ISLA COZUMAL & LIST 
MEXICO

QUINTANA ROO (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W ha topography msl 
Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit (30th November-2nd December, 2004) 

Birding Site Guide

Cozumel is a popular holiday and diving destination for Americans. It is easily reached by boat from Playa del Carmen. There are 2 different boats one cheaper than the other. There are plenty of places to stay but few budget places. The cheapest I could find was for N$220. Hiring bicycles seemed expensive and the cheapest deal I could find was for N$250 for 2 days but it did not work well and I ended up walking. Scooters are widely available and might be a better option. I cycled 9.3km from the centre to the northern site described in the site guide. This had OK birding in the evening and it would probably be worth spending a morning here. I saw Black Catbird and even Ruddy Crake and a racoon in the boggy area further on. I birded one morning at the place in the site guide 6.3km south west of the centre. From the turning it was another 2km to the abandoned housing development which cuts through good forest. I got here a little late and it was fairly quiet although I did see Cozumel Emerald. The last place I visited was near the San Gervasio Mayan ruins in the centre of the island. It was seemingly in this area that the Cozumel Thrasher was last seen. It is 9km to the turning and another 6 to the ruins themselves. I recommend going as far as the gate (you do not need to go in) as early as possible and then walk slowly back to the road. This area has most of the endemic species and sub-species for the island. 51 species including 17 lifers. 


Species seen

  • Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
  • Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
  • Great Egret Ardea alba
  • Snowy Egret Egretta thula
  • Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
  • Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
  • Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
  • Ruddy Crake Laterallus ruber
  • Royal Tern Sterna maxima
  • Rock Dove Columba livia Introduced species
  • White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala
  • Common Ground-Dove h? Columbina passerina
  • Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti
  • Caribbean Dove Leptotila jamaicensis
  • Chimney Swift ? Chaetura pelagica
  • Vaux's Swift ? Chaetura vauxi
  • Cozumel Emerald Chlorostilbon forficatus Endemic
  • Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
  • Yucatan Woodpecker Melanerpes pygmaeus
  • Yucatan Flycatcher Myiarchus yucatanensis
  • Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
  • House Wren Troglodytes aedon
  • Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
  • Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris Near-threatened
  • Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus
  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
  • Cozumel Vireo Vireo bairdi Endemic
  • Yucatan Vireo Vireo magister
  • Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis
  • Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
  • Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
  • Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
  • Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
  • Prairie Warbler ? Dendroica discolor
  • Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
  • Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
  • American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
  • Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
  • Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
  • Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
  • Gray-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis poliocephala
  • Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
  • Bananaquit Coereba flaveola
  • Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
  • White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola
  • Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivacea
  • Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
  • Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
  • Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
  • Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus


Other Fauna 
A total of -- species of mammals. 

There are -- recorded species of amphibians and reptiles. 

Flora 

Author: Charles Hesse 

 

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