Yucatan's Bird-watching and Nature Tours
Hacienda Chichen Resort
Bird Guide List and Photos

Bird-Watching Paradise and Eco-Cultural Destination:
Yucatan's Ecotourism and Responsible Sustainable Tourism at its Best!

At the Hacienda Chichen's Bird Refuge and Maya Jungle Reserve in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, guests and visitors alike marvel at the beauty of Mother Nature's wildlife. Take a visual tour now of our Maya flora (plants) and Maya fauna (animals) Hacienda Chichen is Yucatan's ideal bird-watching for both aficionado and professional birders. Bellow this note you will find Hacienda Chichen Bird Guide List; should you observe an additional family or species at the hotel property not mentioned here, please contact us to include it, thanks.

This Yucatan's birding destination and Eco-Spa Getaway offers many wonderful Eco-Cultural Vacation packages if you wish to truly enjoy bird-watching (birding) and experience great eco-friendly fun activities during your visit to Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  Our Property's Full Bird List is grouped in a manner that most bird lovers will understand rather than in a scientific family format.

Bird Guide: a list of birds found at Hacienda Chichen
Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

Anis and  Cuckoos:

Ani Groove-billed, Crotophaga sulcirostris, called "Chic Bul" or "Ch'ikbu'ul" in Maya, is a tropical black bird in the cuckoo family that resides at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge most of the year. It has black-shiny plumage,  deep horizontal grooves along its strong wide beak, strong mandible and a really long long tail.  Normally, the Ani Groove-billed is observed in small pair groups in open pastures and orchards.  Territorial, the group feeds mainly of insects, seeds, and round forager.  Ani Groove-billed lay their eggs in one communal nest placing it in tall trees with all group members incubating the eggs and caring for the young. Order: Cuculiformes / Family Cuculidae.

 
Squirrel Cuckoo, Piaya cayana, called "Kip Cho" in Maya, cayana (Kip Cho in Maya), a rather large bird averaging 46 cm long. A shy bird is found in woodlands and semi-open jungle hedges. Squirrel Cuckoo birds fly only short distances, leaping from branch to branch feeding on large insects such as spiders, caterpillars, wasps, and sometimes fruit. Squirrel Cuckoo plumage has a cinnamon or chestnut upperparts covering the top head, then paler on the throat with an almost pink tone. Its lower breast and
belly are grayish. Squirrel Cuckoo's long tail feathers have black with white band-like tips. The bill is lime and the iris is red. 

These beautiful birds are fairly large in size and their call has sharp "kip! weeuu sounds with long wheeps whistles. Females lay 2 or 3 eggs on twit-leaves high nests.
 

Lesser roadrunner, Geococcyx velox – is a commonly solitary bird but it may live in pairs. A member of the Cuckoo family Cuculidae, order of Cuculiformes. The Lesser roadrunner has a dove-like "coo" vocalization. It resembles in appearance and in its ground foraging habits to the Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californiana;  but it is smaller, has a shorter bill, long tail, slender long legs, black-golden brown and white streaked plumage. Its head features a patched of bluish bare skin behind its bulky eyes.  Although capable of flying, this is a terrestrial bird that eats seeds, fruit, insects, small reptiles such as snakes, lizards and frogs.  Forages around roadsides in arid lowland and scrub for its food and occasional road-kill. Lesser roadrunners can run up to 20 miles an hour. Breeding nests care placed in a low bush or cactus. They have bi-parental care to their young.  There is a disjoint range, restricted island population, of Lesser roadrunners found in the North of Yucatan Peninsula.
 

Bunting Birds:

Blue Bunting, Cyanocompsa perellina, belongs to the passerine bird species. Small stocky bunting with a stout black bill. Males have deep dark blue plumage with bright highlights; females have warm brown plumage and slightly paler belly. They forages on ground, in thickets, and in bushy areas.  If - Order: Passeriformes / Family: Cardinalidae
Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, (click name to see photo and information details). Painted Bunting, Passerina ciris, (click name to see photo and information details).
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                       PAINTED BUNTING - Male                                       INDIGO BUNTING - Female                       INDIGO BUNTING - Male

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Cardinals and Other Grosbeaks:

Blue Grosbeak,     Passerina caerula formally Guiraca caerulea. Blue grosbeak birds are in the Northern Cardinal grosbeak "tropical" family. A passerina migratory bird that forages on the ground and shrubs eating insects, grains and fruits. Found in partly open habitat and overgrown fields, this beautiful bird nests in low bushes and can be found feeding on seeds and wild grassy edges.

