The flamingo colony is present year-round but peaks between May and August, when tens of thousands of birds concentrate in the salt pans to breed. This is the best time for flamingos but also the hottest and most humid, with temperatures consistently above 35°C. Hurricane season runs from June through November, though storms rarely affect this area directly.
The dry season (November to April) is more comfortable for travel and still offers flamingo sightings, albeit smaller groups. Birding for waders and migratory species is excellent from October through February, when the reserve fills with birds moving through the Yucatán on their way between North and South America.