We say the Top Ten Birds of Northeast Mexico

I first encountered the décima in Playa Vicente, in 2010, while working as a production assistant for the recording of the album "Arribita del río" by Los Soneros del Tesechoacán. The road from Cd. Isla to Playa Vicente felt like a portal to another world. And indeed it was.

Music, friends, fun, and a lot of love surrounded an atmosphere full of poetry and art. I was lucky enough to have as my teachers of "son jarocho" and "versada" not only endearing elders who had already forged their path, but also very talented boys and girls of all ages. I will always be very grateful for all of this to my dear friends: the Barradas Saldaña family.

A few years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, my children stayed at their mother's house for the first two months. To be close to them and to occupy my mind with other things, I started researching common birds of the region and decided to describe the characteristics of the Black-crested Titmouse to my children in verses, so that it would be easy for them to learn. They got excited and I continued writing to them. That's how the Painted Bunting, the Greater Roadrunner, and several others came along.

Over time, routine returned to normal, and when we saw a bird in the park for which we didn't yet have a décima, they would ask me to write rhymes for it. That's how the rhymes for the Great-tailed Grackle, the Cardinal, the Tamaulipas Parrot, the Great-tailed Grackle, and those we encountered came about.

Afterward, I asked my oldest daughter to draw the birds for which we already had poetry, already thinking about the book. But then I regretted it; I thought I was giving her too much responsibility for her age.

Daughter, I love your drawings; may your talent always guide you and be accompanied by discipline. Son, I love your curiosity and how you asked me again and again to make rhymes about new birds.

Luckily, my old friend, the talented César Polack, arrived. We hadn't seen each other in a long time; we talked with pleasure and longed for the old days.

Since our reunion, we haven't stopped seeing each other and getting together to plan this book: researching birds, sharing the ones we found along the way, and learning.

The book includes a glossary where you can find the definition of some words or phrases that you might not know. The words in the glossary are identified because they are written in italics.

I hope all of you learn and enjoy this book as much as we do!

José Torres Cuellar

Publisher: Independent
ISBN-13: 978-607-29-7268-1
Pages: 57
Illustrations: César Polack Ugarte