Northern Cardinal,   Cardinalis cardinalis, called "Chak Is'iits'ib" in Maya.  These breathtaking deep bright red songbirds are loved for their beautiful singing notes and familiar shade of red (males) with black face marks. Females have brown plumage with same sharp crest and show warm red accents. 

other grosbeak birds:

                
Black-headed Saltator - male              Grayish Saltator - male              Rose-breasted Grosbeak - male
         Saltator coerulescens                            Saltator coerulescens                  Pheucticus ludovicianus 

Scarlet tanager,   Piranga Olivacea, "Chac yuyum" in Maya, formally classified in the tanager family Thraupidae now within the genus of the Cardinal family Cardinalidae.  Scarlet tanager's plumage and vocalization are similar to the cardinal songbirds. Adults males plumage is bright scarlet red with black wings and tail, while scarlet females have yellowish underparts, olive tops, brown wings and tail.  Juvenile scarlet birds show complex variegated plumage.  They breed in May and stay till October foraging high in tree tops. Eat insects in flight but enjoy small berry fruits, building their nests in horizontal high branches.

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Currasows and Guans:

Plain chachalaca,     Ortalis vetula, called Baach in Maya, is a massive large bird in the Cracidae family. Plain chachalaca birds have long necks, bare throat, small heads and really long tails. This bird species enjoys feeding on the ground fruits, seeds, leaves, and flowers. Gliding and leaping through brushy vegetation, plain chachalaca birds often call with a loud rhythmical chorus early mornings and evening, many times producing peeping whistles and cackles that mimic blabbing chatting loud sounds. They breed in early June and their nests look like a shallow saucer made of twigs, plant fibers and leaves. Plain chachalaca birds are shy and difficult to view in the open but easy to hear from a far during the early morning even in the hotel gardens.

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Doves and Pigeons:

There is no difference between a Pigeon and a dove besides the fact that pigeon is a word that comes from the French "pijon" and "dove" s the in English name for the birds members of the Columbidae family which includes over 300 species of near-passerine birds worldwide.  However, nowadays we commonly refer to "doves" to the small members of the species and to "pigeons" to the larger ones; this practical tendency is also found in ornithology.  Pigeons and doves pair for life and their singing has a very low resonant note pattern with little variations; they typically countersing with group members creating enthusiastic patterns. The following are doves and pigeons found at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. You can observe them close to the main house and garden and near the many ficus trees branches all year:

            

 

 

 

 

        Caribbean dove                   Common ground dove           Ruddy ground-dove                 Mouring dove
    Leptotila jamaicensis               Columbina passerine              Columbina talpacoti         Zwnaida macroura

             
           Red-billed pigeon                 Rock pigeon - couple            White tipped dove                      White winged dove
      Patagioenas flavirostris                Columba livia                   Leptotila verreauxi                     Zenaida asiatica
      "Chak Mucuy" in Maya            "Chan Mucuy" in Maya

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Egret:

Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, a small gregarious snowy=white egret distinguished during breeding season by its orange crown plumes. This ibis has long neck and long yellow pinkish bill that turns reddish during breeding season; when they monogamous pair within breeding colonies.  The Cattle Egret normally legs also change color during breeding season from gray-green tones to bright red to orange-brown colors. This bird species is commonly seen foraging and grazing stock in wetlands and interior grassy pastures.  Cattle egrets love to eat grasshoppers and insects as well as worms, ticks, small frogs and lizards. 

 

Euphonia and Finch Birds:

              
  Yellow-throated Euphonia female (left) breeding nest (center photo) male (right)  Euphonia hirundinacea

Yellow-throated Euphonia   Euphonia hirundinacea belong to the Tanager Subfamily, the Thraupinae. This stocky small birds are found all year round at Hacienda Chichen Resort's gardens in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  Its natural habitats are subtropical dry or moist lowland and disturbed forests. Note the yellow throat plumage is what distinguish this Euphonia male from the Scrub Euphonia male that has a black throat plumage. Both parents care and feed their young.

Lesser Goldfinch or Dark-backed Goldfinch,   Carduelis psaltria, is a social small seed eating finch, often gregarious and enjoys living in small flocks. It is among the most joyful songbird found year round in Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge.  It has a small pointed and conical dark bill, dark wings with large white wing-bars and short notched tail.   Lesser Goldfinch males have bright yellow body plumage with black backs, cap and wings, though some have dirty green back plumage. Very adaptable to open habitat settings and forest clearings, it primarily feeds in small groups moving through low weeds and seeds. Pairs are monogamous, females wove and line their cup-like nests and the male feeds the female when she is incubating eggs.  Due to their lovely singing they get caught for the cage bird trade by Maya locals but they are protected at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and Maya Jungle Reserve. 

Scrub Euphonia,   Euphonia affinis, order Passeriformes, Family Carduelidae.  Scrub Euphonias are truly social gregarious tiny birds.  Males have a blue black head, upperparts, wings and neckline with bright yellow fore-crown and under-parts.  Females have a duller pale yellow belly and greenish gray upper plumage.  It has a variety of habitats but is commonly found in our scrubby woodland and royal palms when they produce their small fruits.  Scrub Euphonias make different calls with double and tripled dee or deen notes. They often mixed with other bird species near trees that are baring fruits.

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Falcons and Caracaras:

Caracas are raptors (birds of prey) in the Family Falconidae, members of the true falcon subfamily subfamily Falconinae found principally in South America, Central America and the south region of USA.  Caracaras are often scavengers and falcons are aerial hunters, both are carnivorous.  These are the caracaras and falcons found at Hacienda Chichen Maya Jungle and Wildlife Reserve:

                       
     American Kestrel                               Bat Falcon                                    Crested Caracara

American Kestrel,   Falco sparverius, called I'kos in Maya, are the smallest falcons observed at Hacienda Chichen Wildlife Reserve as winter visitors.  Males have truly attractive facial feather patterns with a blue-gray crown and white with black throat bands; their back wings have golden brown plumage with black spots and their wings long blue-gray feathers, their tail under-parts have black and golden brown bands ending with a white tip (see above left photo). Females are similar in size but their plumage is less colorful with mostly golden brown and dark brown body spots and bands. Adapted to various habitats, American Kestrel hunts by perching or hovering for small pray typically lizards, mice and small animals. Nests in tree cavities and both parents help incubating and feeding their offspring.

Bat Falcon, Falco rufigularis a small bird of prey and resident breeder that can be observed in forest clearings or perching conspicuously on high open dead tree branches from where they launch their aerial attacks to their pray such as bats, birds, and large insects.   Females are larger than males. Adults have a black head, back, and tail; the throat and upper chest are creamy white with fine barred white bellies.  Has a distinctive high pitched call.

Crested Caracara, Caracara cheriway, also called Northern Crested Caracara.  A slow flying falcon found in most of Mexico, Cuba and Central America, truly voracious omnivorous scavenger found in semi-open country habitats. It enjoys carrion but eats on ground small mammals, insects and reptiles. Males have broad wings, long tail and legs; frequently found walking and running on ground.  Sexes are similar in size and plumage, with black long feathers a top of the head, bright orange cere or facial skin, and hooked white bills.

            
           Laughing Falcon                    Peregrine Falcon                   Crested Caracara

Collared Forest Falcon, Micrastur semitorquatus

Laughing Falcon, Herpetotheres cachinnans (Kos in Maya) is Neotropical falcon species of the subfamily Polyborinae that enjoys mostly eating snakes. His call is an unmistakable  laughing aloud sound. As with most birds of pray, this falcon's female is bigger than males.  Adults have pale buff head with a broad black face mask across neck; it has white body plumage and a banded tail with black brownish wings. Prefers humid semi-open habitats.

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus, a great hunter from the family Falcomidae that preys on birds and bats in mid-flight (speeds over 200 mhp). This large crow sized falcon mates for life and prefers wide open spaces and have a homing instinct for favored aeries. It has beautiful barred white under-parts and a black head band over his eyes and a banded tail.  A winter visitor to Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge.
Collared Forest Falcon

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Flycatcher and Antbirds:

Flycatcher family of birds from the order of Passeriformes. Many flycatchers are great songbirds and truly have a beautiful plumage. This large group of birds includes various species, all of which feed mainly on insects that are caught during fly, many feed also on small fruits or berries. Flycatchers have incredible aerial skills and spend time perching on various territories and habitats.  These are the flycatchers found at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and Maya Jungle Wildlife Reserve, in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico:  

                   
  Barred antshrike - male                      Barred antshrike - female                 Brown-crested flycatcher
   Thamnophilus doliatus                          Thamnophilus doliatus                      Myiarchus crinitus

            
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher    Great crested flycatcher     Social Flycatcher             Great Kiskadee

 

Boat-billed flycatcher, Megarynchus pitangus - X'takay in Maya for all similar birds head and body plumage colors

Bright-rumped attila, Attila spadiceus

Couch’s kingbird, tyranuus couchii

Dusky-capped flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer

Eastern Wood-Pewee, Contopus virens

Great crested flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus, loves to hunt insects from deciduous forest treetops; thus, easier to be hear than seen.  The great crested flycatcher is a mid-size songbird with bright yellow belly and cinnamon Rufus wings and tail that has pale wing-bars.  Breeds in open deciduous semi-open areas and nests in cavities lining them with snakeskin and soft bark and small twigs.

