Visiting Southeast ArizonaYour first birding visit
Be sure to check out the package deals in our Online Nature Shop-- a great way to gear up for birding in Arizona!
If you are coming to southeast Arizona for the first time, it is helpful to become acquainted with the common birds and habitats. You could begin in the Tucson area palo verde/saguaro desertscrub where the typical species include Gambel’s Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Gila Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Pyrrhuloxia, Canyon Towhee and in summer, White-winged Dove and Black-chinned Hummingbird, or in winter White-crowned Sparrow and Anna’s Hummingbird. Agua Caliente Park, Catalina State Park, Tucson Mountain Park, the two units of Saguaro National Park and Sabino Canyon are good examples of desertscrub near Tucson. To see water birds and shorebirds, the ponds at Sweetwater Wetlands and Arthur Pack Park are good from fall through spring.
Here are some resources to help you plan a trip to Southeast Arizona:
Local Tucson area birding locations
Tucson area birding month by month
Tips for safe desert birding
Local bird guiding services provided by Birds & Business Alliance Members
Places to stay - Accommodations for birders provided by Birds & Business Alliance Members
Southeast Arizona birding & nature books recommended by the Nature Shop
