Mexico Ramsar wetland
San Ignacio Lagoon
206 bird species recorded; the most from January to March.
Joe McKenna from San Diego, California · CC BY 2.0
This month here
160 species in January.162 species in February.165 species in March.110 species in April.20 species in May.44 species in June.1 species in July.48 species in August.3 species in September.43 species in October.122 species in November.148 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
NT
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NTVUNT
VUNTVU
NTNT
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VUVU
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VUNTNTNTVU
VUNTVUNTVUNTVUNTNTVUNTNTVUNTNTNTVUVUNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
206 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 206Speciesrecorded more than once
- 128Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 7ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 25,551Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 15Raptors
- 4Owls
- 28Waders
- 28Gulls & seabirds
- 16Ducks & geese
- 25Herons, ibises & grebes
- 67Songbirds
- 23Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 206 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors15 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Falco sparveriusFalco sparverius
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Crested CaracaraCaracara plancus
- Zone-tailed HawkButeo albonotatus
- Harris's HawkParabuteo unicinctus
- White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
- Prairie FalconFalco mexicanus
- Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis
- Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
Owls4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- American Barn OwlTyto furcata
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
- Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia
Waders28 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Long-billed CurlewNumenius americanus
- WilletTringa semipalmata
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaVU
- Western SandpiperCalidris mauri
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusVU
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaNT
- Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus
- American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Black OystercatcherHaematopus bachmani
- Long-billed dowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusNT
- American AvocetRecurvirostra americana
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Black TurnstoneArenaria melanocephala
- Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesVU
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- Black-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanus
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferusNT
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- SurfbirdCalidris virgata
Gulls & seabirds28 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Larus occidentalisLarus occidentalis
- Royal TernThalasseus maximus
- Heermann's GullLarus heermanniNT
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Forster's TernSterna forsteri
- California GullLarus californicus
- Pacific LoonGavia pacifica
- American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Magnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificens
- Elegant TernThalasseus elegansNT
- Yellow-footed GullLarus livens
- Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla
- Black-vented ShearwaterPuffinus opisthomelasNT
- Masked BoobySula dactylatra
- Black SkimmerRynchops niger
- Cassin's AukletPtychoramphus aleuticusNT
- Craveri's MurreletSynthliboramphus craveriVU
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Pink-footed ShearwaterPuffinus creatopus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Hydrobates melaniaHydrobates melania
- Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens
- Phaethon aethereusPhaethon aethereus
Ducks & geese16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- BuffleheadBucephala albeola
- Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
- RedheadAythya americana
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
- White-winged ScoterMelanitta deglandi
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanoptera
Herons, ibises & grebes25 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis
- Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
- Reddish EgretEgretta rufescensNT
- Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
- Brandt's CormorantUrile penicillatus
- White IbisEudocimus albus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Snowy EgretEgretta thula
- Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor
- Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea
- American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Yellow-crowned Night-HeronNyctanassa violacea
- Western GrebeAechmophorus occidentalis
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Green HeronButorides virescens
- Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podiceps
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Clark's GrebeAechmophorus clarkii
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Plegadis chihiPlegadis chihi
- American BitternBotaurus lentiginosus
- Pelagic CormorantPhalacrocorax pelagicus
- Phalacrocorax brasilianusPhalacrocorax brasilianus
Songbirds67 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
- Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianusNT
- Mangrove WarblerSetophaga petechia
- Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
- Shore LarkEremophila alpestris
- Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
- Violet-green SwallowTachycineta thalassina
- Black-throated SparrowAmphispiza bilineata
- Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Lark BuntingCalamospiza melanocorys
- Hooded OrioleIcterus cucullatus
- Sturnella neglectaSturnella neglecta
- California GnatcatcherPolioptila californica
- Brewer's SparrowSpizella breweri
- House finchHaemorhous mexicanus
- Black phoebeSayornis nigricans
- Cactus WrenCampylorhynchus brunneicapillus
- White-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- Belding's YellowthroatGeothlypis beldingiVU
- Say's phoebeSayornis saya
- Scarlet FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinus
- Myrtle WarblerSetophaga coronata
- Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
- Buff-bellied PipitAnthus rubescens
- VerdinAuriparus flaviceps
- Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensis
- Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celata
- Bell's SparrowArtemisiospiza belli
- Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascens
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- PhainopeplaPhainopepla nitens
- LeConte's ThrasherToxostoma lecontei
- Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurus
- Marsh WrenCistothorus palustris
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallida
- Northern House WrenTroglodytes aedon
- Grey ThrasherToxostoma cinereum
- Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
- Lesser GoldfinchSpinus psaltria
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Empidonax difficilisEmpidonax difficilis
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Rock WrenSalpinctes obsoletus
- California Scrub JayAphelocoma californica
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
- Black-headed GrosbeakPheucticus melanocephalus
- Canyon WrenCatherpes mexicanus
- Wilson's WarblerCardellina pusilla
- Scott's OrioleIcterus parisorum
- Brewer's BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalusNT
- Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula
- Sage ThrasherOreoscoptes montanus
- Cassin's KingbirdTyrannus vociferans
- Empidonax wrightiiEmpidonax wrightii
- Eastern phoebeSayornis phoebe
- Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus
- American Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota
- Northern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennis
- Black-chinned SparrowSpizella atrogularis
- Bewick's WrenThryomanes bewickii
Other birds23 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western RailRallus obsoletusNT
- Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Costa's HummingbirdCalypte costae
- Gila WoodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialis
- California QuailCallipepla californica
- American CootFulica americana
- White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Common Ground-DoveColumbina passerina
- Rallus longirostrisRallus longirostris
- Gilded FlickerColaptes chrysoides
- Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianus
- Virginia RailRallus limicola
- Ladder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalaris
- SoraPorzana carolina
- Anna's HummingbirdCalypte anna
- White-throated swiftAeronautes saxatalis
- Lesser NighthawkChordeiles acutipennis
- Xantus's HummingbirdBasilinna xantusii
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from January to March.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan23°/9°6 mm
- Feb24°/10°8 mm
- Mar27°/10°5 mm
- Apr28°/12°1 mm
- May31°/13°0 mm
- Jun35°/17°4 mm
- Jul37°/22°4 mm
- Aug37°/23°12 mm
- Sep36°/22°35 mm
- Oct32°/17°11 mm
- Nov27°/13°7 mm
- Dec23°/10°6 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
San Ignacio Lagoon.
Bay in Mexico
San Ignacio Lagoon is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Mexico.
206 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 25,551 open records.
The most recorded are the Brown Pelican, the Larus occidentalis and the Osprey.
23 species come for the summer, 101 for the winter and 4 only pass through.
7 are threatened worldwide, including Marbled Godwit, Grey Plover and Short-billed Dowitcher.
The most species are recorded from January to March.
Get there and watch
- Pachico'splace to stay · 4.9 km · 1 within 10 km
- Loreto International Airport (LTO)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 206 km in a straight lineCar hire at LTO airport (Loreto)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1observation towers within 6 km
- 1restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 km
- 1places to stay within 10 kmPachico's
- bird hides within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
- car parks within 3 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around San Ignacio Lagoon.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas4 mountains within 25 kmCerros Los Cerritos · 5.7 kmCerro Morro · 16 kmMesa La Salina · 23 kmEl Yeso · 25 km
Coastya1 beaches within 10 kmEnsenada el Mapache · 7.3 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q7414296) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 25,551 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas, Coastya |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit