Site Report: Cozumel
Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) Cozumel
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Male
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) Female
Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)
White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala)
Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum)
Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus)
Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) Cozumel caboti ssp.
Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) Female Basic Plumage
Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris)
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Basic Plumage
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Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) Cozumel
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Male
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) Female
Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)
White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala)
Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum)
Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus)
Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) Cozumel caboti ssp.
Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) Female Basic Plumage
Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris)
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Basic Plumage
Cozumel is an island off the Yucatan Peninsula known as a touristy cruise ship port. Sterile and overpriced resorts line much of the coast replacing what was once vibrant jungle. In the birding world, Cozumel is known for its four endemic species (one possibly extinct) and several endemic subspecies. Unfortunately, in three days of trying, I was unable to locate any of the endemics.
Visits
- 2009-01-14: Upon arrival at the airport in Cozumel to start our Central America trip, we were met by the resort company touts who offered a rental car discount, free breakfast, and free entrance to the Punta Sur Ecological Reserve. The breakfast was terrible, and the lowlight of the presentation was a fancy animated video showing a patch of jungle being transformed into resort. We found it difficult to find good birding spots as a lot of the island has been cleared for resort development. Despite hours of searching over a three day period, we did not find ANY of the four endemic bird species.
Species Seen
Kingdom: Animals (43 records)
Phylum: Chordates
(43 records)
Class: Birds
(40 records)
- Order: Anseriformes
(1 record)
- Family: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
- Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
- Order: Cranes, Rails, and Allies
(1 record)
- Family: Rails, Gallinules, and Allies
- American Coot (Fulica americana)
- Order: Doves and Pigeons (3 records)
- Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts
(2 records)
- Family: Hummingbirds
- Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii)
- Family: Swifts
- Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi)
- Order: Pelicans
(13 records)
- Family: Frigatebirds
- Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
- Family: Herons
- Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
- Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Western Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis)
- Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Family: Ibises and Spoonbills
- White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
- Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
- Family: Pelicans
- Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
- Family: Sandpipers and Allies
- Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
- Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
- Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
- Family: Stilts and Avocets
- Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
- Order: Perching Birds
(16 records)
- Family: American Blackbirds and Orioles
- Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
- Family: Bananaquit
- Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
- Family: Cardinals and Allies
- Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
- Family: Mockingbirds, Thrashers, and Allies
- Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
- Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris)
- Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus)
- Family: New World Warblers
- Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)
- Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
- Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)
- Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)
- Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
- Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
- American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
- Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
- Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)
- Family: Tanagers and Allies
- Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
- Order: Shorebirds and Allies
(2 records)
- Family: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
- Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
- Order: Vultures
(2 records)
- Family: New World Vultures
- Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
- Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Class: Reptiles
(3 records)
- Order: Alligators and Crocodiles
(1 record)
- Family: Crocodiles
- American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
- Order: Turtles (2 records)