Chapala Birders News

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Chapala Birders News - April 2026

Community News & Sightings

Sightings Last Month by Duncan Poole

There were 188 species reported this month for the lake area. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting species sighted:

Garganey, a stray from Asia. Photo submitted to eBird for review; Jocotepec Malecón.
Hooded Warbler, photo provided; Vista del Lago.
Yellow Bellied x Red nape Sapsucker Hybrid; San Antonio Malecon. (see trip summaries below for images).

Correction: from last month's Sightings: The Eared Quetzal was reported and seen by Kate and Carl Anderson, Gerry Bird and Diego Ochoa.

Birding Expertise may help your Brain Health! Find out what research is indicating with birder's cognitive skills.

February Backyard Bird Count Results are impressive! An estimated 1,146,284 global participants identified 8,257 species. Read more results .

Thank you for the Donations💸💰

We are extremely grateful for all donations to cover the costs of the Website hosting and the newsletter. Many thanks to Robert Taylor, Carl Canning, Sandy, and Sally for their recent donations. If you wish to donate, please give it to your birding leader who will add it to the donation box.

Wanted! Birding Trip Leaders🐦

We are a small group of volunteers who work together to share these outings with you. If you would like to help us lead some bird outings, we will help train you! We always have knowledgeable birders assisting on every trip. Please contact Cheshta at [email protected] if you are interested.

Feature Bird: Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) [VEFL]

by Jules Evens

Vermilion Flycatcher: adult male

A spectacular little flycatcher, both in coloration and in courtship display, the Vermilion Flycatcher is a common and conspicuous resident of the Chapala area. Males and females differ markedly in color (“sexually dichromatic”).

The male is unmistakable with a bright vermilion crest and underparts in sharp contrast with dark wings and back. The female plumage is much subtler with light breast lightly streaked, gray brown upperparts, and a light pinkish or yellowish wash on the undersides behind the belly (“the vent”). She may be confused with the larger Say’s Phoebe. First-year males gain the vermilion gradually, appearing mottled.

Their weight is 11-13 grams, only slightly more than a diez peso coin!

The distribution is impressive, extending from the southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and through South America to Peru.

This is a “sit-and-wait” predator, that forages from an exposed perch and sallies out ('aerial-hawking') to capture flying or terrestrial insects—butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles, termites, and spiders, often returning to the same or a nearby perch.

The breeding display of the male, performed in early spring (March/April), is spectacular: On fluttering wings, he bounces across sky, 20-30 meters high, singing a liquid, musical chatter, ascending rapidly then descending sharply.

Vermilion Flycatcher: sonogram

The female attends the nest (which she constructed) incubating 2–4 eggs for about 2 weeks with the male visiting regularly to feed her. Together they raise 1-2 broods per season, often renesting shortly after fledging their first brood.

Vermilion Flycatchers tend to forage over open or semi-open areas, often near water and nest on horizontal branches, mid-canopy, usually at the forest edge or in isolated trees.

“The locals call this bird ‘bien viaje’ — literally ‘good travel’ — but often simply translated as the good luck bird.” — Oaxacan Lore All photos by Jules Evens.

Vermilion Flycatcher: adult female

Vermilion Flycatcher: first year male

Tip #9 for Birding Ethics

When uncertain of a bird's ID, it is probably more accurate to list such sightings as an either/or option or a member of the species. Examples are:

Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk
Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird
Swallow sp. (for Swallow species)

Learn more here about Birding Ethics.

Upcoming Bird Trips

Our bird-walks are open to all those interested in birds; beginners & experienced birders. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. We have a limited number of extra binoculars available upon request in advance of trip.

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During these outings social conversations are limited so we do not scare the birds we are observing. Birders can gather for coffee or a meal to socialize later.

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We try to limit most car trips to 3-4 vehicles / 12-16 people. Larger convoys are hard to manage. If you are being given a ride, you are expected make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($100 - $400 pesos based on length of trip).

1st SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH: On April 5th there will be an informal birding walk along the Allen Lloyd Trail. Meet up at 8am with local and visiting birders in this very accessible location. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird, Happy Wren, and sometimes a Russet-crowned Motmot or Squirrel Cuckoo.

How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile (1 km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center). Double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Here is a pindrop. (Note: after parking, we'll walk up the road past the construction. The trail is obliterated, but the birding is still good).

On Tuesday, April 7th, meet team leader Duncan Poole at 8.00 am at the “Sculpture” (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner near Restaurant Pranzo. See pindrop, departing immediately for Estación Bombeo. Expect to see a good variety of shore birds and other species in the scrub. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance with Duncan at [email protected]. Trip will be limited to 3 cars, 12 birders. Please indicate if you can take a car or will be a passenger. Each passenger is expected to donate to their driver $100 pesos to share the travel expenses.

On Friday April 17th, meet team leader Robert Taylor at 8.15 am at the entrance to Parque La Cristianía (Cristiania Park) in Chapala. We should see an interesting selection of species in the park and on the shore of the lake. We will likely still catch the nesting cattle egret in the trees throughout the park. At 10.00am we will complete the bird list together. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance by email to [email protected]

How to Get There: From Ajijic go to the traffic light at the main street of Chapala (Av. Madero), Cross straight over and keep going straight for five blocks, turn left at the T intersection and park on the right, near the Park entrance.(see pindrop).

