The area of Coba is a potential habitat for over 360 species of birds. On this tour we have the opportunity to see incredible birds and to experience the Mayan culture while supporting local Eco-tourism initiatives.
Please be aware that if you are the only client booking this tour, we will have to charge you the price of the private tour (245usd)
Posted By : 135intrepid
We decided fairly last minute to visit Yucatán & contacted Miguel Amar.He listened to what we wanted to do & outlined a trip tailored to our needs. We’d n excellent time, visiting a variety of habitats. Our guide, Claudio was excellent, with top notch birding skills and determined that we spotted all of the birds that were present. This was the first of four days of touring (140+ species seen in all)
Most people visiting the winter, and I was concerned about the heat, but the day was arranged so that we did most of the activity early & took it easy when it got hotter. There is a huge amount to see even in June, and there is always a cenote somewhere to jump into.
Cannot rate this more highly!
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Posted On : 2024-06-14 17:48:16 
Posted By : Aniruddha_Joshi
Excellent!!! Highly recommended! Miguel is experienced birder and knows the region very well. We were group of 4 and though I was the only birder in the group, everyone enjoyed the trip. Mot not, Trogons, Collared Zardari and Spider monkeys were highlights of the trip. We visited lake at Cobá, Coba natural reserve, local conservation and Punta Laguna. The lunch at local conservation was delicious. Swimming at Cenotes was quite an experience!
Miguel recommended birding at Puerto Morelos. I did half day trip and it was really worth too.
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Posted On : 2024-03-12 15:42:00
Posted By : Burmisgal
To see birds, it is necessary to get up early. Pick up at our resort was 5:45 am on the dot, so the light breakfast Miguel provided was very welcome. The best coffee ever, and a delicious homemade energy bar.
It was still early when we pulled up to a small grove of trees bordering Laguna Cobá. We saw, and Miguel helped us identify, 29 species of birds feasting on the the berries from these trees. Although most were new to me, it was fun to see some familiar faces, such as the Great Blue Heron, an Osprey, and 5 Pied-billed Grebes.
Wandering through the town of Cobá, we spotted another 30 species. Then, off to the Zona arqueológica de Cobá. Sitting in relative comfort in a pedicab, and stopping often to view still many more birds, we learned about the history of the ancient city, and explored some of the temples that have been excavated. Our final stop was the largest of the temples, very beautiful. But here we spotted many more bird species feasting on bugs being driven out of hiding by ants. We were riveted by the the beautiful Trogons, Motmots, and Yucatan Jays, just to name a few.
Exhausted, we were treated to a delicious lunch, and then a swim in a cenote that was almost private. I dozed in the van for much of the return trip. A wonderful day.
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Posted On : 2024-03-09 13:19:01
Posted By : A7446EYheidim
We went birding with my brother and his wife . They booked the tour with Miguel, he was the perfect guide for our group. My brother and sister in law are experienced birders, they loved the deep specific conversation they could have with Miguel about birds, their markings, calls, and unique traits . She even found a few "Lifers". My other sister was fun and light hearted about seeing any critter and everything was new. Miguel was personable and engaging with all of our family no matter their interest level in birds. He had plenty of water, healthy treats, including the best seedy granola bars made at a local bakery. He handled the details and we felt at ease throughout the day.
In the morning we wandered some rural streets in the town of Coba , viewed birds along the lakes edge and wetland area. We also went to the ruins and found more birds there. At one point we enjoyed a ride on the the tricycles through the park.We ended the time with a meal at local cafe. It was a great time in nature, with good people, learning new things to wonder about.
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Posted On : 2024-02-27 19:34:47
Posted By : sarafoxc
José was our guide and Cesar was our driver. José had good knowledge of the birds and culture. He was not well organized; we did not get a toilet break or snacks until three hours into the tour, and we woke up at 5 (no breakfast, because a snack was supposed to be provided) and they were a half hour late picking us up at 6.30. The schedule said we would have lunch at 11.45, and we were at the archaeological site then with no water. All turned out fine, but people have expectations based upon a schedule. Swimming in the cenote was a pretty amazing experience, and Cesar gave us some good tips there.
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Posted On : 2024-02-26 11:54:10
Posted By : NickAder
Absolutely amazing tour!!! When Miguel told on us on the drive to Coba that we could expect to see about 50 different species of birds, we were skeptical. By the end of our time there, we had seen 73 different species!!! Absolutely floored. On top of that, he was incredibly nice and knowledgable. If you love wildlife, you must do this tour!!!
