve by 50% by 2021.

Seasonally common birds here include West Mexican Chachalaca, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Russet-crowned Motmot, Plain-capped Starthroat, Violet-crowned and Broad-billed hummingbirds, San Blas and Green jays, Ferruginous and Colima pygmy-owls, White-throated Thrush, Yellow-winged Cacique, Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow, Rosy Thrush-Tanager and now Military Macaws have been documented occupying nest boxes strategically placed for them on natural pines at the highest extremities of the property! 

Even Black-and-White and Black hawk-eagles have been definitively identified soaring over the property, and camera traps have documented wild Jaguars mere kilometers away on the wild Rio Los Horcones!

This trip does not stop after our visit to VBG.  Not by a long shot!

Rather, it does double duty by also finishing the day’s exciting birding by visiting The Military Macaw Sanctuary (aka Rancho Santuario) nestled in the pine-clad highlands of Cabo Corrientes.  

BIM participants will have the fortuitous opportunity to visit a private rancho turned grassroots conservation area for the endangered Military Macaw—the only one of its kind in the world—replete with both natural and artificial nesting boxes designed by Jorge Novoa of Las Juntas y Los Veranos—nestled in the refreshing, pine-clad highlands of Cabo Corrientes. 

En route, to the Sanctuary, we’ll make a brief stop at Emiliano Zapata Road next to the dramatic Rio Los Horcones Bridge on Careterra #200, to search for aquatic birds and possible sightings of Collared Forest-Falcons and other neotropical specialties here, and thereafter BIM will treat you to some fresh Banana Bread, famous in the region and sold by a local bakery we pass on our way to see the Military Macaws.

Once we arrive at the parking area for the Sanctuary, we will be welcomed by the friendly warden, Francisco Espino, then we’ll set off on a 200 m walk on the Sanctuary’s well-maintained, but gravely trail to reach a spectacular, new, 15 m / 49’ MACAW OBSERVATION TOWER and another 100 m further on, an amazing  MACAW OBSERVATION BLIND overlooking half a dozen nest boxes, which are occupied in season (usually November-April).  

The almost incomprehensible, once in a lifetime sight of several pairs of wild Military Macaws (in flight and perched in plain site) is the rule not the exception here!  Have your cameras at the ready!

The prevailing habitat and elevation (617 m / 2025’) here is quite different from that of hot and sultry Puerto Vallarta.  

Enjoy the refreshing springtime climate and gentle breezes while birding among the pines and oaks, as you watch for nesting Military Macaws and highland birds like resident Greater Pewee, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Gray-collared Becard, Brown-backed Solitaire, Grace’s and Rufous-capped warblers; endemic Lilac-crowned Parrot, Colima Pygmy-Owl and Golden Vireo; in addition to migratory Painted Redstart, Black-throated Gray and Wilson’s warblers, etc., in season! 

For a full list of birds recorded at the Military Macaw Sanctuary please press here

*This project was founded and developed through ecotourists pioneered by Birding In Mexico in 2010. We are proud to continue this tradition through your participation, and BIM will put its money where its mouth is by making a generous contribution to the Sanctuary, in keeping with our dedication to conservation through ecotourism.  Thank you for making this possible!

Upon completion of todays Birding in Mexico adventure, each participant will be cordially returned to their original pickup point, with pleasure, and it is our sincere hope that you’ll return to that point very pleased and richer for today’s Birding in Mexico experience.