Located in southwestern Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico’s fifth-largest state, is a varied and scenic wonder. Possessing a pleasant, mild climate, most of the state occupies a mile-high plateau encircled by the Sierra Madre del Sur. As evidenced by Oaxaca's birdlist--the largest of any Mexican state--the birding here is wonderful. In addition to several rare endemics that are more easily found here than any where else, Oaxaca is home to many stunning Mexican and regional endemics. Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Beautiful, Bumblebee, Emerald-chinned, Green-fronted, Blue-capped, Cinnamon-sided and White-tailed Hummingbirds, White-throated and Dwarf Jays, Ocellated Thrasher, Boucard's Wren, Slaty Vireo, Red-breasted Chat, and Black-chested, Bridled, and Oaxaca Sparrow are all likely to be seen. In addition to these more difficult to locate endemics we will find many of the more widespread Mexican and regional endemics. Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Golden-crowned and Canivet's Emeralds, Russet-crowned Motmot, Citreoline Trogon, Pine Flycatcher, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Crescent-chested and Red Warblers, Yellow Grosbeak, Hooded Grosbeak and Black-vented Oriole are some expected examples of this latter category.

Exciting birds often compete with the splendid scenery for our attention as we travel through the wide variety of habitats found in Oaxaca. Examples of these habitats include pine-oak forest, arid scrub, thorn forest, cloud forest and tropical lowlands. Although some of our birding destinations are at high altitude, birding is generally along roadsides with no strenuous or prolonged hikes required. Due to the diversity of habitats we visit during our tour, we have compiled an incredible composite list of more than 540 species to date. Proof of the varied birdlife found in Oaxaca, our tour has AVERAGED more than 420 species per tour over the past eight years (since the addition of our visit to those amazing wetlands of Veracruz). In 2003 we tallied an incredible 436 species, and each year's total since 2000 has exceeded 400. While 400 species on our trip list is a goal to aspire to, we try to make sure each participant has the most fun possible.

After much deliberation over which route provides us the best birding and comfortable lodging while minimizing long drives, we decided to change our itinerary slightly. Our popular Grand Oaxaca itinerary has changes in two ways: 1) Our first night is now spent in Acapulco. This eliminates a very long travel day capped with a five-hour drive to our first night’s hotel. More importantly, it provides us with additional time in the thorn forest habitats along Oaxaca's Pacific slope. The dramatic loss of habitat in recent years has made many of the highly sought species from this habitat much more difficult to find. Thus the extra time here gives participants greater comfort and a greatly increased opportunity to see all of Oaxaca's thorn forest specialties. 2) We have added another night’s stay on the zocolo in Ciudad Oaxaca. This provides participants an additional day in which to more thoroughly explore this fascinating city. Relax on the hotel’s patio as you soak up the atmosphere found on the zocolo, visit some of the museums, churches, or markets within walking distance of our hotel or use the extra time to search for any of the specialty birds that have eluded you.

Once again this year we have added an extension that provides an additional two days in the mountains just north of the city of Cuernavaca. Access to the unique habitats here adds a number of very special endemic birds to our lists. It also allows us to witness the spectacular evening swift flights, often numbering in the thousands. Consisting mostly of the endemic White-naped Swift, these flocks are an incredible experience. Sumichrast’s Wren, Black-polled Yellowthroat, Sierra Madre Sparrow, Strickland’s Woodpecker, and Striped Sparrow, are a few of the other birds we search for during our last two days in Mexico. This route, because of the modern highway between Cuernavaca and Acapulco, allows us to complete a great circle through the “Heart of Mexico”. In addition, not surprisingly, the savings generated by flying round-trip out of a single city (Acapulco) are often greater than the cost of an additional two days.

DAY ONE - Arrive independently in Acapulco, Mexico. After arranging our gear in the van, we will begin birding at some of the areas south of the Acapulco Airport before checking into our hotel. Night Acapulco.

