Steve Howell from his recently completed Lacandon tour to southern Mexico

As well as spectacular rain forest, omnipresent Black Howler Monkeys, and mystical Maya ruins, the quintessential avian sights of this region never pale – from a translucent, ethereal White Hawk against cloudless blue skies to rainbow-colored Keel-billed Toucans (both below). Our early start along the Usumacinta River to Yaxchilán allowed for relaxed birding in the ruins (below), as well as close-up views of at least 10 (!) King Vultures feeding on a riverside carcass (with Black Vultures, below). We ended the trip with dizzying numbers of waterbirds in the Centla wetlands, including a nesting colony of Boat-billed Herons and a surprise American Bittern (both below), as well as good numbers of the more expected Pinnated Bittern, swarms of wintering North American warblers (including Blue-winged, Worm-eating, and Prothonotary), and a nice flock of Yucatan Jays, here at the edge of their range. Another great trip to “Mexico’s Amazon” – the Lacandon region of Chiapas.

White Hawk

Keel-billed Toucan

Yaxchilán ruins

King Vultures with Black Vultures

Boat-billed Herons

American Bittern