Visiting Southeast Arizona

Your first birding visit

Be sure to check out the guidebooks in our Online Nature Shop— a great way to gear up for birding in Arizona! And definitely pick up a copy of Finding Birds in Southeastern Arizona (2015, Revised 8th Edition), the ultimate birding guide to southeast 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.

Plan your visit now

Local Birding Guides for Hire

If you are looking to hire a local birding guide, you have come to the right place! As a service to the birding community, Tucson Audubon refers local guides who we know to be knowledgeable and reputable. These local guides and guide companies support Tucson Audubon as partners in our efforts to serve the community through environmental conservation, education, and recreational programs.

If you’re looking for accommodations or other services, please visit our Birds Benefit Business Alliance Members list.

Adventure Birding Company	adventurebirding.com info@adventurebirding.com 520-495-0229	Specializing in flexible, personalized guiding in SE Arizona
Gavin Bieber, WINGS	Kingbird77@hotmail.com	Southeast Arizona and beyond
Ken Blankenship, East West Birding Tours	kenhblankenship@comcast.net eastwestbirdingtours.com 770 317-8486	Bird Guiding and Tours in SE Arizona, LRGV Texas, and the Southeastern U.S.
Richard Fray, Fun Birding Tours	richard@funbirdingtours.com 888-855-6446 https://arizonabirder.com/	Professional guide based in Rio Rico, covering all SE AZ
Felipe Guerrero, Arizona Birding Tours	felipe@arizonabirdingtours.com arizonabirdingtours.com 571-215-7948	Felipe specializes in covering the entire state – Southeastern, Central, and Northern Arizona
Laurens Halsey, Desert Harrier Birding and Nature Guide Services	desert-harrier@cox.net 520-237-1284 desertharrier.com	Personal and custom Birdwatching Guide Services throughout Southeast Arizona
Melody Kehl, Melody’s Birding	melodysbirding.com melodysbirding@cox.net	Individualized tours designed to meet your specific needs and wish list, covering all Southeast Arizona
Jake Mohlmann, WINGS and Adventure Birding Company	jake@adventurebirding.com
Vincent Pinto, Ravens Way Wild Journeys	ravensnatureschool.org ravensnatureschool@gmail.com	Birder, Naturalist, Ethnobotanist, Wildlife Biologist, and Wilderness Survival Instructor. Personalized birding experiences.
Brad Sulentic, AZ Spark Birding	azsparkbirding.com	Specializes in Upper San Pedro River Valley, including the east side of the Huachuca Mountains.
John Yerger, Adventure Birding Company	john@adventurebirding.com	Based in Portal, AZ. Tours throughout southwestern Arizona
Scott Wilbor, Nature InSight	natureinsight-explore.com 520 977-0800 scott.natureinsight@gmail.com	All levels of experience. Half and full-day birding and nature adventures within 2 hours of Tucson.
WINGS Birding Tours	wings@wingsbirds.com 520-320-9868 www.wingsbirds.com	Small group and private tours for birders of all levels.

These referrals are not vetted by Tucson Audubon with regard to permitting or insurance. Tucson Audubon takes no responsibility for the guided trip that is chosen. When hiring a local birding guide, check that they have the required materials in place to operate on public lands managed by the National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or other agencies (permits, liability insurance, etc.). You may also want to ask the guide to provide you with references. Some guides may use recorded bird calls; please check with your guide in advance if this is a concern to you.

Important resources to help you plan a trip to southeast Arizona:

Check out our online Tucson Birding Trail Map. Find info on 45 birding locations in and around Tucson, separated by habitat type! Pick up a FREE printed copy at our Nature Shops.
Use our Birding Southeast Arizona App
Look for an upcoming free Tucson Audubon field trip
Check the Southeast Arizona Rare Bird Alert
Accessible Tucson birding locations
Explore Tucson area birding month by month
Learn tips for safe desert birding

Tucson Audubon's Paton Center for Hummingbirds

The Paton Center for Hummingbirds is a place to explore and experience the special birds of southeast Arizona. It is dedicated to the celebration and conservation of hummingbirds—and all of southeast Arizona’s astounding biodiversity—through recreation, education, and sustainable living.

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Birding Southeast Arizona App

A great interactive companion to our Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona, our new app covers over 130 birding sites in six subregions in and around Tucson, all vetted by local experts. Search by nearest site, by bird, or by city and get exact directions! Keep track of your sightings and share with friends on Facebook.

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Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona

Revised 8th Edition, 2015
Tucson Audubon’s updated edition brings together all the latest information on finding birds in southeast Arizona. This is your best source of detailed information that will help in planning bird watching adventures in the region.

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Sweetwater Wetlands

Sweetwater Wetlands is a gem of urban bird and wildlife activity right in urban Tucson. 306 bird species have been documented here. Join our weekly bird walks on Wednesdays and see what you can find!

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