Great Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus, ( X'takay in Maya all similar birds in head features and body plumage colors)

Greenish Elaenia, Myiopagis viridicata

Least flycatcher, Empidonax minimus, a migratory songbird visitor that has white underbelly and olive-gray coloring on the back. Two white bars on their wings help identify it from other flycatchers.

Northern Bentbill, Oncostoma cinereigulare

Social flycatcher, Myiazetetes similis  (X'takay in Maya for all similar birds in head features and body plumage colors)

Sulphur-bellied flycatcher, Myodynastes luteiventris

Tropical Pewee, Contopus cinereus

Tropical Kingbird, melancholius (X'takay in Maya)

Yellow-bellied elaenia, Elaenia flavogaster

Yellow-bellied flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris, a small flycatcher with large semi-crested head, yellowish eye-ring, throat and breast, two broad yellow or white wing-bars. Yellow-bellied flycatchers are found in semi-open habitats.

Yellow-olive flycatcher, Tolmonyias sulphurescens

Yucatan flycatcher, Myiarchus yucatanensis – endemic. (X'takay in Maya)

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Galliforms:

Yucatan bobwhite or Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis, "Bech" in Maya.

 Grackles and Cowbirds:

Almost all black feathered birds are called Pi’ich (such as the black melodious bird) or X'Kau (grackles and cacique) in Maya, even though they are not of the same bird family or bird species: see photos bellow,  Black Melodious is a songbird that delights anyone with its lovely melodious singing notes at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and Gardens.

                
     Black Melodious Oriole                              Great-tailed Grackle                               Yellow-billed cacique

                
         Bronzed cowbird                                               Brown Jay                                         Common grackle

Common grackle, Quiscalus quiscula,  (Pi’ich in Maya)
Yellow-billed cacique, Amblycercus holosericeus (called also Pi’ich in Maya)
Great tail grackle, Quiscalus mexicanus (X'Kau in Maya)
Bronzed cowbird or Red-eyed cowbird, Molothrus aeneus

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Gnatcatchers and Grassquits:

                
          White-lored gnatcatcher                        Blue-gray gnatcatcher - female            Blue-black grassquit

Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, looking like a miniature mockingbird, this little bird has a lovely blue-gray feathers atop and white belly with a distinctive white eye ring, broad white borders on black tail. Male have a deep blue gray eyebrow band, females do note (above photos). Parents are quite vocal and build exquisite nests, lovely singing birds.

               
      White-collared seedeater                   Yellow-faced grassquit                  Blue-black grassquit - female

Blue-black grassquit, Volatinia jacarina, resident of Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge, this lovely songbird has deep blue black plumage all over its body.  These grassquit birds form flocks and enjoy feeding in open weed fields and habitats.

White-collared seedeater, Sporophila torqueola

White-lored gnatcatcher, Polioptila albiloris

Yellow-faced grassquit, Tiaris olivacea   

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HAWKS and GOATSUCKER BIRDS:

Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor

Chuck-will’s-widow, Caprimulgus carolinensis

Gray Hawk, Asturina nitida, (Yoksadz in Maya)

Lesser Nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis

Pigeon Hawk, Falco Columbarius

Roadside Hawk, Buteo Magnirostris

Short-tailed Hawk, Buteo albonotatus

White Hawk, Leucoptemis albicollis

Yucatan Poorwill, Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus – see Yucatan endemic birds

Zone-tailed Hawk, Buteo albonotatus

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HUMMINGBIRDS:

                   
     Mexican sheartail               Emerald-chinned hummingbird      Cinnamon hummingbird            White-bellied Emerald

Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Amazilla yucatanensis - called Dzunum or Tz'unu'un in Maya 

Canivet’s Emerald hummingbird, Chlorostibon canivetii

Cinnamon hummingbird, Amazilla rutila, called Tz'unu'un in Maya 

Emerald-chinned hummingbird, Abeillia abeillei

Green breasted mango, Anthracothorax prevostii (Dzunum in Maya)

Mexican sheartail, Doricha eliza, Dzunum" in Maya is a species found only in Mexico belonging to the Trochilidae family. It is endangered due to habitat lost; thus protected at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and in our Maya Jungle Reserved where visitors and birders enjoy this beautiful tiny hummingbird.

Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris, (Dzunum in Maya most hummingbirds)  

White-bellied Emerald hummingbird, Amazilia candida

Wedge-tailed sabrewing, Campylopterus curvipennis

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JAY BIRDS:

Brown Jay, Psilorhinus morio

Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, called Ses ib in Maya

Yucatan Jay, Cyanocorax yucatanicus, called Ch'el in Maya, an endemic bird species to the Yucatan Peninsula, protected at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge where birders have the unique opportunity to see it enjoy many of the fruits of this hotel's organic plantain orchard.

 

MOCKINGBIRDS:

Gray Catbird,     Dumetella Carolinensis, called Box Chika' in Maya, is a mid-sized perching bird; the only member of the "catbird" genus Dumetella of the Mimidae family. This bird species is named for its cat-like call but it also mimics other birds songs.  Male and female birds look alike with plain grey plumage and the head top darker, almost black, the undertail coverts are rust colored.   Gray Catbirds enjoy perching inside bushes and small trees when choosing to sing their many musical tones when hidden in undergrowth.  These birds breed in semi-open dense areas, they build bulky cup nests and lay pale turquoise eggs (two or three). Both parents take turns feeding the young birds.

Tropical Mockingbird,    Mimus gilvus, a resident passerine bird from the Mimidae family. Both female and male are alikewith grey plumage on the head and upper parts and a white-eye-stripe and dark patch through its yellow eye.  The Tropical Mockingbird long tail is dark with white feather tips. These resident birds have a varied of musical songs; enjoy eating insects and small wild berries. They build twig nests that are aggressively protected by the female.

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MOTMOTS:  

The Motmots bird species are called Toh in the Maya language and are observed regularly at the Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and Maya Jungle Reserve.  These near-passerine birds of the Momotidae family are in the order of Coraciiformes.  You can find these motmots in woodlands and neotropical forests.  Both spices have beautiful and colorful plumage (see bellow photos), long racket like tip tails, and heavy bill; they love to move their tail in a waging back and forth motion when they detect predators.  Toh birds, as the Maya call them, eat small pray such as insects, lizards, and fruit. These species enjoy forming large bird colonies and nest in bank tunnels and limestone caves laying about four eggs; with both parents caring for the young.

                                                           
Turquoise-browed motmot, Eumomota superciliosa              Blue crowned motmot, Momotus momota

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ORIOLE BIRDS:

Oriole birds are passerine birds in the New World family of Icteridae. These perching birds are known as songbirds for the joyful melodic singing of their rich whistles. Most orioles at Hacienda Chichen feed on insects, nectar and the Gumbo-limbo fruits, Bursera simaruba.  They have bright yellow and deep orange color plumage with black and white marks near neck, tail, and in their wing feathers.  Fairly common to find each morning are the following beautiful oriole species, do observe the different subdue markings and plumage differences:

These Orange and Deep Yellow Oriole Birds are called Chel in Maya / Black Melodious Oriole is called Pi'ch:

                      
 Baltimore oriole, Icterus galbula    Yellow-backed, Icterus chrysater   Yellow-tailed, Icterus mesomelas

                 
Orchard oriole, Icterus spurius      Black-Cowled oriole, I. Dominicensis    Melodious black, Dives dives

These beautiful Oriole Birds are called Yuyum in Maya:

                                           
  Altamira oriole, Icterus gularis    Hooded oriole,  Icterus Cucullatus        Orange oriole, Icterus auratus

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OWL BIRDS:

                          
             Barn owl                              Mottled owl                        Great horned owl                     F. Pygmy owl

Barn owl, Tyto alba, lechuza común (Spanish) called  Xoch'  in Maya.  Primary a nocturnal sedentary owl with high auditory acuity, the only member of the family Tytonidae (all other owls are from the Strigidae family). Sometimes called the monkey-faced owl family, this medium sized owl is easy to ID as it lacks ear tufts and has a distinctive heart shaped facial disk unlike all other owls.  Barn Owl enjoys warm weather and lowland habitats, its diet is mainly wild rodents and reptiles. It builds its nest sites in hollows or natural cavities in trees.

