There are 400 bird species within the ten million square kilometers encompassed by the European continent; yet Mundo Maya-an area 20 times smaller-harbors 700. Few regions of the planet have as many bird species as Mundo Maya, a territory running roughly from the Gulf Coast of Tabasco, México, through the Yucatán Peninsula and all the way down to Honduras.

    Over sixty-percent of Mundo Maya's bird species are permanent residents; the rest are migratory, heading north to summer in the United States and Canada. Some make short stops in the region as they travel between North and South America; others simply choose to linger around the Caribbean.

    Strangely, few bird species are exclusive to the region. Among the approximately 20 identified species are the Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis ocellata), similar to America's wild turkey; the Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) from the highlands of Chiapas; and the resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), elusive resident of the cloud forests ranging from the State of Chiapas, México to western Panama.

    Mundo Maya is a birder's paradise. In the early 1980's, 241 bird species were identified just in Cancún -México's Caribbean mega-resort- and its surrounding areas. That's almost half of all the species found in Yucatán and about a quarter of the entire bird population of México. Uninhabited Contoy Island-north of Cancún-is a protected bird sanctuary, home to some 100 species, despite the lack of fresh water.

    The rarest, most exotic of the region's birds are jungle dwellers. Many prefer the ground to the trees, and the Great Tinamou (Tinamus major) will sprint for distances of five to ten meters, but only if threatened. The Ocellated Turkey and the Great Currasow (Crax rubra), both of which stand about a meter tall, also keep their feet on the ground.

    The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) sticks to the forest, flying through the trees and dodging obstacles with consummate grace. It is endangered as a result of deforestation, but the Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is in even greater peril; only a handful still exist, in the cloud forests of the El Triunfo Reserve in Chiapas, México.

    The tropical birds par excellence are the parrots and macaws, otherwise known as Psittacidae (order). There are approximately 20 types of Psittacidae, most of which are green; the exception is the great Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), with stunning red, blue and yellow plumage.

    The jungle is full of shrieking Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) and song birds like the Clay-Colored Robin (Turdus grayi) and the Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus), whose parrot, dog and chicken imitations are eerily on the mark.

    Hawks, falcons, eagles, owls and other birds of prey are plentiful, as are the Passeriformes, represented by dozens of species of flycatchers, woodpeckers and other insectivores. Included among the 20 or so kinds of woodpeckers is the giant, 35-cm-tall Flint-Billed Woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis).

    Toucans are real attention-grabbers for their raucous call and extraordinary beaks; the Keel-Billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) is probably the most familiar.

    Jungle birds can be elusive for the amateur birder, but shore birds move about in plain sight and are readily identified. Along with such common residents as gulls, frigate birds and pelicans, many more species make their homes along the shores and marshes of Mundo Maya. More than 100 species-permanent and migratory-live along the sandy eastern shores of Quintana Roo, México, Belize, Guate-mala and Honduras. This is true of the Hummingbird, Cardinal and dozens of Pigeon and Dove species.

    Species commonly referred to as plovers, sandpipers and turnstones also live on the beach. Plovers scavenge through the sand behind retreating waves, searching for edible "left-behinds." Sandpipers have long narrow beaks used to "drill" the sand for food. Turnstones do exactly that, turn over rocks and shells in search of a meal.

    The estuaries and marshes along the Gulf, Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Mundo Maya constitute its wetlands habitat, home to some of the largest birds in the world. One can see entire colonies of the most exotic birds-flamingos, herons, giant storks, etc.-in the Americas, species easily recognized by their large feet and long beaks.

    The region's largest herons are the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) standing a meter and a half tall, and the Great Common Egret (Casmerodius albus), entire colonies of which inhabit the Términos Lagoon in Campeche, México and the Gulf coastline of the State of Tabasco.

    The largest stork is the Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria), also the largest bird on the continent with a wingspan of three meters and the height of an average man. Unique and unmistakable with stark white plumage, it has a narrow, down-curving black beak and a red band around its neck. The remaining Jabiru populations keeps to the grassy, coastal savannas of Mundo Maya. There are only about 20 pairs nesting in the Yucatán Peninsula (mostly around Términos Lagoon), and about 100 more in Belize. Jabiru nests are usually found in trees standing alone, making them eminently visible. Given the bird's "endangered species" status, however, visitors are advised to keep their distance. The Jabiru frightens easily and could be scared off its nest, leaving the young to die.

    Unlike the Jabiru, flamingoes are plentiful and their numbers continue to grow, thanks to their nesting grounds being national reserves. The largest nesting colony of pink flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) in North America is located on the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. The colony consists of some 30,000 birds and to see them resting, wa-ding in the shallows or taking flight en masse is an awesome experience. They move back and forth between two sites, Celestún (the greater feeding ground) and Río Lagartos (for nesting), both in the State of Yucatán.

    Marsh birds are tallish creatures moving across a relatively flat and mostly green or greenish-brown landscape. They are easily spotted due to their size, shape and color, and they tolerate the presence of man more readily than other birds. Dozens or even hundreds of birds will flock together, also contributing to their visibility. The best time for birding the wetlands is the dry season, from December to April or May. The water level is low, food is easier than ever to catch and the birds converge in droves. Scientists have not yet come up with a credible estimate, much less an accurate count for the number of birds that winter in Mundo Maya. Many think 1.5 to 2 billion is a good guess.

    To reach Mundo Maya directly from the United States or Canada the birds must cross the Gulf of México, which implies flying over 1,000 kilometers of open sea (some of the birds stick to land, but the majority do not). This arduous journey, performed every year by so many fragile creatures, is a marvel of nature. Depending on wind direction and speed, the birds will fly continuously for 20 to 40 hours. Ornithologists initially refused to believe that the birds crossed the Gulf; they considered the feat well beyond their capacities. We now know that they not only cross the Gulf, but they also land in the same place and nest in the same tree year after year.

    Many of the birds of Mundo Maya have been seriously affected by deforestation and are now listed as threatened or endangered species. Over the last few years, efforts have been made to protect them. The region's many reserves have secured the protection of at least 90 percent of its bird population, including most of the endangered species. Spread throughout the five nations of Mundo Maya are the following major reserves: the Maya Biosphere Reserve (Guatemala); Río Plátano Reserve (Honduras); Community Baboon Sanctuary (Belize); and Mexican Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (Quintana Roo), Términos Lagoon Reserve and the Calakmul Reserve (Campeche), Centla Marshes Reserve (Tabasco), and El Triunfo and Montes Azules Reserves (Chiapas).

    In the final analysis, the future of Mundo Maya's bird population doesn't look so bleak.