[1] At a sample location at coordinates 10°45′N 69°15′W / 10.75°N 69.25°W / 10.75; -69.25 the Köppen climate classification is "Aw": equatorial, winter dry.

[6] The dry deciduous forests of the Lara–Falcon hills are fairly open, 8–15 metres (26–49 ft) high, and have dense undergrowth.

The main flora are Handroanthus billbergii, Roseodendron chryseum (araguán), Bulnesia arborea (Maracaibo lignum vitae), Bourreria cumanensis, Caesalpinia coriaria (divi-divi), Pereskia guamacho (leafy cactus) and Prosopis juliflora (mesquite).

[7] The only endemic plant is Apoplanesia cryptantha (family Fabaceae), found in the eastern deciduous forests.

[1] Other plant species in the deciduous forests include Acanthocereus colombianus (cactus), Capparis linearis, Capparis odoratissima, Capparis tenuisiliqua, Castela erecta, Cercidium praecox, Croton rhamnifolius, Cynophalla hastata, Cynophalla flexuosa, Ipomoea carnea (pink morning glory), Jatropha gossypiifolia (bellyache bush), Libidibia coriaria, Machaerium robiniaefolium, Morisonia americana, Pachira quinata, Pereskia colombiana, Piptadenia flava, Pithecellobium dulce, Pithecellobium unguis-cati, Poponax tortuosa, Randia armata, Stenocereus griseus (dagger cactus), Talisia olivaeformis, Vachellia farnesiana (sweet acacia) and species of the genera Cassia, Eugenia, Guapira, Hyptis, Lonchocarpus, Opuntia, Platymiscium and Zanthoxylum.

[1] The only endemic mammal is the Guajira mouse opossum (Marmosa xerophila), found in this and other dry forest ecoregions in the north of Venezuela and Colombia.

There are many endemic birds in the arid lowland area including the yellow-shouldered amazon (Amazona barbadensis), Maracaibo tody-flycatcher (Todirostrum viridanum), pygmy palm swift (Tachornis furcata), buffy hummingbird (Leucippus fallax), chestnut piculet (Picumnus cinnamomeus), white-whiskered spinetail (Synallaxis candei), black-backed antshrike (Thamnophilus melanonotus), slender-billed inezia (Inezia tenuirostris), Tocuyo sparrow (Arremonops tocuyensis) and vermilion cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus).

[1] Endangered birds include the plain-flanked rail (Rallus wetmorei) and the red siskin (Spinus cucullatus).

[9] A 2006 book stated that of the 17,563.25 square kilometres (6,781.21 sq mi) of the ecoregion, 64.6% of the habitat had been transformed by human activity.