We were up bright and early to join the Princess shore excursion for bird watching in Huatulco.  Princess no longer offers this excursion (they do have an eco-tour though) so I will show you a similar one from Holland America as it is likely the ships use the same tour operators.

Those interested in wildlife and tropical bird watching will discover a rich diversity in the estuary of the Copalita River and/or in a small mangrove and park and the unspoiled low-growth caducifolia jungle beauty, including cedar, mahogany, ficus, mocambos and almond. You will likely spy several of the region’s 227 bird species including orioles, woodpeckers, egrets, seagulls, falcons, sparrow hawks, parrots and eight varieties of hummingbirds. You will likely also see lizards, iguanas, deer, armadillos and squirrels. Enjoy a beverage while you take some great photos. During the journey, your guide will offer several stops to observe and comment. The total walking distance covered in this tour is approximately one mile.

The black line below indicates where the ship docks.  I wasn’t sure where they took us but we didn’t drive more than 15 minutes so I am reasonably sure it was in that big green area to the left!

Bird List with images for Huatulco

Here are some of the birds we saw on just a 4 hour trip.  Our first stop gave us a nice look out over the bay and some Orange-fronted Parakeets who popped by to check us out.

Here’s a bright Altamira Oriole.

We then drove to another place, might have been near the university.

Another Altamira Oriole.

Citreoline Trogon

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

Orange-breasted Bunting – what a beautiful little bird!

Here’s a stunning Black-throated Magpie Jay!

Shots not clear enough for me to find them in the book.  Any help appreciated!

Black Vulture

Blue-winged Teals

If anyone knows those birds I missed, please comment below!  We were brought back to the small market just outside the wharf for some shopping.  I am still kicking myself for not buying this.  It was out of my budget, don’t remember how much but I now regret not buying it.

That evening on the ship was a formal night but we didn’t have formal clothes so stuck to the buffet.  I did get my fair share of free champagne though!  As with most cruise ships, there is some kind of show each night.  They are all included so why not check them out!