Ornithology

Come with us as we explore the streamside habitat of New River. This preserve is home to a lush riparian habitat that serves as home for many bird species. This hike is approximately 1 mile in length, with no elevation gain. However, there will likely be stream crossings and uneven terrain. We recommend that you...

Trip difficulty: Longer, but easy. 2.3 miles on flat paved paths. Trip duration about 3 hours. No water on site but port-a-potty is at the parking lot. Limited shade and benches. We will walk the old front 9 of this abandoned 200-acre golf course that has been turned into a Nature Preserve. There are petroglyphs...

Registration fee: $35/member, $50/non-member Trip difficulty: Medium, with hiking up to 3 miles from vehicles; Trip Duration: Return noonish. Carpooling required. Many visitors here want to see a trogon but if you’re only here in the winter when most have migrated back south, it can be difficult.  But every winter there’s a few that overwinter...

I look forward to another birding field trip at Himmel Park, 1000 N. Tucson Blvd. on Tuesday, February 4 th at 8:00 am. Himmel park is located on the east side of Tucson Boulevard, half a block south of Speedway Boulevard. We will meet in front of the wildlife mural. You can’t miss it!  There...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking distance: 1.5 miles, Trip Duration: 3 hrs, Elevation gain: none, but with chance of slight inclines/declines; Ground condition: groomed gravel trails. Drinking water and restrooms available at park’s entrance. Benches available at periodic intervals around the Wetlands. This popular birding hotspot in urban Tucson offers an easy walk through marshes created...

Join Marcia OBara for a leisurely birding experience designed for nature lovers with accessibility challenges; wheelchairs, walkers, or other assistive devices are welcome. The pace is slow, distance short, and terrain even. This month’s birding explores the birding hotspot of Agua Caliente Park where we hope to see waterfowl, raptors, sparrows, and a lot more....

Trip difficulty: Easy. 1-1.5 mile loop on mostly level ground, paved & grassy surfaces with uneven areas. Restroom facilities & water available. Meet at the picnic pavilion near the pond next to the main parking lot off Craycroft. Fort Lowell Park, an urban park located in central Tucson, draws a wide variety of bird species...

Trip Difficulty: Easy Join us as we explore Splendido’s diverse birdlife on a guided walk. Discover colorful songbirds and hummingbirds, and engage in insightful discussions about bird behavior and conservation. We’ll conclude with a delightful light brunch at Splendido, reflecting on the birds we saw and the time we spent together. Join us for an enriching...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking Distance: 2.5 miles; Trip Duration: 2 hr 45 min; Elevation Gain: none; Ground Condition: groomed trail. Drinking water not available on trail. Restrooms at the Mason Center and one restroom midway on the 2.5 mile loop. Join us for an introduction to birdwatching basics at the Tucson Audubon Mason Center. After...

Trip difficulty: Moderate. 1.5 miles on dirt paths and loose wash sand. Trip duration no more than 2.5 hours. No water, no bathroom, limited shade, and one bench. This trip is in the wash 4 miles north of Catalina State Park. It contains several different habitats and is known for some rarities. Special note: This...

Trip Easy: 1-1.5 mile loop on mostly level ground, paved & grassy surfaces with uneven areas.  If you’ve never been birding or are just beginning, this trip will help you get started. We’ll move slowly and practice identifying birds by shape, sound, color, and behavior.  You’ll get to know some common birds in Tucson and be introduced...

We will walk a route that navigates habitats not normally visited at Columbus Park along with touching the traditional spots.  This is not an easy ¾ mile walk around Silverbell Lake, but a 1.75-mile trek over some uneven terrain.  There are bathrooms, benches, shade, and water but we will only occasionally be near them.  Meet at the flagpoles...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking distance: 1.5 miles, Trip Duration: 3 hrs, Elevation gain: none, but with chance of slight inclines/declines; Ground condition: groomed gravel trails. Drinking water and restrooms available at park’s entrance. Benches available at periodic intervals around the Wetlands. This popular birding hotspot in urban Tucson offers an easy walk through marshes created...

Registration for this trip is free.  Bird beautiful Oracle State Park, situated at 4500 ft. elevation which means cooler temperatures and the chance to see some higher elevation species like Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay, Crissal Thrasher, and Canyon Towhee. Walk 1-2 miles on fairly level terrain and meet at the Kannally Ranch House/Visitor Ctr. at end...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking Distance: 2.5 miles; Trip Duration: 2 hr 45 min; Elevation Gain: none; Ground Condition: groomed trail. Drinking water not available on trail. Restrooms at the Mason Center and one restroom midway on the 2.5 mile loop. Join us for an introduction to birdwatching basics at the Tucson Audubon Mason Center. After...

