Amar Aves was founded by Miguel Amar Uribe of Mexico Kan Tours, a pioneer in responsible and authentic travel in Tulum. Together, over the last 10 years they have been offering birdwatching tours to various places within the Yucatan Peninsula, departing from anywhere between Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Aware of the many benefits that birdwatching can generate for the conservation of ecosystems, its contribution to increase the quality of life of people in local communities and for the delight of birders and travelers with an interest for birds, nature and culture, the creation of the new branch specifically dedicated to birdwatching was an obvious development.
Amar Aves´ vision is to promote the Yucatan Peninsula as an excellent option for bird watching in the world, and is strongly passionate about participating in the conservation of the different ecosystems and of their inhabitants (with or without feathers!)
Amar Aves offers the traveler a wide array of activities designed for those who enjoy having birds fill their lives with color, sound, inspiration, and knowledge. It is also for those who enjoy observing, listening, taking photos, and registering new species on a life list, or for those simply looking to discover the wonders of the Yucatan Peninsula through its birds.
From a couple of hours´ tour close to your hotel to a multi-day trip, as part of a group or in private, adapted to your itinerary and other must-see sites, Amar Aves is the one-stop shop to design the perfect alternative experience with birds as the main focus.
About us
Meet your guides
Miguel
Miguel grew up in Veracruz, Mexico before moving to the United States for secondary school and university. The Yucatan Peninsula became his home in 2007 when he began exploring his interest for nature, the people and the history that characterizes this part of Mexico. This soon inspired Miguel to become an interpreter guide of nature and culture as a way to promote the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the Yucatan and its inhabitants, and birdwatching proved to be an excellent option to do just that.
His passion for birds began in 2009 when his work as a guide took him to the Sian Ka´an Biosphere Reserve in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, which he says proved to be his best "university". At first, the birds attracted his attention for their varied appearance, their shapes and colors. He soon became passionate about identifying the birds he observed which brought him a strong sense of familiarity and belonging to this land.
His initial interest focused on bird behavior and ecology: their migratory, reproductive, nutritional habits amongst others. These days an aspect of birdwatching he enjoys most is the ability it gives him to connect to life and nature. Birds to him have become a reference point and guidance to live in consciousness close to the essence of life.
During his 10 years’ experience working for Mexico Kan tours, a responsible tour agency in Tulum, Miguel has been a strong advocate for the interconnections that exist between birds, culture and the environment and has hence participated in the development of birdwatching tours for the company. In late 2019, Amar Aves was born to provide more tour options that combine his passion for birds with a mission to provide travelers with all the benefits that travel can offer without putting stress on habitats which are so important for diversity and the livelihood of the people.
“I once heard that the world could be saved with more birdwatchers. Even if that was said as a joke, I have no doubt that this world would be a much better place to live in if more people enjoyed, experienced and understood life from one of its most amazing and beautiful manifestations: Birds.”
Claudio
Claudio was born in the state of Chiapas in a Tzeltal Mayan community. At the age of 3, he went to live in the northern part of the Calakmul biosphere, in a very small town surrounded by nature. His interest for birds started at a very young age, when at every sunrise he would sit and hear the magical songs of birds. Growing up, he helped his brothers in the fields where he learned how to hunt for subsistence, contributing to an incredibly sharp eyesight.
In 2014 (PPY) Pronatura Península de Yucatán, an organization dedicated to the conservation of Fauna and Flora, invited Claudio to participate in a nature course which inspired him to develop as much knowledge as he could on the fauna and flora of the peninsula and become a nature guide. In 2015 he volunteered with different biologists who were in charge of bird research throughout the Calakmul biosphere reserve, adding valuable knowledge and practice. This convinced Claudio to specialize as a birdwatching guide as well as training to become a guide in the archaeological sites of Calakmul, Becan, Hormiguero and others.
In 2016, Claudio started to volunteer with (SAPY) Sal a Pajarear Yucatán, sharing his knowledge of birds with the children of the La Man-Colona community in Calakmul. Not only did he want to put an end to children capturing and killing birds for fun, but he also wanted to give future generations a similar opportunity to what he was given, that of learning the importance of birds in the ecosystem and potentially make a living from birdwatching. In 2021, Claudio decided to expand his knowledge and experience to the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve where he is a regular guide and travels back to Calakmul as often as he can.
"My passion for birds and nature photography for me is the best way to transmit and preserve our natural wealth for future generations."
Joel
Joel was born in Mexico city but grew up in Villahermosa, Tabasco. He spent most of his childhood enjoying holidays and weekends with his family, always camping and exploring new beautiful natural sites and having the chance to learn about plants and animals. This inspired him to study biology at university in Monterrey. In parallel to his studies, he started working as an undergraduate research assistant in the Ornithology Lab of his university, as well as working for an ecotourism company.
As a wildlife biologist, he has participated in several research and conservation projects such as bird diversity in natural protected areas, nesting ecology, bioacoustics and behavior research. He is very interested in the sustainable development of communities, and is strongly committed throughout his tours to involve the local people for local guidance and services such as food and lodging. Joel is an official nature guide certified by Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, a certification that recognises the safety, quality and professionalism of his tours.
“Birds are my job, my hobby, my passion, and my goal is to offer our visitors with the most memorable experiences in Mexico, so… let's go birding!
Edgar
Born and raised in Oaxaca, Edgar discovered birds and bird banding when he was about 24 years old. As a child, he didn’t get the birding bug, however he has always enjoyed hiking making him aware of the wildlife around him. He completed a B.A. in 2001 and a year later while working as an English teacher in Oaxaca City, by mere chance, Edgar attended a lecture on birding. Ever since then, Edgar got involved in birding and bird banding. 20 years later Edgar is a certified bird bander and a passionate birder. He has paticipated in the banding of birds in different parts of Oaxaca, in Veracruz, Mexico City and Canada. He has also traveled to different parts of the U.S.A. and Canada watching birds. In Parallel to bird banding, Edgar got involved in leading bird watching tours in Oaxaca an surrounding states (Chiapas and Veracruz.)
"Oaxaca is one of the most diverse states in Mexico with over 700 bird species recorded. So sharing the opportunity to look for and watch these wonderful creatures with people from all over the world has led me to appreciate even more the wealth of diversity we are lucky to have in Oaxaca and the responsibility we have to protect it not just here but everywhere. Happy birding : )"
OPORTUNIDAD DE EMPLEO (PDF Español):
GUÍA DE AVITURISMO PARA UNA AGENCIA DE TURISMO RESPONSABLE - TULUM, QR)
JOB OPPORTUNITY (PDF English):
BIRDWATCHING GUIDE FOR A BIRDWATCHING RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AGENCY