On Wednesday April 22nd, meet team leader Cheshta Buckley at 8.00 am at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic and walk down the lane to the lake. Expect to see a good variety of birds in the tall trees and fields. At about 10.00 am we will review the bird list, then those who wish to can head to the French Bakery for coffee. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance by email to Cheshta at [email protected].

How to Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 mi. (3 km) west from the light at Colon, turn downhill for El Bajio (across from the west end of the large unfinished retirement community being redeveloped by Latitude/Margaritaville) and park immediately on the lateral road parallel to the carretera. (see pindrop)

Bird Trip Summaries: March by Trip Leaders

On Sunday, March 1st, Duncan Poole headed out with 12 birders on the Allen Lloyd Trail. The highlight was the large tree - possibly some kind of Fig - was full of Figs/Berries which attracted many birds, including Nashville, Yellow-rumped and a few Virginia Warblers, along with Blue Mockingbirds, Rufus-backed Robins, Orioles, and a Russet Crowned Motmot. We spent the first 40 mins at the tree. The usual Kingbirds, Western Warbling Vireo, and 2 Squirrel Cuckoos, along with 4 Raptor species were seen. A total of 63 species recorded by a great group. see the checklist here

On Monday, March 16^th, 25 Lake Chapala Birder met with team leader Jules Evens on the San Antonio malecón at 8:00 AM to bird the lakeshore. The riparian habitat at the south end held our attention for the first hour, where the highlights included a Northern Waterthrush, a cooperative hybrid Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker, and a Black-crowned Night-Heron depredating a Sora! Farther east along the malecón were three Green Herons, a pair of Pied-billed Grebes, a Common Gallinule attending two small chicks, and views of the active nesting colony of Great Egrets in full breeding display. The last encounter was a calling Russet-crowned Motmot. 58 species were seen. See the checklist here.

Images of Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker Hybrid taken by Duncan Poole

On Tuesday, March 24^th, 11 birders met with team leader Robert McConnell and had a pretty good day out at Lake Antotonilico near Villa Corona. Due to extremely low water levels it was very difficult to see any sort of shorebirds or waterfowl. But we did see hawks, meadowlarks, sparrows, finches and a Nuttings flycatcher. The highlights of the day were a Merlin and a Zone-tailed Hawk. I don't think any of us get to see those very often. We had a total of 36 species and considering the level of the lake, we figured we did well. See the checklist here.

Monthly Sightings

by Duncan Poole

What is the “Lake Chapala Area” for bird sightings?

We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15 km (7 miles) from the edge of the lake. We combine sightings for the month from Chapala, Jocotopec, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Poncitlán, Ocotlán, Jamay, & La Manzanilla de la Paz.

188 species were observed around Lake Chapala in March! (in Taxonomic order):

1 Fulvous Whistling-Duck

2 Blue-winged Teal

3 Cinnamon Teal

4 Northern Shoveler

5 Gadwall

6 American Widgeon

7 Mexican Duck

8 Northern Pintail

9 Green-winged Teal

10 Ruddy Duck

11 Northern Bobwhite

12 Rock Pigeon

13 Eurasian Collared-Dove

14 Inca Dove

15 Common Ground Dove

16 Ruddy Ground Dove

17 White-tipped Dove

18 White-winged Dove

19 Mourning Dove

20 Groove-billed Ani

21 Lesser Roadrunner

22 Greater Roadrunner

23 Mexican Squirrel-Cuckoo

24 Buff-collared Nightjar

25 Mexican Whip-poor-will

26 Mexican Violetear

27 Rivoli's Hummingbird

28 Plain-capped Starthroat

29 Blue-throated Mountain-gem

30 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

31 Black-chinned Hummingbird

32 Calliope Hummingbird

33 Rufous Hummingbird

34 Broad-tailed Hummingbird

35 Broad-billed Hummingbird

36 White-eared Hummingbird

37 Violet-crowned Hummingbird

38 Berylline Hummingbird

39 Sora

40 Common Gallinule

41 American Coot

42 Black-necked Stilt

43 American Avocet

44 Killdeer

45 Northern Jacana

46 Long-billed Dowitcher

47 Wilson's Snipe

48 Spotted Sandpiper

49 Solitary Sandpiper

50 Greater Yellowlegs

51 Least Sandpiper

52 Laughing Gull

53 Ring-billed Gull

54 Caspian Tern

55 Forster's Tern

56 Royal Tern

57 Least Grebe

58 Pied-billed Grebe

59 Western Grebe

60 Clark’s Grebe

61 Wood Stork

62 Neotropic Cormorant

63 White-faced Ibis

64 Least Bittern

65 Black-crowned Night Heron

66 Tricolored Heron

67 Snowy Egret

68 Green Heron

69 Western Cattle-Egret

70 Great Egret

71 Great Blue Heron

72 American White Pelican

73 Black Vulture

74 Turkey Vulture

75 Osprey

76 White-tailed Kite

77 Sharp-shinned Hawk

78 Cooper's Hawk

79 Northern Harrier

80 Gray Hawk

81 Zone-tailed Hawk

82 Short-tailed Hawk

83 Red-tailed Hawk

84 Western Screech-Owl

85 Great Horned Owl

86 Northern Pygmy-Owl

87 Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

88 Mottled Owl

89 Spotted Owl

90 Coppery-tailed Trogon

91 Eared Quetzal

92 Russet-crowned Motmot

93 Belted Kingfisher

94 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

95 Red-naped Sapsucker

96 Acorn Woodpecker

97 Gila Woodpecker

98 Golden-fronted Woodpecker

99 Ladder-backed Woodpecker

100 Hairy Woodpecker

101 Crested Caracara

102 American Kestrel

103 Merlin

104 Monk Parakeet

105 Military Macaw

106 White-striped Woodcreeper

107 Rose-throated Becard

108 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

109 Greenish Elaenia

110 Tufted Flycatcher

111 Greater Pewee

112 Least Flycatcher

113 Hammond's Flycatcher

114 Dusky Flycatcher

115 Western Flycatcher

116 Black Phoebe

117 Say’s Phoebe

118 Vermilion Flycatcher

119 Dusky-capped Flycatcher

120 Ash-throated Flycatcher

121 Nutting's Flycatcher

122 Brown-crested Flycatcher

123 Great Kiskadee

124 Social Flycatcher

125 Tropical Kingbird

126 Cassin's Kingbird

127 Thick-billed Kingbird

128 Western Kingbird

129 Golden Vireo

130 Black-capped Vireo

131 Bell’s Vireo

132 Hutton's Vireo

133 Cassin's Vireo

134 Plumbeous Vireo

135 Western Warbling Vireo

136 Loggerhead Shrike

137 Common Raven

138 Tree Swallow

139 Gray-breasted Martin

140 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

141 Barn Swallow

142 Bushtit

143 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

144 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

145 Canyon Wren

146 Northern House Wren

147 Marsh Wren

148 Bewick's Wren

149 Spotted Wren

150 Happy Wren

151 Sinaloa Wren

152 Blue Mockingbird

153 Curve-billed Thrasher

154 Northern Mockingbird

155 Brown-backed Solitaire

156 Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush

157 Hermit Thrush

158 American Robin

159 Rufous-backed Robin

160 Cedar Waxwing

161 Gray Silky-flycatcher

162 House Sparrow

163 American Pipit

164 Elegant Euphonia

165 House Finch

166 Lesser Goldfinch

167 Stripe-headed Sparrow

168 Chipping Sparrow

169 Clay-colored Sparrow

170 Brewer's Sparrow

171 Lark Sparrow

172 White-crowned Sparrow

173 Savannah Sparrow

174 Lincoln's Sparrow

175 Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow

176 Canyon Towhee

177 Rusty Sparrow

178 Rufous-crowned Sparrow

179 Green-tailed Towhee

180 Rufous-capped Brushfinch

181 Yellow-breasted Chat

182 Yellow-headed Blackbird

183 Black-vented Oriole

184 Orchard Oriole

185 Hooded Oriole

186 Streak-backed Oriole

187 Bullock's Oriole

188 Black-backed Oriole

189 Red-winged Blackbird

190 Bronzed Cowbird

191 Brown-headed Cowbird

192 Brewer's Blackbird

193 Great-tailed Grackle

194 Northern Waterthrush

195 Black-and-white Warbler

196 Orange-crowned Warbler

197 Lucy's Warbler

198 Nashville Warbler

199 Virginia's Warbler

200 MacGillivray's Warbler

201 Common Yellowthroat

202 American Redstart

203 Northern Yellow Warbler

204 Yellow-rumped Warbler

205 Black-throated Gray Warbler

206 Townsend’s Warbler

207 Hermit Warbler

208 Rufous-capped Warbler

209 Wilson's Warbler

210 Red-faced Warbler

211 Painted Redstart

212 Hepatic Tanager

213 Summer Tanager

214 Western Tanager

215 Flame-colored Tanager

216 Black-headed Grosbeak

217 Blue Grosbeak

218 Lazuli Bunting

219 Indigo Bunting

220 Varied Bunting

221 Painted Bunting

222 Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater

John and Rosemary Keeling

Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by a team of volunteer Chapala Birders on behalf of John & Rosemary Keeling.

Overall Coordinator: Cheshta Buckley

Newsletter: Mugs McConnell

Website: Robert McConnell

Feature Bird: Jules Evens

Monthly Sightings List: Duncan Poole

Bird Trip Leaders & Reports: Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate & Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon, Robert Taylor, Robert McConnell, Gerd DeBeer, Diego Ochoa.

Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are available for $200 pesos from your birding group leaders on bird walks. Also available at Diane Pearl’s Gallery, 11am to 4pm, Santa Margarita #23, Riberas del Pilar.

You can sign up for this newsletter or send us your exciting bird sightings by visiting our contact page

Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books & birding apps.

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