DAY TWO - Predawn will find us beginning our drive east and south along the coast toward the state of Oaxaca. Even on our drive to our hotel we will enjoy such habitats as coastal lagoons, large wetlands and thorn forest covered hillsides. We may see White-throated Magpie-Jay, Gray, Roadside and Black-collared Hawks, ducks and maybe some nightbirds by the time we arrive at Pinotepa. Night Pinotepa Nacional.

DAY THREE - Early morning birding in the Pacific coast thorn forest. We may see Lilac-crowned and White-fronted Parrots, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Cinnamon, Doubleday's and Green-fronted Hummingbirds, Citreoline Trogon, White-lored Gnatcatcher, Streak-backed Oriole, the enigmatic Red-breasted Chat, Orange-breasted Bunting and Stripe-headed & Black-chested Sparrows. Birding in many different habitats before we arrive in Puerto Escondido for lunch will give us a large day list. Thorn forest, wet grasslands, ponds, lagoons, rivers and ocean shore will all be visited. We should find many ducks, herons, shorebirds, raptors and passerines too. Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkin, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Northern Jaçana, and many migrating shorebirds. When we reach Puerto Angel we will have a chance to see several oceanic species including Brown Booby and Red-billed Tropicbird. A visit to a favorite thorn forest area should yield Doubleday's Hummingbird, Banded Wren, Russet-crowned Motmot and Orange-breasted Bunting. Our day will end with a fine dinner (fresh seafood is my choice!) on the shore of the scenic bay below our hotel. Night Puerto Angel.

DAY FOUR - Early morning birding in the mountains above Puerto Angel. Russet-crowned Motmot, Citreoline Trogon, Fan-tailed Warbler, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, saltators and hummingbirds should all be seen. But our main emphasis will be on seeing the three endemic birds of this small mountain range--Wagler’s Toucanet, and Cinnamon-sided and Blue-capped Hummingbirds. We have never missed this spectacular trio on our tour, and a second day in the area is planned so that none of these endangered beauties will be missed this on this year’s tour either! After a full day of birding we may tour a local shade coffee operation, enjoying dinner at the fine hacienda. Night Puerto Angel.

DAY FIVE - An early morning departure for birding in the coastal ranges on our way into Oaxaca. Some of the birds we may see include Wagler’s Toucanet, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Squirrel Cuckoo, hummingbirds (Berylline, Bumblebee, Cinnamon-sided and Blue-capped), Pileated, Tufted and Yellowish Flycatchers, Bright-rumped Attila, Masked Tityra, Gray Silky-Flycatcher, Golden Vireo, Black-headed Saltator and Yellow-winged Caçique. The incredible scenery of the small mountain villages will compete with Oaxaca's higher elevation birdlife for the day’s most memorable sightings. Green Violet-ear, Red Warbler, Golden-browed Warbler, White-throated Jay, even the names of these birds are colorful and exciting! We will arrive in Oaxaca in the late afternoon, hopefully with time left to walk a bit and enjoy the activity around the central square or zocolo. With large trees, elegant 16th Century Churches, wrought iron railings and large stone edifices framing the courtyard our visit here is always a treat. Night Oaxaca.

DAY SIX - Early morning departure for Cerro San Felipe. We climb through several habitat types ending up in a humid pine-oak forest near 11,000 feet. Several endemics (Gray-barred Wren, Red Warbler and Collared Towhee) reach their southeastern limits in this area. Several others are more easily found here (Long-tailed Wood-Partridge, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, Rufous-capped Brush-Finch, Aztec Thrush and Collared Towhee) than any other locations we plan to visit. Other birds we may encounter include Garnet-throated Hummingbird, woodcreepers (Strong-billed, White-striped and Spot-crowned), Pine Flycatcher, Black Robin, Brown-backed Solitaire, Crescent-chested Warbler, and Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer. We will have a picnic lunch in the forest, and, if weather conditions allow, may stay until dusk for some night birding. Night Oaxaca.

