Birding in Southeastern Arizona
Introduction
Flying High
Which top ten destination in the United States is also home to the nation's first site designated as a Globally Important Bird Area?
Which area of the United States is home to exotic Mexican birds found nowhere else north of the border?
What small region is home to almost 250 species of butterflies, more than any comparably sized area in the U.S.?
Where can you find over 80 species of mammals and over 50 species of reptiles and amphibians?
If you answered "Southeastern Arizona" to all of these questions, congratulations - you are one of the many people who know that southeastern Arizona is one of the most biologically rich areas in the country and a major destination for nature enthusiasts. (The first Globally Important Bird Area in the country is our own San Pedro River.)
Nature's Recipe for Success
What is it that makes southestern Arizona such a hotspot for birds and other wildlife?
The diversity of life found in this area is the result of a unique interplay of geology, biogeography, topography, and climate. Southeastern Arizona is a region of ecological overlap where species from the Sierra Madre of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts all can be found. This unique overlap occurs within a land of diverse topography and wide open spaces where cool, moist, forested "sky island" mountain ranges rise abruptly from semi-arid "desert-grassland seas". Add to these ingredients a subtropical summer rainy season, and the emergence of many summer-only species, and you have nature's magic recipe for abundance and diversity of life.
Birds of a Feather
The exciting abundance and diversity of wildlife found in southeastern Arizona includes many species of birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and plants. Among these, it is the birds that attract flocks of avid birdwatchers from all over the world. Over 60 million people in the United States watch or feed birds, and millions of them travel to see birds; birding is now second only to gardening in popularity.
America's Most Wanted
Southeastern Arizona has long been a favorite destination among birders, and its popularity continues to grow. The names Ramsey Canyon, the San Pedro River, Cave Creek, the Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains, Madera Canyon, Sulphur Springs Valley, and California Gulch are well known to legions of birders. And with these names come images of the "most wanted" birds - Elegant Trogon, White-eared and Berylline Hummingbirds, Painted Redstart, Montezuma Quail, Gray Hawk, Olive Warbler, Sulphur-bellied and Buff-breasted Flycatchers. In addition to these southeastern Arizona specialties, hundreds of other species are to be found in the region.
The Seasons in Southeastern Arizona
Timing is Everything
Among America's birding meccas, southeastern Arizona is unusual in that the birding can be good all year! Though the cast of feathered characters may change with the seasons, there is always an exciting show to be enjoyed.
Spring (February to April) is hard to beat. Resident birds, such as Cactus Wrens and Scaled Quail, begin singing and breeding, and colorful neotropical migrants, such as Summer Tanagers and Yellow Warblers, return from southern wintering grounds in Mexico and South America. The San Pedro River is one of the most important migratory corridors in the western hemisphere and a magnet for migrants in southeastern Arizona.
But then there is the summer when the rains and the hummingbirds are common. With the rains of July and August comes a bounty of nectar-rich flowers that are magnets for hummingbirds. Often 14 species can be found in Ramsey and Miller Canyons.
Fall (September to mid-November) is no less spectacular. Though hummingbirds have usually passed through, they are replaced by other southbound migrants such as ducks, raptors, swallows, and several songbird species.
Birding in winter? You bet. The clear skies and mild weather provide perfect conditions for more than 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, over a dozen species of raptors (hawks, eagles, and falcons), numerous waterfowl, clouds of sparrows, and even a few over-wintering hummingbirds.
With outstanding birds, excellent birding locations, and fine weather, it is no wonder that southeastern Arizona is a birder's paradise.
More Reasons to Visit
The Birding Bonanza
Supporting birds through community education and conservation efforts is a healthy and wise investment in our quality of life in southeastern Arizona. Come visit us.
Cochise County #3 Nationwide
In the "birdiest" county competition Cochise County finished third overall with 226 species counted on May 4, 2003, behind Monterey, CA with 248 species, and San Diego, CA with 227. Both of which are coastal locations with a wide diversity of water birds. For inland counties, Cochise finished well ahead of second place Inyo. Two of the more unusual species were Crested Caracara and Eurasian Collared Dove both seen at Sierra Vista's new Environmental Operations Park. For more details see the SABO Web site.
Last updated: 05 October 2007 by REW.
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