Birding, Natural History, and Culture in Oaxaca, Mexico

January 18 – 28, 2026

Mark Pretti is back! For those of you who have traveled with Mark previously, he doesn’t need an introduction, but if you are new to birding with Mark, you’ll get much more than birds. 

Mark likes to say that of all of the trips he leads, this one is his favorite. Part of that is due to location. Harboring about ten percent of Earth’s biodiversity, Mexico is one of the most biologically rich countries in the world. It begins with the birds. During our journey, we’ll search for species such as dwarf jay, red warbler, bumblebee hummingbird, mountain and citreoline trogons, white-throated magpie jay, ocellated thrasher, Oaxaca sparrow, gray-breasted woodpecker, gray-barred wren, russet-crowned motmot, and spot-breasted oriole. Mark will also introduce you to the various ecosystems we travel through on this natural adventure; tropical deciduous forest, shade-grown coffee plantations, the lush evergreen forests of the Sierra Norte and the Sierra Madre del Sur, mangroves (where we’ll enjoy a boat trip through a gorgeous estuary), beaches, and the arid scrub of the Oaxaca valley make up the varied sites we’ll visit. By the trip’s end, many of the plants in these places will be familiar to you.

Mark and his local co-leader Benito Hernandez will also introduce you to the vibrant culture of this magical place as we travel through the valley of Oaxaca, the bordering sierras, and the lovely Pacific coast. We’ll tour the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban, visit a master weaver in Teotitlan del Valle, tour the Oaxacan Cultural Museum, and spend an unforgettable day with Seasons of My Heart Cooking School as we tour the Mercado Abastos, enjoy a superb lecture on regional farming, culture and cuisine, and savor a delicious lunch.

In addition to the natural wonders, a major trip highlight will be our unique and superb lodging situations.  All have warm hospitality and terrific views, and some have great birding right outside your front door.  Mark also likes to mention that Oaxaca has the best and most interesting food of any Latin American trip he leads.

For a checklist of trip birds, click here. To read about what birds the group actually saw on Mark’s last trip click here.

Cost: $3750.00 per person, double occupancy; single supplement $600.  

Group size is limited to 8. 

For more information contact Eric Schroeder at eschroeder@goldengatebirds.org