The Mexican portion of the Yucatán Peninsula encompasses the states of Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, a remarkable landscape of tropical forests, ancient Maya cities, coastal wetlands, and turquoise Caribbean waters. From the towering ruins of Calakmul deep within the forests of Campeche to the region’s diverse birdlife and extraordinary natural history, my travels have revealed a fascinating intersection of wildlife, culture, and history. The photographs and stories below reflect my encounters with the birds, landscapes, and places that make this corner of Mexico so memorable.
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS FROM MEXICO’S YUCATAN PENINSULA
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Great Curassow
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #54 By Jim Gain 7/23/2023 About this Species The Great Curassow, also known as Crax rubra, is a…
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Baltimore Oriole
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #53 By Jim Gain 7/21/2023 About this Species The Baltimore Oriole is a brightly colored bird with a…
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Magnificent Frigatebird
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #52 By Jim Gain 7/18/2023 About this Species The Magnificent Frigatebird is a large seabird with a distinctive…
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Clay-colored Thrush
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #51 By Jim Gain 7/16/2023 About this Species The Clay-colored Robin (Turdus grayi) is a medium-sized passerine bird…
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Northern Barred-Woodcreeper
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #50 By Jim Gain 7/14/2023 About this Species The Northern Barred-Woodcreeper (Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae) is a medium-sized bird found…
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Northern Jacana
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #49 By Jim Gain 7/11/2023 About this Species The Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) is a distinctive bird species…
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Ruddy Ground Dove
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #48 By Jim Gain 7/9/2023 About this Species The Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti) is a small, stocky…
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Yellow-throated Vireo
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #47 By Jim Gain 7/7/2023 About this Species The Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) is a small passerine bird…
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Lesson’s Motmot
Beautiful Birds of Belize Blog – Post #46 By Jim Gain 7/4/2023 About this Species The Lesson’s Motmot (Momotus lessonii) is a stunning bird species…
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Ringed Kingfisher
The Ringed Kingfisher is the largest kingfisher in the Americas, with a bushy crest, a white collar, and a rufous belly. The Ringed Kingfisher (like…
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Louisiana Waterthrush
The Louisiana Waterthrush can be observed foraging along streams and rivers, often bobbing its tail up and down while walking along the water’s edge. They…
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Vermilion Flycatcher
The Vermilion Flycatcher is a small, brightly colored bird found throughout the Americas. Males have a striking bright red plumage on their head, breast, and…
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White Hawk
The White Hawk is a large raptor found throughout Central and South America. Plumage is white overall with black wingtips and a black tail band.…
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Green-breasted Mango
This bird is named after its brilliant green breast feathers and its scientific name honors the French naturalist, Florent Prévost. The males have a shiny…
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Collared Trogon
The Collared Trogon is a medium-sized trogon species found in the forests of Mexico, Belize, Central and South America. Males are easily distinguished by their…
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Red-throated Ant-Tanager
These birds are known for their distinctively colored plumage, with the males sporting a vibrant red throat, reddish-gray head, and brownish back and wings, while…
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Roadside Hawk
The Roadside Hawk is a common bird of prey found throughout Mexico, Central and South America. It is a medium-sized raptor with a distinctive reddish-brown…
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Ruddy Crake
The Ruddy Crake is a small, secretive bird that inhabits the dense marshes and wetlands of Mexico, Belize and Central America. It is a member…
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White-necked Jacobin
The White-necked Jacobin can be found in Belize, as well as throughout Central and South America. It is a medium-sized hummingbird and males have a…
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Groove-billed Ani
The Groove-billed Ani is a striking bird found in Mexico, Central and South America. Adults have a black body with iridescent green and blue highlights,…
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Rose-throated Tanager
The Rose-throated Tanager is endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and Belize and mostly found in semi-humid to humid mixed woodlands and at forest…
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Laughing Falcon
The Laughing Falcon is a medium-sized bird of prey that is easily recognized by its distinctive call, which sounds like a raucous laugh. The Laughing…
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Common Tody-Flycatcher
Male Common Tody-Flycatchers have glossy black foreheads, slate gray hindcrowns, olive upperparts, black wings and bright yellow underparts. They snatch flying bugs in short quick…
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Yucatan Woodpecker
The Yucatan Woodpecker is a small woodpecker species that is found primarily in the Yucatan Peninsula area of Mexico and Belize. They have distinctive black…