|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Birding in Tucson and Southern Arizona
The Sonoran Desert takes wing
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 29,2009) -- Located along the migratory path between Canada and Mexico, Southern Arizona's lush desert is one of the best bird watching areas in the United States. More than 500 species can be observed throughout the year, and hummingbirds are especially plentiful. Birding buffs can even catch a glimpse of more than 150 species in a single day during Southern Arizona's spectacular spring and fall migrations.
Bird watching enthusiasts need only take a short drive through rolling grasslands, desert greenery and lofty mountain ranges to find Grey Hawks, Red-faced Warblers, Vermilion Flycatchers, and many other species. Southern Arizona also boasts abundant birding events and festival during peak migration times.
Tucson-area Hotspots
For a half-century, Tucson's famed Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has enchanted millions of visitors with its exhibits of live animals in natural desert settings. The Museum has gained a worldwide reputation in the scientific community as an institution committed to researching and protecting the land, plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert region. Within the Museum grounds, guests will see more than 300 animals and 1,200 plant species. There are nearly 2 miles of paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert. Birders are in for a treat, since ASDM is home to 241 birds from 72 taxa. The Museum also participates in federal and state recovery programs for the thick-billed parrot, and ASDM's captive breeding program has resulted in the wild release of Golden Eagles and Harris' Hawks. The Desert Museum's hummingbird aviary also boasts up-close views of Costas, Broad-billed, Black-chinned, Anna's and Calliope hummingbirds, which nest, lay eggs, and rear young. Thus far, the aviary's hummingbirds have built a total of 114 nests, laid 186 eggs, hatched116 birds and fledged 102 birds. Birders are also sure to enjoy ASDM's Raptor Free Flight - a dynamic bird of prey flight demonstration in the open desert, showcasing natural behaviors of native birds. Unlike other bird flight shows, the Raptor Free Flight focuses the attention on the birds and how they behave in nature. www.desertmuseum.org (Open year-round. Summer rates: $9.50 adults / $2.25 kids. Autumn rates: $13 adults / $4.25 kids.)
Tucson's Sweetwater Wetland is a manmade wetland located near the Santa Cruz River. Built in 1996, Sweetwater serves as an environmental education facility and habitat for an array of wildlife, particularly birds. Rare birds seen at the Wetland include the Chestnut-sided Warbler, Least Grebe, Harris's Hawks and many more. Birders can enjoy the ducks on Sweetwater's ponds, which are surrounded by cattails, willows and cottonwood trees. Red-winged, Yellow-headed and Brewer's Blackbirds can often be seen among the ponds' cattails, while thick stands of saltbush provide a haven for Song Sparrows, Abert's Towhees, wrens and many other species. Paved and unpaved paths wind along the ponds and provide fantastic views of the large detention basins to the south which, when containing water, attract shore birds and wading birds. www.tucsonaudubon.org/birding/sweetwater.htm (Free admission. Open Tues. - Sun., dawn to one hour before dusk; Mon. 8 a.m. - one hour before dusk.)
Agua Caliente Park is a 101-acre park located on Tucson's northeast side, boasting 10 acres of ponds, paths and picnic areas. The park features a natural spring and pond that is home to an exceptionally rich mix of plants, wildlife and historic features in the backdrop of the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains. Guests can visit the historic Ranch House and Art Gallery; tour the park on one of the many naturalist-led walks; or picnic in the shade of the mature palm trees and native mesquite trees. Birders can take home a piece of Tucson after browsing through the many bird-related items for sale in Tucson Audubon Society's Nature Shop. The park's three ponds bring a wide variety of avian life to Agua Caliente, including Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrows, Black Phoebes, Bewick's Wrens, mockingbirds, Western Kingbirds, Morning Doves, Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, American Kestrels, Osprey, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Belted Kingfishers, Mallard Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, Wood Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, American Coots, Mergansers, and even on rare occasions, pelican. www.tucsonaudubon.org/natureshop/aguacaliente.htm (Free admission. Open 7 a.m. - sunset.)
Catalina State Park sits at the base of the towering Santa Catalina Mountains, and offers visitors a plethora of desert plants and wildlife, and nearly 5,000 saguaro cacti. The 5,500-acre park includes foothills, canyons and streams, and makes an idea spot for camping, picnics and birding (more than 150 species of birds call the park home!). Catalina State Park provides birders and outdoor enthusiasts with miles of scenic, winding trails that ascend into the Coronado National Forest at elevations near 3,000 feet. And located just minutes from Tucson's metro area, it's one of the most convenient birding spots in the Old Pueblo. www.azstateparks.com/Parks/CATA/index.html (Entrance fees: $6 per vehicle or $2 per person/bicycle. Camping fees: $15-$20.)
Saguaro National Park is a true Tucson treasure, boasting saguaro cactus forests as far as the eye can see. But the Park's cacti and other flora - including pine forests at higher altitudes - provide a unique haven for some of the United States' rarest birds, including Vermilion Flycatchers, Whiskered Screech owls, roadrunners, Gila Woodpeckers and Gambel's Quail. Other birds found in the park are Northern Goshawks, Yellow-eyed Juncos, Mexican Jays, Anna's Hummingbird, Cactus Wren, Common Raven, Curve-billed Thrasher, Elf Owl, Harris's Hawk, Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, White-winged Dove and more. http://www.nps.gov (Open 7 a.m. - sunset daily. Free admission.)
Southern Arizona Hotspots
The Riparian Conservation Area on the San Pedro River in Sierra Vista (south of Tucson) is considered one of the largest and most critical avian migratory corridors remaining in the western United States, stretching from the Mexican border north for 36 miles. The Conservation supports more than 350 species of birds, as well as roughly 80 mammal species and more than 40 species of reptiles and amphibians. The Conservation Area includes about 40 miles of the Upper San Pedro River, where visitors can see both migratory birds and birds native to Southern Arizona. From March through October, birdwatchers can observe and participate in a "bird-banding" event featuring hummingbirds. Guests can weigh, feed and band the tiny birds for a migratory study. www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/ncarea/sprnca.html (Day admission free; overnight backpacking permit $2.)
Located an hour south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains, Madera Canyon features an outstanding cross-section of Southwestern bird habitats. Trails - including a wheelchair-accessible trail in the lower canyon - through Madera Canyon cover a broad range of wildlife zones, from desert grasslands to mountain forests. More than 200 bird species have been recorded in the canyon, including Cooper's Hawks, Northern Goshawks, Sharp-skinned Hawks, Zone-tailed Hawks, Golden Eagles, Northern Harriers, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Inca Doves, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Great Horned Owls, Spotted Owls, a variety of hummingbirds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Gilded Flickers and many, many more. www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org/default.htm ($5 parking fee and $10 for camping. Regular hours 6 a.m.-10 p.m.)
The Las Cienegas National Conservation Area is bird watching heaven, boasting more than 45,000 acres of rolling grasslands and woodlands in Pima and Santa Cruz counties. Protected as a National Conservation Area, Las Cienegas features rolling grasslands, oak-studded hills connecting Southern Arizona mountain ranges, flourishing riparian corridors and much more. Cienega Creek flows throughout the year, and is the central feature of the Conservation Area, supporting diverse plant and animal communities. Cienega's wildlife includes 230 birds, 60 mammals, 43 reptiles and amphibians and three native fish. www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/ncarea/lascienegas.html (Free admission. Large groups may require permits.)
The Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge occupies roughly 118,000 acres of grassland habitat for threatened and endangered plants and animals, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A re-population program is currently underway for the rare masked bobwhite, which makes the Buenos Aires Refuge the only place in the United States where four species of quail can be found. The riparian (wetland) areas along Arivaca Cienega and at Willow Pond attract nearly 350 species of birds - many of them rare - including Brown Pelicans, American Bitterns, Common Goldeneye, Red-shouldered Hawks, Northern Pygmy-Owls, Sandhill Cranes, Black-chinned Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Whip-poor-whils and many more. www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/buenosaires/recreation.html (Free admission. Open 24 hours a day. Visitors Center open 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., all week.)
The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve is one of the best-known and most popular places for birding in the United States. The Preserve's riparian habitat runs alongside Sonoita Creek, and contains some of Southern Arizona's most diverse plant and animal habitats. More than 300 species call the Preserve home, and birders travel from around the world to catch a glimpse of them. The Preserve's birds include the Gray Hawk, Vermilion Flycatcher, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, Zone-tailed Hawk, Green Kingfisher, White-throated Sparrow and Black-bellied Whistling Duck. www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/preserves/art1972.html (Closed Mon. & Tues. Open 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., April - Sept. 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Oct. - March. $5/person, $3 for Nature Conservancy members.)
Ramsey Canyon Preserve is a 380-acre wildlife refuge, located on the eastern flank of the Huachuca Mountains near Sierra Vista, Ariz. Renowned for scenic beauty and excellent birding opportunities - particularly hummingbirds - Ramsey Canyon is a rugged, beautiful home to a wide diversity of plant and animal life. The Preserve includes up to 14 species of hummingbirds, and the surrounding arid grasslands create "sky islands" that harbor rare species. www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/preserves/art1973.html ($5/adults, under 16 free.)
