Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas

Zacatecas is one of the 31 constituent states of Mexico. It is located in the north-central region and it is bounded to the northwest by Durango, to the north by Coahuila ,to the east by San Luis Potosí, to the south by Aguascalientes and Guanajuato and to the southwest by Jalisco and Nayarit. The state is best known for its rich deposits of silver ore, its colonial architecture and its importance during the revolution. The state is also known as one of the safest states in the country.

Zacatecas is located in the great central plateau of Mexico, with an average elevation of about 7,700 feet (2,300 m). The state is somewhat mountainous, being traversed in the west by lateral ranges of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and by numerous isolated ranges in other parts – Mazapil, Norillos, Guadalupe and others. There are no large rivers, only the small head-streams of the Aguanaval in the north, and of the Guazamota, Bolaños and Juchipila in the west, the last three being tributaries of the Rio Grande de Santiago.

Sierra de Organos National Park ©Tomás Esparza, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The climate is dry and mostly falls in the semi-arid steppe type, although moisture from the Pacific does influence the state in Summer, particularly western sections.

Birding Zacatecas

There are forest of pines and evergreens in the sierras; in the valleys and plains there is a great abundance of mesquite, maguey, cactus, agave, pastures and many other semi-desert plants. In the sierras there are many wild boar, white-tailed deer and hares; in the valleys and plains it is common to find coyote, badgers, quail and ducks.

The state is still relatively unexplored for birding potential. Scientific collecting trips were virtually unknown until the late 1950s thru 1960s. recent studies show shrinking populations many of which are vulnerable to climate change.