ABOUT THE SIERRA: Bio-cultural RESEARCH:
Bird Studies in the Barranca

The Barranca Sinforosa in southwestern Chihuahua owes its avian diversity to its extreme environmental gradients. Within the space of several kilometers the vegetation changes from pine–oak forest to subtropical deciduous forest.

The mingling of tropical and temperate elements creates a rich assemblage of potential habitats and niches for bird life. Surveys conducted since 1998 in the pine–oak, canyon oak woodlands, and spiny deciduous forests of the Sinforosa area have documented close to 250 bird species to date. The final species total is likely to approach three hundred species. Many species additions are expected to be rare species, stopover migrants, and strays. Although there are certainly surprises in store for the pine–oak zone, the canyon bottom and oak zone are likely to contribute more new species.

Several species documented for the first time in 2003 include:

• Blue-Winged Teal (late season migrant)
• Laughing Falcon
• Grey Hawk
• Swainson’s Hawk (dark morph – migrant)
• Eastern Pheobe (following Howell and Webb’s Birds of Mexico and Northern
• Central America [1995], this represents a range extension)
• Black and White Warbler (range extension)
• Western Tanager (late season migrant)
• Grey Catbird (range extension)

Common spectacular species for the canyon bottom include:

• Military Macaw
• Squirrel Cuckoo
• Rose-throated Becard
• Flame-colored Tanager
• Blue Mockingbird
• Magnificent Hummingbird
• Blue-throated Hummingbird
• Berryline Hummingbird
• Violet-Crowned Hummingbird
• Eared Trogon (common)