Ferruginous pygmy owl,  Glaucidium brasilianum ridwayi, Buho Viejita o Mochuelo Caburé (Spanish) called X'nuk in Maya
It is a small sedentary owl with reddish-brown-rust color and white plumage.  You can hear its calls fromyour own room patio terraces at Hacienda Chichen gardens and observe pygmy owls during the early dusk (crepuscular hours) it is a ferocious predator, feeds on small mammals, birds and reptiles, that nests in tree cavities from all woodpecker holes and on tree depressions.  Both adults bring food to their young.  

Great Horned owl,  Bubo virginianus mayensis, called búho real (Spanish) and Moan Ikim in Maya meaning the "wise-great-owl."  This great horned owl subspecies is only found on the Yucatan Peninsula.  In general, the Great horned owl is a family with 4 races and a native owl of the Americas.  The largest and most powerful of all owls found at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and private Maya Jungle Wildlife Reserve.  It has prominent horned ear tufts and a clear facial disk bordered with black lines and has intense yellow-lime eyes.  An adaptable sedentary predator feeds on any small to medium creatures as it has a powerful feet and a strong grip; perches and scans for pray before the hunt.  Adapts to most habitats; nests in caves and hollows quarries or even in cactus' holes left by other birds.  Both parents care for the young.

Mottled owl,  Ciccaba virgata, a strictly nocturnal owl found in the Yucatan to South America, its habitat is very extensive and enjoys dwelling in forest areas and jungles such as that found in Hacienda Chichen Maya Jungle Reserve. Hunting from a perch, its diet consists on large insects, small mammals and reptiles.  Nests can be found in old palm holes during January and February each year.

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QUAILS:

Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis, "Bech" in Maya.
Yucatan Quail, Colinus virginianus

 

PARROTS:

                   
     Yucatan Amazon Parrot                           White-fronted parrot
Amazona xantholora, T’uut in Maya                Amazona Albifrons

White-fronted parrot,  Amazona Albifrons, is found from Southern Mexico to Central America. An easy to detect parrot for its clearly marked bright red patch around the eyes and white forehead plumage; its body is covered with bright green feathers and has a red shoulder wing-spot. Strong yellow peak with dark tip. Flies in family groups in forests eating nuts, berries, seeds and ripe fruits.  Nests in tree hollows. 

Olive-throated parakeet, Aratinga nana, of the Psittacidae family. Called Periquito Verde (Spanish) or K'ijil (Maya) is found in Jamaica, Mexico and Central America in a wide range of fragmented habitats and areas.  A very green looking parakeet with the head, back and tail bright green and their throat olive green, the eyes are orange with a dark iris, skin around the eyes is cream color. 

  Yucatan Amazon Parrots or Yellow Lored Amazon , Amazona xantholora, "T'uut" in Maya, are one of the many Yucatan endemic bird species found at Hacienda Chichen Maya Jungle Reserve, Chichen Itza, Yucatan.  These lovely parrots of Yellow lories are only found in the Yucatan Peninsula, and a great family flock can be observed and heard every day at sunrise and later in the day.   These birds travel in flocks from feeding grounds to their roosting sites. Parrots are monogamous for life and become good pets; but are best enjoy flying free in their medium forest habitat. Yucatan parrots love to fly together in small groups to feed on fruits, seeds, flowers high on tree branches. Talkative and noisy, their plumage is mainly emerald green with indigo blue outline wing feathers; when in flight, their red patched wings can be observed clearly. At the forehead, these birds have a patch of yellow feathers near the peak, a white spot covers the head top, red feather near eyes.

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PLOVERS:

Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, rare to observe at Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge but does venture to inland disturbed habitats and open fields.

SPARROWS:

Olive sparrow, Arremmonops rufivirgatus, also known as Green Finch, family Emberizidae, essentially a Mexican bird species ranging up to Texas.  It is a bush loving species, Its plumage has olive colors in general with a set of dark lines in its headline.  A small seedeater bird that enjoys staying close to the grown.

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SWALLOWS:

Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica.  A distinctive worldwide spread passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings.  Enjoys feeding on insects caught while it flies.  Barn swallows tend to be comfortable around humans and perches in electric cables and man-made structures. Enjoys open space areas as its habitat.

