Colorful Wild Winter Mexico Style
Tara A. Spears
Ay ay ay, it’s winter but it’s colorful south of the border! The best way to beat the winter doldrums is to come wiggle your toes in the sand and appreciate the vibrant plants and exotic animals that decorate the tropical landscape. The weather is perfect for daytime activities and cooler at night for restful sleep without a pile of blankets.
I haven’t had the need for wool hats, gloves or a heavy coat for the more than 23 years but I do have a closet full of flip flops, sundresses, and swimsuits. Living in Mexico enables me to enjoy the present fully while soothing the soul. I put snowmen behind me and love building sandcastles instead. Plus, the winter sunsets are spectacular!
My favorite things about January and February are the vibrant blooming flowers, the beautiful hummingbirds, exotic iguanas and the gorgeous sunsets over the ocean. The most conspicuous plants at this time are the many colors of bougainvillea, the magnificent orange Brazilian flame, and all types of roses. The sexy gardenias are also blooming now. All of the flowers mentioned, love the cooler nights. All of these winter bloomers feed hummingbirds.
I had not seen the Brazilian Flame until moving to Mexico. The Brazilian flame vine is a fast-growing, evergreen vine with glossy green leaves and orange flowers. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and bloom (in Jaltemba Bay) from January to March. These brilliant orange tubular flowers attract hummingbirds. Roses thrive with blooms and the bougainvillea blossoms sparkle in the sun.
It is such a joy to see this tiny jewel of a bird all year round! One doesn’t need to place a feeder to enjoy seeing these enchanting birds. In addition to the seasonal migration of numerous hummer species, there are several resident hummingbird species in coastal Mexico. The hummingbirds have different names depending on the region in Mexico, including Colibri and quindes in Spanish. The following hummingbird species are found in coastal Nayarit, Mexico. In fact, these are the ones that I’ve seen in my home garden. All descriptions are quoted from inaturalist.
The rufous hummingbird is a small, feisty bird with a long, straight and very slender bill that migrates to Mexico from far north. It’s known to chase off larger hummingbirds. It’s a small hummingbird whose migration to Mexico is possibly the longest migration relative to its body size of any bird. The descriptions are quoted from inaturalist.
The Mexican Woodnymph is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family and is endemic to western Mexico. Its habitats include subtropical or tropical moist lowland/foothill forests and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Lucifer Hummingbird, Calothorax lucifer is a medium-sized, up to 10cm long, green hummingbird with long decurved bill, small wings and white streak behind eye. The male has an iridescent plumage, forked dark tail, green crown, long magenta gorget and white underparts. The female is larger than male with duller plumage, pale throat and buff below.
There are several ubiquitous seabirds that live along the coast in Jaltemba Bay. Most people are familiar with the brown pelicans and sandpipers but the unique Frigate bird might be new to them. This massive seabird of warm tropical oceans and coastlines is overall black with extremely long, deeply forked tail and angular wings. The male is completely black with an inflatable red pouch on throat when ready to mate. In strong light, the black coloration can show a purplish sheen. The adult female has white chest and golden bar on shoulder. Young birds have white head and breast. This bird often soars for long periods and flies with slow wingbeats. Steals food from other seabirds. Surprisingly acrobatic during aerial chases despite its large size which makes it great entertainment for those lazy days at the beach.
You can’t miss seeing these unique dinosaur-like lizards while staying in Mexico. The iguanas are prolific breeders and adapt to coexisting with humans. Iguanas are herbivorous lizards that are native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. They have dorsal spines across their back, a dewlap on the neck, sharp claws, a long whip-like tail, and a stocky, squat build. Most iguanas are arboreal and live in trees, but some species tend to be more terrestrial and prefer the ground. Like all reptiles, they rely on regular periods of basking under the sun to thermoregulate which is why it’s easy to snap a cool picture.
In this part of western Mexico, there are two types of iguanas: the Black iguanas: the larger members of the genus Ctenosaura, capable of growing to 1.3 m (4.3 feet) long. They are aggressive and will attack to protect their range. Be aware that the Black Western iguana is toxic to dogs so if your pet catches one, immediately rinse out the dog’s mouth and take him to a vet.
The Western spiny-tailed iguana has distinctive keeled scales on its long tail, to which its common name refers. It is usually brown or grey-brown in coloration dorsally, with a yellowish ventral surface. It has a crest of long spines which extend down the center of its back. Hatchlings are often a bright green color with no body pattern, and darken as they age. This lizard often (but not always) has an irregular piebald pattern on the head or dorsal areas. Although the tail may be banded with light and dark crossbands, it typically lacks a clear or well-developed crossband pattern on the body. The Western spiny-tailed lizard varies from gray to brownish-black, with some males exhibiting yellowish colors, and females exhibit an orange color, on the lateral sides of the body. The young are bright green and unmarked except for black tail bands, present also on adults.
Green iguanas are large beautiful looking lizards found in the Americas. Despite their name, Green iguanas can come in different colors and types. Their color may range from green to lavender, red, orange, black, and even reddish brown. They can also be bluish in color with bold blue markings. Green iguanas have a row of spines along their backs and along their tails, which helps to protect them from predators. Their whip-like tails can be used to deliver painful strikes and like many other lizards, when grabbed by the tail, the iguana can allow it to break, so it can escape and eventually regenerate a new one. In addition, iguanas have a well-developed dewlap, which helps regulate their body temperature. This dewlap is used in courtships and territorial displays.
Enjoy the wild life in coastal Mexico during the winter, it is truly paradise!
