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Steve Howell

Steve Howell has been birding for as long as he can remember: of course, this may simply mean that his memory isn’t very good. But the many who have traveled with him over his 40 years of leading tours around the world soon learn that birding can be great fun, as well as being a way to enjoy and learn, to see new birds and new worlds.

Steve was born in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, and spent his formative years birding throughout Britain before venturing farther afield. After university he planned a couple of years of travel before settling down, but by a series of coincidences ended up in Mexico. And so began a 14-year venture culminating in the publication of A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America, co-authored with Sophie Webb. Steve recently celebrated 40 years of birding and travel in Mexico, a truly magical country full of amazing birds. Away from land, he is a world-renowned expert on seabirds, and has spent over four years of his life at sea and encountered over 97% of the world’s tubenoses. 

Concurrent with researching the Mexico guide, writing became a habit. Steve has authored and co-authored several other books, including the Peterson Reference Guide to Molt in North American Birds (2010), the Petrels, Albatrosses & Storm-Petrels of North America (2012), Rare Birds of North America (2014, co-authored with Will Russell and Ian Lewington), and most recently Oceanic Birds of the World: A Photo Guide (2019, co-authored with Kirk Zufelt), and field guides to Birds of Costa Rica and Birds of Belize (both 2023, co-authored with Dale Dyer). He has also written many scientific and popular articles, ranging from the identification of petrels and frigatebirds to the taxonomy of tapaculos and hummingbirds and molt in woodpeckers and skuas. His ‘chronic’ writing habit was recognized in 2005, when the American Birding Association presented him with the Robert Ridgway Award for publications in field ornithology. Steve serves on the editorial board of Cotinga (the journal of the Neotropical Bird Club) and is a Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences and at Point Blue Conservation Science, former book review editor for Western Birds, and a former member of the California Bird Records Committee.            

Interests beyond birds include butterflies, tequila, and chocolate (the last two come originally from Mexico, which may be no coincidence). 

Upcoming Tours with Steve

Testimonials for Steve

Steve is everything you want in a guide...so brilliant, energetic, funny, attentive and intellectually engaging. His approach to birding is refreshing and holistic. I appreciated our conversation immensely.

- Jean-Christophe B. on Cruise: New Zealand, the Tasman Sea and Australia

This was the best group tour we have participated. The travel was easy, lodge was convenient, birds and habitats were diverse, a best way to be introduced to the birds of Mexico. We enjoyed Steve and his style of birding, easy going yet firm about proper birding etiquette.

- Lisa L. on Mexico: San Blas

Steve Howell was an excellent leader, teacher and birder, always thoughtful and thorough in communicating with us. Steve taught us group protocols which made sure everyone was able to have turns in the front of the line and so all could take advantage of the leaders. Steve is also an excellent bird finder and helped us see many wonderful birds and mammals. He has a great combination of qualities between his passion/love for, as well as scientific understanding of the natural world. We also benefited greatly from our local guide, Carlos Gualinga, who as native of the Sani Community had a knowledge of the Amazon jungle that only someone raised there could have. Carlos’s ability to perceive and find birds in the hidden canopy hovered on the supernatural. Between Steve and Carlos we had the best of Western and Indigenous minds working together in harmony.

- Karen A. on Ecuador: The Amazon Lowlands 2

Steve is so knowledgeable, patient and entertaining. I learned something every day, whether it was about birds or waves, Welsh humor or poetry. He explained the logistics of the tour clearly and treated everyone with respect...and always made sure everyone could see the birds and were clear about guidelines and expectations.

- Hannah T. on Cruise: Around Cape Horn

One could not hope for a guide with more knowledge about the birds of Mexico than Steve Howell. He is especially knowledgeable about species distributions, geographic variation within species and the associated plumage and vocal field characters. He is also talented in making birds appear by road or trailside by mainly natural means of pishing and whistling, plus patience. He encourages an attitude of appreciating what comes on each birding day. He doles out information in a way that is easy to absorb while you are birding. The days are well organized, full but not exhausting, and no time is wasted waiting for food service. The staff at places where we lodged and ate have been trained.

- Peter S. on Mexico: San Blas