Site Report: Cozumel, Mexico
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
- Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
- Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
- Western Cattle-Egret (Ardea ibis)
- Family: Ibises and Spoonbills
- Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
- White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
- Family: Pelicans
- Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
- Family: Sandpipers and Allies
- Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
- Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
- Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
- 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
- Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris)
- Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
- Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus)
- Family: New World Warblers
- American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
- Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
- Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
- Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)
- Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)
- Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)
- Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)
- Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
- Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)
- 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)