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Posted On : 2024-02-15 21:33:39
Posted By : 742keelyw
I went on this birdwatching tour through Coba with my fiancé (one other person joined the trip). We truly enjoyed our experience with Miguel; his energy was infectious and made the early start to the day worth it. He’s knowledgeable of not only the birds but, also the culture and history which added to the overall experience. This tour was a memorable and formative experience for me and my partner. We actually saw 73 species (and heard even more)!!!! Including (just a handful): northern jacana, keel-billed toucan, black-headed trogon, Motmot, ferruginous Pygmy owl, and squirrel cuckoo.
Everything about the trip was thoughtfully planned out; the snacks and meal, morning coffee, transportation, and even lending us binoculars (of better quality than the ones that we brought just because they were smaller/light-weight for packing).
Highly recommended for those interested in seeing areas of the Yucatán peninsula through a different lens ;)
10/10 experience!
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Posted On : 2024-02-11 14:26:58
Posted By : sarahY4878JZ
I would say I am an entry-level birder, and I loved this tour with Miguel. There were two other people on our tour, also very nice, and we saw an amazing variety of species as well as learning about the past and present of the area. Whether you are an experienced birder or someone interested in nature and history, I think this would be a great tour for you. The logistics were also well-handled - they kindly added me to the tour at the last minute, transportation was comfortable and punctual, and they provided locally-sourced snacks and coffee. Highly recommended.
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Posted On : 2024-02-11 07:51:16
Posted By : GrandTour193640
I met Miguel while birding solo at the archeological site in Muyil--he was leading a group tour and we interacted briefly. I enjoy exploring places on my own but have also enjoyed hiring guides and going on extended guided tours.*
Miguel mentioned that a group is birding in Coba on Friday when we spoke on Wednesday and I decided to join the group to gain more insights into the local culture and birds than I could do on my own. While emailing Miguel to learn more about the details of the Friday trip, I decided to do a personal tour with him--his attention to details, understanding my interests and needs, and suggestions for birding solo on Thursday made it obvious that I would enjoy spending the day with him. Best decision of my week in Yucatan. Birding with Miguel was like birding with a friend. He is passionate about birding and also about living sustainably and we shared stories along both these themes throughout the day. He is a pleasure to interact with--personable, good sense of humor, insights on living a good life and some of the challenges inherent therein.
More specifically, re: birding, I had shared with him a list of 20 lifers that eBird had identified that I could see in Quintana Roo in January. He used that list to guide our adventure in Coba and with patience and focus, we soon had great looks at Ruddy Crake and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (along with many of the colorful usual suspects: various orioles, Turquoise-Browed Motmot, tanagers, saltators, Cinnamon Hummingbird etc.). We then headed to a marsh location where Miguel thought we might find Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture and soon enough found this lifer (his scope proved critical for ID). We spent a few hours at the Archeological site in Coba where we had great looks at trogons (Black-Headed and Gartered), motmot, Ocellated Turkey and others including lots of migrant warblers, with especially high numbers of Black-Throated Green. After lunch we checked out a few other local areas and added lots of species including Rose-Throated Becard, Yellow-Billed Cacique, Yellow-Winged Tanager and others. Altogether, we had 71 species for the day despite (per my request), starting the day in Tulum at 8 am instead of the usual 6 am.
A perfect day!
Michel Cavigelli, Maryland, USA
* To provide context for my review: I have been birding on and off for 50+ years but during the last ~10 years have made it a daily ritual and have gone on extended guided tours of several Central and S. American countries; I consider myself an advanced birder but perhaps not an expert (e.g. Empidonax flycatchers can still be a challenge when not vocal).
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Posted On : 2024-01-28 22:21:42
Posted By : J2021ZUterrys
We enjoyed a 1/2 day tour with Claudio to Coba and the Coba Ruins chasing birds. Claudio was excellent at hearing, identifying and spotting birds for us. Top highlights were getting photos of the Ruddy Crake, Ocellated Turkey, Black Headed Trogon, Hooded Warbler among other species. Claudio and our driver made our trip comfortable. We will definitely be booking another trip with Amar Aves when we visit again.
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Posted On : 2024-01-26 14:48:11
