There Winter in Mexico it brings benefits for biodiversity, an example is the case of different types of birds. Every year in this season, especially the Mexico Cityreceives about 229 species of migratory birds winter, leaving their breeding grounds in search of food and shelter in other warmer places, such as the country’s capital. Among those that stand out, the American white pelican, the belted kingfisher, the red-hooded piranga or the yellow-rumped warbler.

Comes from United States and Canadawhere the cold reaches extreme conditions, which is why they move mainly to southern Mexico, Central America and South America.

According to Isabel Herrera Juárez, specialist in the management and conservation of biodiversity, of the General Directorate for the Coordination of Environmental Policies and Culture, of the Ministry of the Environment (Sedema). “The fact that migratory birds arrive in Mexico City means that here they find spaces with available habitat that offer resources and conditions that allow them to survive, such as microenvironments with adequate temperatures”, he pointed out. .

It should be mentioned that in the year, there are two migratory periods, spring and autumn. Fall migration occurs between September and November, a time when birds breeding in North America move south of the continent to find better conditions.

In Mexico they live about one thousand 100 species of birds, of which 397 are present in Mexico City. In turn, from 397 species from the city, 229 are migratory.

The actions undertaken in 2019 by the Government of Mexico City to revegetate the city; rehabilitate protected natural areas, areas of environmental value and urban green spaces; improving the lake area to the south and east of the city, contributing to the conservation of these spaces and with it, to maintaining the living conditions of the different species. These actions resulted in an increase of 42 species birds that are now registered and live in the city from 355 to 397.

Thanks to the ornithologists and Biodiversity monitoring program of Mexico, which will be published in 2024, there are, to name but a few examples, the arrival of the belted kingfisher, the American pelican and the great-billed grebe in the protected natural area Ejidos of Xochimilco and San Gregorio Atlapulco.

Thanks to the efforts of the @GobCDMX through @SEDEMA_CDMX in environmental matters, about 229 species of migratory birds🦆🦅have arrived in the capital in search of food and shelter during the winter season.❄️ pic.twitter.com/iNcX1px3B3

— Government of Mexico City (@GobCDMX) January 2, 2023

While Forest of San Juan de Aragon American white pelicans also arrived, as well as osprey, dodgy ducks, cinnamon teal, blue-winged teal, among other aquatic species, as well as songbirds like the wren and various warblers, pointed out the biologist Miriam Vargas.

On the other hand, the expert also pointed out that the aquatic birds They migrate in winter to Mexico, Central America and South America, because in their places of origin the lakes freeze and they cannot find food, which would lead to their death.

This is how Mexico City is part of the central migratory route, which gathers the birds that inhabit the North American grasslands and crosses Mexico through the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental and the Central Highlands. Finally, the visiting species will depart between March and May of this year to return to their breeding grounds in North America.

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