DAY SEVEN - Early morning birding at Ruinas de Yagul. Possible birds here are Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Dusky Hummingbird, Beautiful Hummingbird, Boucard’s Wren and White-throated Towhee. The time spent exploring the thorn scrub on the hillsides below the interesting ruins will pass rapidly as the sun soon becomes quite warm shortly after the sun clears the mountains. A stop at Tule on our return to Oaxaca in order to visit the impressive Mexican Cypress in the courtyard (supposedly the tree with the largest circumference in the world) is planned. Lunch may be at the central plaza in Oaxaca to give us one more taste of Colonial Mexico. We may also visit the scrub oak hillsides to the north of Oaxaca in the afternoon for Slaty and Dwarf Vireos and Oaxaca Sparrow. Night Oaxaca.

DAY EIGHT - Early morning visit to the scrub habitats found below the ruins of Monte Alban. Monte Alban was an important social and religious site of the Zapotec and the impressively restored ruins are one of the most significant archeological zones in Meso-America. As we explore the scrub-covered slopes below the ruins, we should find Ocellated Thrasher, Slaty Vireo and many of the same species observed the past three mornings. We will thoroughly explore the ruins and return to Oaxaca to spend the remainder of our day exploring in town. This will be our best night for some owling in the mountains to the north of the city. Species to be looked for include Whiskered Screech-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Flammulated Owl and Stygian Owl. Night Oaxaca.

DAY NINE - An early departure to visit more of the montane habitats north of Oaxaca. Here the avifauna is different than that in the Valley of Oaxaca as we pass over to the Caribbean Slope. Many of the birds we see will be new. Keel-billed Toucan, Unicolored Jay, Montezuma Oropendola, White Hawk, Spot-breasted Wren, Dusky Antbird and many others are possible. Lunch at Valle Nacional with an arrival in Tuxtepec planned for near dark. Night Tuxtepec.

DAY TEN - Morning will be spent birding areas that contain remnant forest on the hillsides. In this highly agricultural area even these small tracts of forest have good numbers of birds. Little and Thicket Tinamous calling in the early morning hours, Dusky Antbird, Barred Antshrike, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Northern Bentbill, Gray-headed Tody-Flycatcher, tanagers (Blue-gray, Crimson-collared and euphonias), hummingbirds (White-bellied and Canivet's Emeralds, Little Hermit, and Wedge-tailed Sabrewing), Violaceous Trogon, Chestnut-headed and Montezuma's Oropendolas, and Yellow-tailed, Audubon's and Altamira Orioles are likely highlights. Lunch in Tuxtepec with more afternoon birding. One night we will have an owling trip; past trips have produced Common Potoo, Pauraque, Whip-poor-will, Vermiculated Screech, Striped and Mottled Owls and sounds that have to be heard to be believed. Night Tuxtepec.

DAY ELEVEN - Sunrise will find us birding the tropical forest on our way to the cloud forests above Valle Nacional. Although we may have birded this area on our way into Tuxtepec, the sights and sounds of a morning in this spectacular area are not to be missed. Little and Thicket Tinamous calling from the hillsides, Slate-colored Solitaires calling from every moist canyon, Ruddy Foliage-gleaners giving their nasal calls from a dark, but dependable, ravine, Keel-billed Toucans calling in groups from exposed limbs above the forest, Emerald-chinned, Azure-crowned and Bumblebee Hummingbirds dive-bombing each other at isolated flower banks, Hooded Yellow-throats and White-naped Brush-Finches skulking near brushy roadsides and the incredible scenery of the higher elevation cloud forest will all capture our attention. We will enjoy a picnic lunch in the mountains before our return to the lowlands and additional lowlands birding before we return to the hotel. Night Tuxtepec.

DAY TWELVE - One last morning to revisit any of the tropical areas we may wish, or one last chance to try for Sumichrast's Wren (in the unlikely event that we missed on our first try!). We will depart Tuxtepec by midmorning in order to have a great deal of time for birding the wet savannas of coastal Veracruz. Here we will see incredible numbers of waterbirds in all varieties. We should see all of the herons and egrets found in this region in numbers that at times may be staggering. Raptors are the other highlight, and we have seen as many as 19 species during our day in the area. Kestrel, Laughing, Merlin, Peregrine and Aplomado Falcons, White-tailed and Snail Kites, Black-collared, Roadside and Gray Hawks, Common and Great Black-Hawks and even large numbers of Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures should be seen. Huge numbers of highly visible birds may make this the favorite day for many participants. Last year we saw 159 species on our Veracruz wetlands day! This area also has good numbers of spectacular species like Fork-tailed Flycatchers (a highlight from 1999 was a field with more than 30! of these graceful birds flycatching from grass perches low to the ground), Green-breasted Mango, Gray-necked Wood-Rail and even the familiar Vermilion Flycatcher. We will bird our way to the coast before turning north toward Veracruz. Even with stops at several coastal locations, we should arrive in Veracruz with plenty of time to repack, cleanup and change clothes before dinner. Night Veracruz.