Cave swallow, Petrochelidon fulva its habitat is mainly central south Mexico with isolated groups in Chiapas and here in the upper Yucatán Peninsula we have another isolated but permanent population. Cave shallow flocks prefer cenote or sinkholes and cave habitats shared with bats here in Yucatan, they visit the Hacienda Chichen pool area almost daily for a drink of water. Easy to recognize for their brown tangerine forefront and throat with blue gray upper-parts, tail is square and bill very small.  Feeds on small insects. Nests in tunnels and caves.

Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota it is from same family as the cave swallow found in Hacienda Chichen Bird Refuge and gardens all year round.

Northern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Purple Martin, Progne subis

Ridgway’s rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx ridgway - "Cutzam" in Maya.

Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor

 

SWIFTS:

Rufous-breasted Spinetail  Synallaxis erythrothorax

Vaux’s Swift, Chaetura vauxi

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TANAGERS:

 

  Blue-gray tanager, Thraupis episcopus

Gray-headed tanager, Eucometis penicillata

Red-throated ant-tanager, Habia fuscicauda

Red-legged honeycreeper, Cyanerpes cyaneus

Rose-throated tanager, Piranga roseogularis – rare to observe

             
      Scarlet tanager:   male (left photo), feeding their young (center photo)  female (right photo)

Scarlet tanager birds,   Piranga Olivacea, formally classified in the tanager family Thraupidae now its genus is in the cardinal family Cardinalidae.  Scarlet tanager's plumage and vocalization are similar to their cardinal family members. Adults males plumage is bright scarlet red with black wings and tail, while scarlet females have yellowish under-parts, olive tops, brown wings and tail.  Juvenile scarlet birds show complex variegated plumage.  They breed in May and stay till October foraging high in tree tops. Eat insects in flight but enjoy small berry fruits, building their nests in horizontal high branches. 

 

Summer tanager, Pirunga rubra

Western tanager, Piranga ludoviciana

Yellow-winged tanager, Thraupis abbas 

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THRUSES: 

Clay colored robin, Turdus greyi, ( X'Kok in Maya )

Gray-cheeked thrush, Turdus

Louisiana waterthush, Seiurus motacilla

Pulple martins, Progne subisr (see wood thrushes)

Swainson’s thrush, Catharus ustulatus

Wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina

 

TINAMOUS:

Thicket Tinamou, Crypturellus cinnamomeus

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TITYRAS and BACARD:

Black crowned tityra, Tityra inquisitor (Pelan K'euel in Maya)
Mask tityra, Tityra semifasciata, (Pelan K'euel in Maya)

Rose-throated bacard, Piranga roseogularis.
 

TOUCAN and ARACARI:

   
 

 

   

 

 

                    Collared Aracari, Pteroglossus torquatus             Toucan, Keel-billed, Ramphastos sufuratus

TURKEY:

Ocellated Turkey,    Agriocharis ocellata, this wild bird is one of the many endemic bird species of Yucatan and it is protected in our Nature Reserve, is  known to the Maya as the grand "Kutz".  Males have a lovely plumage of  iridescent golden yellow, violent, indigo blue, metallic greens and white; their head and neck color has deep hues of blue and violet  with  protuberances like a domestic turkey. Their tails have a semi-circular pattern near the end of the feathers. 

 Found only in Yucatan, the Oscellated turkey feeds on seeds, shoots or insects, lives in small family groups within deciduous low bush forest.  A ground dweller that can not be domesticated and nests in dense forest spots, sleeping at tree top branches.  Mayan families enjoy to eat these shy and easy to disrupt birds.

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TROGONS:

Trogon family of birds has 36 species that reside in tropical forests worldwide. This bird species loves to perch and has only one family, the Trogonidae. The word "trogon" in Greek means "nibbling" and it refers to the birds building tree nest holes.  Two trogon bird species are found at Hacienda Chichen, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico,  both reside at the hotel's Bird Refuge and can be seen eating insects and fruits perching serene on their arboreal habitats; they are generally sedentary.

                            
Black-headed Trogon, Trogon Melanocephalus.   Violaceus trogon, Trogon violaceus

 VULTURES:

American Black vulture, Coragyps atratus

Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura

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VIREO BIRDS:

Lesser greenlet. vireo, Hylophilus decurtatus

Mangrove vireo, Vireo pallens

Red-eyed vireo, Vireo olivaceus

   Rufous-browed peppershike
         Cyclarhis gujanensis

Warbling vireo, Vireo gilvus

White-eyed vireo, Vireo griseus,

Yellow-green vireo, Vireo flavoviridis,
Yellow-throated vireo, Vireo flavifrons

Yucatan vireo, Vireo magister,

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WARBLER BIRDS:

