Skip to navigation, or go to main content.

WINGS Birding Tours – Itinerary

Mexico: San Blas - Mangroves and Forests

Monday 6 January to Tuesday 14 January 2025
with Steve Howell as leader
Monday 24 February to Tuesday 4 March 2025
with Steve Howell as leader
featured image

The bizarre Northern Potoo is one of many exotic species we should see in San Blas, which makes a perfect winter getaway to sun and birds. Photo: Steve Howell

Not far from the U.S. yet in the midst of a rich and decidedly tropical avifauna, the small coastal fishing town of San Blas, Nayarit, has long been famous among birdwatchers. From our base in town we’ll explore the nearby palm and thorn forests, oak woods, coffee fincas, mangroves, freshwater marshes, beaches, and coastal lagoons. These habitats host birds ranging from Blue-footed Booby and Wilson’s Plover to Russet-crowned Motmot, Fan-tailed Warbler, and the little-known Mexican Woodnymph. Other highlights among the many possibilities, including 30 Mexican endemics, are Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Mexican Parrotlet, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, San Blas and Purplish-backed Jays, and Golden Vireo. This short tour, based at an exceptional hotel with a fine restaurant, a swimming pool and a staff that accommodates birdwatchers, provides an opportunity for relaxation as well as an excellent introduction to birding in Mexico.

Day 1: The trip begins at 7:00 pm in Puerto Vallarta. Night in Puerto Vallarta.

Honestly, I was along for the ride and didn’t give the trip much thought beforehand… BUT I pretty quickly rediscovered the joy of birdwatching, hiking in parts unknown, and hanging out with new friends and an amazingly talented leader.

Leslie Hamp, Jan. 2020

Days 2-8: We’ll depart early for birding near Puerto Vallarta, where a good variety of species should include the endemic San Blas Jay which, ironically, isn’t in San Blas! After an early lunch at the hotel we’ll drive north through the humid coastal hills to San Blas, our base for the coming week. We should find around 250 species within a few miles of town as we travel from the plantations and scrub around San Blas to palm forest near Singayta, shady coffee plantations and pine-oak forest, and the beach and lagoons at Matanchen.

Characteristic landbirds around San Blas include Citreoline Trogon, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Sinaloa Crow, Happy Wren, Rufous-backed Thrush and Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique, and we’ll always be on the lookout for surprises such as Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle or Cassin’s Sparrow, which seem to pop up regularly. The area also holds a wealth of wintering migrants from North America including Black-capped Vireo and Painted Bunting. Certainly one of the highlights of a birding trip to San Blas is an evening boat trip winding through the mangroves, famous for roosting Boat-billed Herons and for Northern Potoos, which come out to hawk for insects at dusk.

We’ll also make a day trip to a nearby mountain with pine-oak forest which offers a cooler climate and birds including White-eared, Berylline, and Bumblebee Hummingbirds, Red-faced, Hermit, and Rufous-capped Warblers, Painted and Slate-throated Whitestarts (aka Redstarts), Tufted Flycatcher, and perhaps Red-headed Tanager and White-striped Woodcreeper.

Early starts are important to make the most of the rich birdlife, and optional after-lunch siestas are recommended before bird activity picks up again in late afternoon. A good beach is close to the hotel and the area is famous for its excellent mariscos (seafood) and green-flash sunsets. Nights in San Blas.

Day 9: We’ll drive this morning to Puerto Vallarta, arriving at the airport about noon when the tour concludes.

Updated: 15 February 2024

Prices

  • 2025 Tour Price Not Yet Available
  • (2024 Tour Price $3,790)

Notes

Image of

Questions? Tour Manager: Erin Olmstead. Call 1-866-547-9868 (US or Canada) or (01) 520-320-9868 or click here to email.

* Tour invoices paid by check carry a 4% discount. Details here.

This tour is limited to eight participants with one leader.

Share on Facebook