DAY THIRTEEN - Those returning to the United States from Veracruz will be transferred to the airport for their morning flights. Those who elect to return to the United States via Acapulco will be joining us for our extension to Cuernavaca. We will leave Veracruz early in the predawn hours in order to time our arrival at Amatlan just after sunrise. As we get closer to our destination, Volcan Orizaba will dominate the horizon. If we are lucky we will have good views of this "perfect" volcano before clouds obscure the cone. Just a short distance off the highway can be found the small village of Amatlan and the karst limestone hillsides that are home to one of Mexico's most unique endemics--Sumichrast's Wren. Although we should have heard this species' loud songs in Oaxaca, getting to those forest patches is often impossible there. Here, the karst limestone hills are covered with plantations of coffee growing under shade trees. The many footpaths in the forest give us easy access to the habitat of this truly amazing bird. Other birds from past trips include Thicket Tinamou, Singing Quail, Bronze-winged (Golden-olive) Woodpecker, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, toucans, Fan-tailed and Golden-crowned Warblers, and Montezuma and Chestnut-headed Oropendolas. After finding Sumichrast's Wren we leave the coastal lowlands behind as we climb into the central volcanic belt. Lunch will be on the scenic and historic zocolo in Puebla, and birding will be opportunistic as we travel. We want to be sure to arrive in Cuernavaca in time to catch one of the true bird spectacles of this area--the sometimes-overwhelming evening roost flights of swifts. Past experiences include clouds of Chestnut-collared and Vaux's Swifts, and more importantly for us, evening roost flights of White-naped Swifts that can number in the 1000's. Night Cuernavaca.

DAY FOURTEEN - Early departure into the mountains to the north of Cuernavaca. We will be visiting several select locations looking for a few rare birds whose distribution is among the most restricted in the world. Sierra Madre Sparrow, Strickland's Woodpecker and Black-polled Yellowthroat all have ranges that are extremely small. Other goal birds for the day include Striped Sparrow, Black-backed (Abielle's) Oriole, White-striped Woodcreeper, Pine Flycatcher and Green-striped Brush-Finch. Our first destination is a collection of bunch grass meadows for the most difficult of our goal birds--Sierra Madre Sparrow. As we search for that more uncommon endemic, we will be entertained by the surprisingly common Striped Sparrow. Also possible in the pine-oak woodlands are Gray-barred and Brown-throated Wrens, Red and Olive Warblers and another of our goal birds of the day--Strickland's Woodpecker. After a late breakfast/early lunch at a nearby town we will begin our journey to the Lerma Valley and the remnants of the once extensive marshes near Almaloya del Rio. Our purpose for this side trip is to see Black-polled Yellowthroat, which can be surprisingly easy to find in the weedy margins of the marsh. After our visit to the marshes, we retrace our steps to Cuernavaca with a few birding stops in the mountains on our return. We will be back in Cuernavaca before the evening roost flights of swifts begins in order experience this incredible spectacle once more. Night Cuernavaca.

DAY FIFTEEN - Early morning birding to find any of the localized species we may have missed, reacquaint ourselves with the restricted range endemics we saw yesterday or to spend as you wish preparing for our return to Acapulco. We leave Cuernavaca in time to arrive at the airport a few hours prior to our flights. We will make a few stops en route to the coast before arriving at the airport. Our minds will then focus on our return flights home with enough colorful memories of birds, people and scenery to last us until our next visit to Mexico!