The historic artists' haven of Tubac, Arizona is south of Tucson, along the Santa Cruz River, where high desert meets riparian cottonwood forests. This diverse habitat makes Tubac an exceptional bird watching site, particularly the Anza Trail, which winds from the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park through lush riparian areas to the Tumacacori National Historic Park, just three miles south. Birds found in Tubac and along the Anza trail include: Tropical Kingbird, Arizona Flycatcher, Northern Cardinal, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Mac Gillvray's Warbler, Vermillion Flycatcher, Goldfinch, Black-headed Grosbeak, Verdin, Cooper's Hawk, Canyon Towhee, Black Vulture and many more. www.tubacaz.com
Tucson & Southern Arizona Birding Events
Birding enthusiasts should be sure to catch the annual Wings over Willcox festival at the Playa Wildlife Area every January in Willcox, Arizona, just south of Tucson. The festival celebrates the thousands of Sandhill Cranes that migrate here in winter, and a host of other bird species populate the area year-round. www.wingsoverwillcox.com
Every summer junior birding buffs can experience a fun, nature-based week-long adventure at the Ramsey Canyon Preserve Kids Camp. Campers learn about plants, animals, water and natural history from experienced teachers. www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/events/events5748.html (Ages 7-9 and 10-12; $25/child.)
The Fiesta de las Aves International Migration Celebration features a variety of activities for birders and other wildlife enthusiasts. The festival is a traveling event, with activities taking place at a series of amazing birding locations in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, including the Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains, San Pedro River, Patagonia and across the border in northern Sonora, Mexico. www.sabo.org/fdla/ (No general reservation fee; Fees only for individual activities.)
The Tucson Audubon Society hosts regular, free-of-charge Birding Field Trips. These bird watching adventures take enthusiasts to a wide range of Tucson- and Southern Arizona-area birding hotspots, like Madera Canyon, Florida Canyon, Huachuca, Ramsey Canyon, and more. Check www.tucsonaudubon.org/fieldtrips/index.htm for upcoming trips and contact information.
Tucson visitors can enjoy amazing bird watching without even leaving city limits! Urban Bird Walks are regular events put on by the Tucson Audubon Society to bring birding to the masses by encouraging people to start bird watching walks in the urban area. The idea is to reach out to beginners and families in local communities around Tucson, and all trips are free. For more information, visit www.tucsonaudubon.org/fieldtrips/urbanwalks.htm.
Rare & Elusive Birds in Southern Arizona
For a continually updated list of rare bird sightings in Tucson and Southern Arizona, visit the Tucson Audubon Society's Rare Bird Alert website at: www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/realbirds/rbas/AZ.html
Greater Scaup
Ruff
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Least Tern
Berylline Hummingbird
White-eared Hummingbird
Lucifer Hummingbird
Black Swift
Sinaloa Wren
Black-capped Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Crescent-chested Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Rufous-capped Warbler
Ovenbird
Flame-colored Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Bobolink
Short-tailed Hawk
Blue Mockingbird
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Birding Organizations & Contacts
Tucson Audubon Society
300 E. University Blvd. #120
Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 622-5622
Executive Director: Paul Green
The mission of the Tucson Audubon Society is to improve the quality of the environment by providing education, conservation and recreation programs, as well as environmental leadership and information.
Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO)
P.O. Box 5521
Bisbee, AZ 85603-5521
(520) 432-1388
SABO is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the birds of southeastern Arizona, their habitats, and the diversity of species that share those habitats through research, monitoring and public education.
The Nature Conservancy of Arizona
(Tucson Office)
1510 E Fort Lowell Rd
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 622-3861
(Upper San Pedro River Office)
P.O. Box 15
Bisbee, AZ 85603
Phone: (520) 432-1141
(Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve Office)
c/o Ramsey Canyon Preserve
27 Ramsey Canyon Road
Hereford, AZ 85615|
Phone & Fax: (520) 394-2400
Since 1966, The Nature Conservancy in Arizona has helped protect some of the state's most significant land. Through purchase and partnership, the Conservancy has helped to protect more than 1.5 million acres in Arizona.
For more information on Tucson's birding opportunities, please visit the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau online at www.visitTucson.org, or call the Tucson Visitor Information line at 1-800-638-8350.
The MTCVB is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Tucson area as a convention, visitor, and film production destination. It is financially supported by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Town of Oro Valley, and its nearly 800 individual and business partners.
###
|
