Free and Sovereign State of Nuevo León

Nuevo León is one of the 32 states of Mexico. It is located in northeastern Mexico. It borders the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. It also has a tiny border with Zacatecas to the southwest. To the north, Nuevo León also has a 15 kilometer (9 mile) stretch of the US-Mexico border adjacent to the US state of Texas. The territory covers just over 64,000 km2 (25,000 square miles). Nuevo León is the thirteenth-largest federal entity by area and, with a population nearing six million people it is the seventh-most populous. Monterrey, the state’s capital, is by far the largest and the most populous city in Nuevo León and the ninth-largest in Mexico with about 92% of the state’s population living in the metropolitan area; the second-largest metropolitan area in the country with an estimated population of 5.2 million people.

Nuevo León can be divided into three regions: a hot, dry region in the north, a temperate region in the mountains, and a semi-arid region in the south.

The state’s southern and western scenery is dominated by the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, covering 50.9% of the state’s territory. Notable features formed by the mountain range include the Galeana and Doctor Arroyo plateaus, the Iguana, Picachos, Papagayos, and Santa Clara mountain ranges, and the Pilón, Ascensión, and Río Blanco valleys. The Great Plains is considered to start in the northernmost regions of Nuevo León, constituting 34.6% of the state’s land. This area is characterised by gentle hills along the Rio Grande. In the east, the Northern Gulf Coastal Plains cover 14.5% of the state, featuring low-altitude lands classified as an inclined plain due to the alluvial terrain.

Pesquería River – ©Forever21.jags CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The San Juan River, one of the Rio Grande’s major tributaries, is one of the most important rivers in the state, as it supplies the El Cuchillo reservoir, which in turn provides water for the Monterrey metropolitan area. It is fed by many of its own tributaries, such as the Pesquería River and the Santa Catarina River, with the latter flowing through the metropolitan area. The state also has additional reservoirs. Among the significant are the Cerro Prieto, La Boca, Agualeguas, Sombreretillo, El Porvenir, and Loma Larga reservoirs.

Nuevo León is located at the intersection of various climate zones, these being hot desert, hot semi-arid, cold semi-arid, and humid subtropical climates. The majority of the state, including most of the Monterrey metropolitan area, has a hot semi-arid climate, while the northern part of the state has a hot desert climate due to its proximity to the Chihuahuan desert. Some southern portions of the state have a humid subtropical climate due to the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range.

The state typically encounters arid, hot summers, with peak temperatures in the hottest regions soaring to 47 °C. As summer progresses, the climate transitions into a wet season, primarily observed in August and September, marked by increased rainfall. During these periods of rainfall, the temperature drops significantly, leading to lower than average temperatures. The state experiences mild winters with average high temperatures around 21 °C and lows around 8 °C. Notably, regions next to or situated on the mountain ranges have lower mean temperatures compared to the rest of the state during the winter months, which may cause occasional light snowfall in the winter.

Birding Nuevo León

The flora of the region includes brush and pastures in the low regions, and pine and oak trees in the mountains. The fauna differs with habitat but mammals include black bears, mountain lions, javelinas, foxes, coyotes, and white-tailed deer, along with many smaller species.

With a variety of habitats the range of birds is as one would expect and with over 500 species record including at least 15 Mexican endemics there are some great birding opportunities.

Pico del Cerro de la Silla, Cumbres de Monterrey NP – ©Gildardo Sánchez CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

One of the best areas is Cumbres de Monterrey National Park covering 1,770 km2. The cool pine-oak forests with winding trails through the mountains make this park a popular escape from the nearby metropolis it was established to stop spreading. The most accessible parts are close to the city where there is a visitors centre. The park has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the northern part of Mexico. There is a wide variety of bird species, including Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, Merlin Falco columbarius, Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus, Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, Maroon-fronted Parrot Rhynchopsitta terrisi, Burrowing Owl Speotyto cunicularia, and Worthen’s Sparrow Spizella wortheni – the latter being endemic to the northeast of Mexico and much sought-after by US birders.

The foothills near Monterrey are home to such Northeast Mexican endemics and near-endemics as Tawny-collared Nightjar, Blue-capped Motmot, Bronze-winged Woodpecker and Crimson-collared Grosbeak, while the higher slopes hold some of the last breeding grounds of the spectacular but endangered Maroon-fronted Parrot.

Among other good birds in this area are Blue-throated Mountaingem, Green Parakeet, Mexican Jay, Long-billed Thrasher, Black-crested Titmouse, Audubon’s Oriole, Painted Redstart, Crescent-chested Warbler and Rufous-capped Brushfinch.