American redstart warbler, Setophaga ruticilla

        Bay-breasted warbler
         Dendroic castaneaa

Blue-winged warbler, Vermivora pinus

Black-and-white warbler, Mniotilta varia

Blackpoll warbler, Dendroica straita

Black-throated blue warbler, Dendroica caerulescens

Black-throated green warbler, Dendroica virens

Black and white warbler, Mniotita varia

Cape May warbler, Dendroica tigrina

Cerulean  warbler, Dendroica cerulea

Chestnut-sided warbler, Dendroica pensylvanica

Common yellowthroat warbler, Geothlypis trichas

Kentucky warbler, Oporomis formosus

Louisiana waterthush, Seiurus motacilla

Gray-crowned yellow-throat, Geothlypis poliocephala

Hooded warbler, Wilsonia citrina

Magnolia warbler, Dendroica magnolia

Northern Parula, Perula americana

Northern waterthrush warbler, Parkesia noveboracensis

Ovenbird warbler, Seiurus aurocapillus

Palm warbler, Dendroica palmarum

Prairie warbler, Dendroica discolor

Prothonotary  warbler, Protonotaria citrea

Tennessee warbler, Vermivora peregrina

Yellow warbler, Dendroica petechia aestiva

Yellow-breasted Chat, Icteria virens

Yellow-rumped warbler, Dendroica coronata

Yellow-throated warbler, Dendroica dominica,

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WAXWINGS: 

Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

 

WOODPECKER and WOODCREEPER BIRDS:

All woodpeckers and woodcreeper birds are called Colonte in Maya, at Hacienda Chichen private Bird Refuge and Wildlife Sanctuary in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. Woodpeckers are a family of near-passerine birds Picidae.  Most species live in woodlands habitats, feeding on insects and some small seeds.  There are ten species of this genera residing in our gardens and Maya jungle.  The Ivory-billed woodpecker is extinct in many parts of the world but has been observed in our property by renown bird-watchers such as Barbara MacKinnon and naturalist Jim Conrad. 

Woodcreepers are passerine birds endemic to the Neotropics with their distinct family Dendrocolaptidae; they keep an upright vertical posture thanks to their stiff tail vanes.  Woodcreepers feed mainly on insects and like woodpeckers they are arboreal cavity-nesting birds. Woodpeckers and woodcreepers have stiffened tails, used as prop, crucial for their climbing and foraging.  View our photo album of both species bellow to identify which bird you have observed while staying with us:

            
Ivory-billed woodcreeper     Golden-fronted woodpecker    Golden olive woodpecker    Ruddy woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus flavigaste                 Centurus aurifrons             Piculus Rubiginodud     Dendrocincla homochroa
 

                    
Ladder-backed woodpecker     Pale-billed woodpecker        Yellow-bellied sapsucker     Yucatan woodpecker
     Picoides scalaris                Campephilus guatemalensis          Spyrapicus varius            Melanerpes pygmaeus

Lineated woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus

Olivaceous woodcreeper, Sittasomus griseicapillus

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WRENS:

Carolina wren, thryothorus ludovicianus

House wren, Troplodytes aedon

Spot-breasted wren, Thryothorus maculipectus

Southern house wren, Troglodytes aedon

White-browed wren, thryothorus albinucha

White-bellied wren, Uropsila leucogastra

  Yucatan wren, Campylorhynchus yucatanicus, called " Yan coti" in Maya (see Yucatan endemic birds).

 

YUCATAN ENDEMIC BIRDS: Some general names but look also for bird groups:

Mexican sheartail, Dorich eliza, endemic emerald green humming bird, "Dzunum" in Maya.

Ocellated Turkey, Meleagris ocellata – endemic species

Yucatan bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis, "Bech" in Maya.

Yucatan flycatcher, Myiarchus yucatanesis, known in Maya as a " X'takay "

Yucatan Jay, Cyanocorax yucatanicus, endemic.

Yucatan night-jar, Caprimulgus badius, called "Box Pujuy" in Maya.

Yucatan parrot or Yellow lored, Amazona xantholora, (T’uut in Maya)

Yucatan poorwill, Nyctiphrynus yucatanius, called "Chac Pujuy" in Maya.

Yucatan Quail, Colinus virginianus

Yucatan vireo, Vireo magister, (see verios)

Yucatan woodpecker, Amazilla

Yucatan wren, Campylorhynchus yucatanicus, called " Yan coti" in Maya.

 

 

 

 

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