Ornithology

This area just southwest of Tucson has some of the highest biological diversity in the state but is little visited by birders. Amidst the amazing rolling landscape of Sonoran Desert...

Join Sabrewing Nature Photographer Jamie Cunningham to experience the photography blind at Battiste’s Bird Garden! This exciting new opportunity gives photographers the chance to photograph up to 8 species of...

Located south of Tucson on the west side of the scenic Santa Rita Mountains, the habitat of Agua Caliente Canyon is typical of mid-elevation canyons in the Sky Island mountain...

The San Pedro River is one of the single most important biological features in the arid Southwest and serves as a migratory corridor for an estimated 4 million migrating birds...

This tour will focus on Arivaca Lake, which is an interesting 90 acre impoundment built by the Arizona Game & Fish Department that attracts some interesting species, especially in fall...

Have you ever experienced the thrill of a “Big Day?” This is a fun, and somewhat competitive, way to see a wide variety of species and locations throughout the Tucson and Southeast Arizona area in a short amount of time! Exact route will be up to the discretion of the leader, to maximize the numbers...

Have you ever experienced the thrill of a “Big Day?” This is a fun, and somewhat competitive, way to see a wide variety of species and locations throughout the Tucson...

While Madera Canyon has long been the most visited spot in the Santa Rita Mountains, this adjacent canyon to the south is deserving of more birders’ attention. Join Wesley Homoya...

Join Tony Figueroa, Director of the Invasive Plant Program, to hear how Tucson Bird Alliance is constantly working to restore and preserve these places for future generations of people and...

Join award-winning photographer Paul Bannick to explore Madera Canyon in search of woodpeckers. Author of “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”, Paul will share the natural history of the woodpeckers we see and we’ll try to get some good photos too. We’ll especially look for Gila, Ladder-backed, Arizona, and Acorn Woodpeckers...

Las Cienegas is a 45,000-acre national conservation area with high desert grasslands, riparian strips and perennial streams, marshes, and juniper-oak woodlands. Here we can find grassland breeders such as Cassin’s,...

Patagonia Lake is the top eBird hotspot in the state thanks to its mix of waterbirds and great riparian habitat. Mexican Duck, Ruddy Duck, and Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants should...

Harshaw Creek is lined with Sycamores making it a great location for woodpeckers, flycatchers, tanagers, and more. We might catch a look at one of the Elegant Trogons that breed through here and Mexican Jays are common in the oaks. After exploring the Harshaw area we’ll head over to the Paton Center for Hummingbirds to...

Rising over 6,000 feet above Tucson, Mount Lemmon is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,157 feet, and a popular escape from urban life and the Arizona’s...

We’ll get an early start from Tucson to explore the east flank of the Huachuca Mountains. We’ll start by visiting the Nature Conservancy’s beautiful Ramsey Canyon and walk underneath the...

Come for a hike to see and hear many songbirds unique to the Southwest in the cactus forests of Saguaro National Park East which is designated an Important Bird Area....

We’ll spend the early morning exploring the Florida Canyon area on the west slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains. There, we will hike along the local Florida Canyon Trail as...

We’ll take a leisurely stroll through the riparian forest along the Santa Cruz River following the historic De Anza Trail. We’ll be looking for Green Kingfishers, Thick Billed, Tropical, Cassin’s and Western Kingbirds, Zone-tailed and Gray Hawks, lots of tanagers and warblers. We will spend most of the day in the shade of the cottonwoods...

Rose Canyon Lake in the Catalina Mountains is the top destination for birding on Mt. Lemmon. The oak and pine habitats contain many Madrean species normally found only south of the border.  This short paved road is interspersed with camp sites and picnic grounds which affords easy access for several targets for birders coming to...

Enjoy birding where Tucson residents escape the summer heat in the high elevation areas of Mt. Lemmon and the small mountain hamlet of Summerhaven. Birding hotspots will include Incinerator Ridge...

