Jocotan Birds

Tuesday, September 5, we headed out early to walk around the aldea above Jocotan. We concentrated on finding the birds that our informant knows--and found about twenty species in a couple hours of walking around the milpas (corn and bean fields) and patios (yards). Very cool to see Turquoise-browed Motmot, Spot-breasted Oriole, Cinnamon Humminbird, and an immature Gray Hawk. Walking back down to town, we heard at least three quail and managed to flush one in an abandoned field--a Spot-bellied Bobwhite. We spent the afternoon going over stories and beliefs about local birds, as well as trying to identify several more that we had names for, but only in Ch'orti' and Spanish.