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We have packages for Birding and Photography.
We do not combine different groups of birders in advance.
The Rio Lagartos Bio Reserve is the best place for birding in the Yucatan because of the remarkable variety of habitats here. However the amazing nature here is a great pleasure year round with several bird species resident to the lagoon and diverse habitats that include the sea, coastal dune, scrub, an extensive estuary, salt flats, fresh water wetlands, as well as both dry and humid forest.
Much of the 150,000 acres in the reserve is estuary and beach(35miles long) and not accessible by road.
About 80kms of mangrove estuary .
Birding-Photography Boat tour In Rio Lagartos
On a Private boat 4 hr tour we can often get quite close to birds for an unobstructed view. Suprisingly the majority of birds do not seem threatened by the boats. The launches also make it possible to bring extra clothing, a lunch, spotting scopes, and camera gear. We provide a cooler for cold drinks, bottled water and a bird identification book and binoculars to use if you need them.
Much of the reserve is only accessible by shallow draft launches or kayaks.
Our launches provide easy, safe and comfortable access to places and species that are difficult or impossible to otherwise see.
Boat birding can give birders with physical challenges an opportunity for great birdwatching! The best times are early morning or later in the afternoon.
Rates :
1-2 Person – Birding – Photography Boat Tour MXN $ 3,500.00 pesos USD $ 175.
3-4 Person – Birding – Photography Boat Tour MXN $ 3,800.00 pesos USD $ 190
5-6 Person – Birding – Photography Boat Tour MXN $ 4,000.00 pesos USD $ 200
For a complete list of the species in the Bio Reserve see the bird list for Rio Lagartos.
Bird Lists for Rio Lagartos and the Yucatan to print or download
Trip Advisor Review “The best bird guide period”
The following is a partial list of species that can be seen on Birding boat trips in the Rio Lagartos Bio-Reserve..395 species have been counted
Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber)
Brown pelican(Pelecanus occidentalis)
American white pelican(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
Neotropical cormorantPhalacrocorax brasilianus (antes Phalacrocorax olivaceus)
Anhinga(Anhinga anhinga),
Black-bellied Plover – Pluvialis squatarola
Semipalmated Plover – Charadrius semipalmatus
Killdeer – Charadrius v. vociferus
Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus m. mexicanus
Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes
Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia
Western Sandpiper – Calidris mauri
Least Sandpiper – Calidris minutilla
Stilt Sandpiper – Calidris himantopus
Laughing Gull – Larus atricilla
Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia, formerly Sterna caspia )
Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens
Bare throated Tiger-Heron ( Tigrisoma mexicanus)
Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius phillipsi),
Reddish Egrets (Egretta refescens rufescens),
Great blue heron( Ardea Herodias)
Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor)
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea
Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis ibis
Green Heron – Butorides virescens
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – Nycticorax violaceus
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus
Roseate Spoonbill – Platalea ajaja
Wood Stork – Mycteria americana
Great egret(Ardea alba), also known as Great White Egret, Common Egret, Large Egret or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret.
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus),
Mangrove Cuckoo(Coccyzus minor)
Mangrove Vireo (Vireo pallens)
American Pygmy Kingfisher.(Chloroceryle aenea)
Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger niger)
Willets (Tringa semipalmata semipalmata),
Whimbrel(Numenius phaeopus)
Common Black-Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus utilensis)
Royal Terns (Thalasseus maximus maximus).
Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus smithsonianus)
Dunlins (Calidris alpina hodsonia),
White-rumped (Calidris fuscicollis),
Stilt (Calidris himantopus),
Least (Calidris minutilla)
Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri),
Sanderlings (Calidris alba),
Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres morinella)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes).
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
We also offer options in Flamingo Boat trips which are different than the bird watching boat trips. The trips are shorter(3 hours) and designed to bring visitors to the feeding grounds of the flamingos. Flamingo Lover’s tours are offered during the day and at sunset.