Lakeside Park in southeast Tucson is a great place to get to know your urban birds and it’s possible to get some early fall migrants as well. Join the fabulous Kathe Anderson, who is one of the best birding teachers around, on an outing designed for those just getting into birding. We’ll explore the lake...

This major wash flows west from creeks that drain from the northern side of the Rincon Mountains and provides diverse riparian vegetation for a variety of bird species. We will...

We’ll bird Sabino Canyon Recreation Area walking a loop that includes both Sonoran desert upland and Sabino Creek riparian area. Gila Woodpeckers, Purple Martins, and Cactus Wrens should be readily...

This city park on the west side of town hosts two lakes, Silverbell and Archer Lakes, that provide habitat for herons, Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants, a resident Snow Goose, hummingbirds,...

Explore this nature preserve area just northwest of Tucson in Marana along the Santa Cruz River which is also part of the historic Juan Bautista de Anza Trail. You’ll enjoy the view...

This artificial wetland is the premier birding hotspot in the Tucson Valley, offering a stunning variety of species that can be found here at any time during the season. Green Heron, Common Gallinule, Tropical Kingbird, Common Yellowthroat, and Abert’s Towhees are some of our prime targets. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is...

We’ll walk in the shaded riparian forest along the Santa Cruz River which is a fantastic location for three types of kingbirds (Cassin’s, Tropical, and noisy Thick-billed) along with a wide variety of other desert riparian species like Inca Dove, Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bell’s Vireo, and Blue Grosbeak. Drive time to the meeting location...

We’ll explore the oaks to pines of the Catalina Mountains starting at the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground scrub oak woodlands which is good habitat for species such as Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay,...

One of the best known U.S. birding hotspots with tall cottonwoods and willows lining a perennial stream. Open fields, mesquite bosque and a cienega compound the habitat diversity that make it a birding paradise. Listen for the Gray Hawk’s whistle in the cottonwoods while looking for Common Ground Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Thick-billed Kingbird, and more....

Located on the site of the historic Porter property, Tucson Botanical Gardens (TBG) is a five and a half acre collection of 20 gardens in the heart of Tucson, Arizona. ...

Join docent and bird guide, Michael Sadat, for a guided bird walk around the beautiful grounds of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The Desert Museum is ranked on TripAdvisor.com as one of the Top 10 Museums in the country and also is home to many Sonoran desert specialties such as Costa’s Hummingbird, Gilded Flicker, and Pyrrhuloxia. Entry...

Join keepers at the Reid Park Zoo for a tour of the South American and Flight Connection Aviaries, as well as visits to the flamingo and Abdim stork habitats. Please...

For visitors and those new to the Sonoran Desert, Tohono Chul’s easy-walking trails and gardens provide close-up looks at many of the desert specialties. Of the more than 500 bird...

We’ll travel up towards the small town of Marana just northwest of Tucson with hopes of finding Burrowing Owls. Once we find them, we’ll spend some time at a respectful distance admiring these unique long-legged owls and hopefully getting some fantastic photography opportunities. The surrounding agricultural fields and nearby water treatment facility will offer us...

This is a unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of evening monsoon birding in the iconic Madera Canyon. We’ll enter the canyon just before sunset and explore the canyon for...

The tall aleppo pines and eucalyptus, along with two large ponds, create great bird habitat right next to the festival venue. We’ll look for Black-crowned Night Herons, Neotropic Cormorants, Cassin’s Kingbirds, Vermilion Flycatchers, and more. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is less than 5 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be...

This artificial wetland is the premier birding hotspot in the Tucson Valley, offering a stunning variety of species that can be found here at any time during the season. Green Heron, Common Gallinule, Tropical Kingbird, Common Yellowthroat, and Abert’s Towhees are some of our prime targets. This outing will be contingent on monsoon rains. Drive...

Sabino Canyon night hikes during monsoon season are a local favorite past-time. Bring your flashlight as we walk up in the light and walk down in the dark in search...