A trip for beginning or visiting birders who want to learn about Sonoran Desert birds that favor mesquite bosques – a once prevalent but now threatened habitat. We’ll explore the mesquite forest along the Agua Caliente wash and practice identifying birds by shape, sound, color, and behavior. We’ll make connections between the birds and plants in this...

Trip difficulty: Easy. 1 -1.5 miles on mostly flat surfaces with some uneven terrain. Trip duration approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. This bird walk is all about enjoying nature and birds. It’s about walking slow, being mindful and looking for birds and then spending time truly watching their behaviors. It’s not about the number of...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking distance: 1.5 miles, Trip Duration: 3 hrs, Elevation gain: none, but with chance of slight inclines/declines; Ground condition: groomed gravel trails. Drinking water and restrooms available at park’s entrance. Benches available at periodic intervals around the Wetlands. This popular birding hotspot in urban Tucson offers an easy walk through marshes created...

An exploration of less-traveled trails at Sabino Canyon for beginning birders or visitors who want to learn about common birds in the Sonoran Desert. We’ll identify birds by shape, sound, color, and behavior and make connections between the birds and native habitats. We’ll walk at a leisurely pace for about 2 miles on trails that are...

$50/member, $75/non-member Trip Difficulty: Easy, Some walking along dirt, gravel, and paved roads with some driving. Wintering Sandhill Cranes are always a big draw at Cochise Lake, but we’ll also focus on all the other great birds found around the golf course, lake, and nearby fields and parks. Getting there a bit early gives us...

Trip difficulty: Easy. ~ 2 miles. This walk is easy on unpacked, but firm trails in the park. There are gentle slopes across drainage areas. Rio Vista Natural Resources Park is one of two of this type of park managed by Tucson Parks and Recreation. Most of the park is open scrub with some dense vegetation...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking Distance: 2.5 miles; Trip Duration: 2 hr 45 min; Elevation Gain: none; Ground Condition: groomed trail. Drinking water not available on trail. Restrooms at the Mason Center and one restroom midway on the 2.5 mile loop. Join us for an introduction to birdwatching basics at the Tucson Audubon Mason Center. After...

Trip difficulty: Moderate. 2-2.5 miles over mostly level, but occasionally uneven, terrain. Chance of moist, muddy brief portions near wetland areas. A portion of the trail is a former railroad bed, with concrete abutments at either end, bordering the creek. Benches are available at several points along the route. Trail fees apply: $8.00 (good for...

Come with us as we explore the streamside habitat of New River. This preserve is home to a lush riparian habitat that serves as home for many bird species. This hike is approximately 1 mile in length, with no elevation gain. However, there will likely be stream crossings and uneven terrain. We recommend that you...

Trip difficulty: Easy; Walking distance: 1.5 miles, Trip Duration: 3 hrs, Elevation gain: none, but with chance of slight inclines/declines; Ground condition: groomed gravel trails. Drinking water and restrooms available at park’s entrance. Benches available at periodic intervals around the Wetlands. This popular birding hotspot in urban Tucson offers an easy walk through marshes created...

Join Marcia OBara for a leisurely birding experience designed for nature lovers with accessibility challenges; wheelchairs, walkers, or other assistive devices are welcome. The pace is slow, distance short, and terrain even. This month’s birding explores the birding hotspot of historic Canoa Ranch where we hope to see waterfowl, raptors, sparrows, and a lot more....

Trip difficulty: Moderate. Approximately two-mile hiking round trip on mostly uneven surfaces. No restrooms, water or benches are available. Geared to those new to birding or the Tucson area, we’ll walk along the road first, checking telephone poles for hawks, fields for blackbirds and flycatchers. We’ll continue onto open grassland trails, looking for falcons that were...

Trip difficulty: Easy to moderate, dirt trail, some uneven but pretty much flat terrain Bird parts of the De Anza Trail along the Santa Cruz River in Tubac for resident/winter species...

Join Marcia OBara for a leisurely birding experience designed for nature lovers with accessibility challenges; wheelchairs, walkers, or other assistive devices are welcome. The pace is slow, distance short, and terrain even. This month’s birding explores the birding hotspot of historic Canoa Ranch where we hope to see waterfowl, raptors, sparrows, and a lot more....