Tufted Jay Preserve Tour

We offer an exciting and memorable bird watching tour to the Tufted Jay Preserve which we helped to create and to some of the best birding in Mexico. This spectacular area of high elevation pine / oak forest 2.5 hours along the Mazatlan Durango Highway is one of the best birding hotspots in Mexico and forms part of a birding corridor considered by Ken Rosenberg of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as one of the most important in the world.

The Tufted Jay Preserve is a Conservation Easement established in a contract between the Ejido El Palmito logging cooperative which owns the 5000 hectares of pine / oak forests described 40 years ago by Peter Alden in his book, "Finding the Birds in Western Mexico", and Pronatura Noroeste, the regional chapter of Mexico's oldest and most prestigious conservation organizations.

Recognized as an important area for bird endemism and abundance, the Sierra Madre Occidental pine-oak forests are characterized by a unique and rich variety of flora and fauna created by the convergence of tropical and temperate influences. Located 2.5 hours from Mazatlan at 2,100m (6,800ft) the Tufted Jay Preserve is located in this privileged area and is the best known location for viewing the spectacular and highly endemic Tufted Jay. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology considers the Tufted Jay Preserve, the highlight of the Mazatlan Durango Birding Corridor, one of the best in the world. The project was featured in the cover of Living Bird, their industry-leading magazine in the July - August 2009 issue.

Read the Complete Article, by George Miller. Click Here:

Read the article by John Fitzpatrick in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Newsletter. Clik Here:

A wealth of other endemic species like the Military Macaw, White-naped Swift, Mountain Trogon, White-stripped Woodcreeper, Pine Flycatcher, Brown - backed Solitaire, Aztec Thrush, Green-striped Brushfinch, also inhabit these beautiful canyons. We will walk along roads lined with bright wildflowers visited by White-eared, Broad-tailed and Berylline Hummingbirds.

Along with Scott's Oriole, Magnificent and Blue-throated Hummingbirds can be found in bright orange flowers of a parasitic plant that clings to the tall evergreen trees. Mixed bird flocks are common and the usual suspects are the Crescent-chested, Grace’s, Red, and Olive Warblers, along with the Mexican Chickadee and the Bridled Titmouse to name a few.

We also offer overnight tours to this spectacular location.  Sendero Mexico is the reservation center for the Tufted Jay Preserve

• PRICE

$145 USD adults

• AVAILABILITY

Fridays

• ITINERARY

6:00 am depart Mazatlan

Important Information

This Bird Watching Tour Includes

Transportation in air conditioned vehicle, qualified bilingual guide with knowledge of the local birds, a local guide from the community, picnic lunch, beverages, guide books on the area.

What To Bring

Bring comfortable walking shoes, layers of clothing including a sweater or sweatshirt and outergear such as a jacket. If you do not have binoculars please advise us and we can provide you with them.

Health Related

The Mazatlan - Durango highway is a very scenic road which rises quickly from sea level to 6000+ elevations and there are many curves on the road. If you are prone to motion sickness we recommend you take Dramamine or a similar product. There is moderate walking in the forest and on trails involved in this tour (not hiking).