The Amazing Fauna Of Mexico Part 4

While Mexico is a great vacation destination, there's more to it than just the sandy beaches and warm oceans! For nature lovers, nothing can beat the biodiversity; Mexico has hundreds of animal species spread all over the country, from tropical forest cats to unique desert lizards. Here are some of them to snap a picture of.

Eared Quetzal

The Eared Quetzal is a lovely iridescent bird in the trogon family. It is found in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico, in the state of Michoacan, though it has also been spotted in Arizona once or twice. It builds its nests in trees that have naturally occurring shallow cavities, such as fir, pine, maple, and aspen; preferring pine-oak forests near fresh streams. These birds frequently make their nests in abandoned woodpecker holes. The Eared Quetzal reaches just over a foot in length, with iridescent green feathers on its back and dark blue tail feathers. The males have a bright red belly and a black head; females have gray on their heads and smaller red spots on their fronts. Eared Quetzals feed on insects and fruits, and will often grab food while hovering in the air.

Pinnated Bittern

You're never going to forget the experience of seeing a Pinnated Bittern. This bird is a member of the heron family, measuring about 30 inches long at its largest. It has buffy brown feathers covered in cryptic patterning; they mainly inhabit shallow marshy areas where they can catch amphibians and fish, and they have uniquely short necks compared to other herons. They can hide from predators by retracting their necks into their bodies, and by extending their heads they can more easily handle food. Despite the fact that the Pinnated Bittern is quite widespread throughout Central and South America, very little is known about them; they are rarely seen and notoriously shy, preferring to skulk around swampy marshlands at night. One solitary creature is the Pinnated Bittern; catching a glimpse of one is a rare treat indeed!

Giant Cowbird

Sometimes animal names are far more incredible than the animal itself. The Giant Cowbird, is one such example; disappointingly, this bird is not as large as a standard bovine. However, that doesn't mean it's not interesting or unique; the Giant Cowbird is rather an odd bird overall. For instance, it's the only cowbird that lives in the deep forest; most species in the Molothrus genus prefer open woodlands. In terms of bird characteristics, the Giant Cowbird makes little noise; they have an unpleasant high screeched whistle, but are also good vocal mimics. Also, Giant Cowbirds don't really perch on cows; they prefer to ride on Capybaras and remove horse flies from the mammal's flesh. Giant Cowbirds are brood parasites; mothers lay their eggs in the nests of other species of birds, usually cacique blackbirds who viciously defend their territory. Egg-laying opportunities are searched out by Cowbirds over a square mile radius that extends for several miles.

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