About WINGS Tours
The Company
We began in 1973 when Davis Finch and Will Russell formed Northeast Birding, an organization offering tours under their own leaderhip to the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. After some exploratory ventures, our program was gradually enlarged to include tours to Alaska, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Rich Stallcup joined the company in 1977, giving us broader knowledge and better geographical balance, and the range of our tours continued to expand. In February 1980, we concluded an agreement with Sunbird, under which we offered a schedule of joint tours. In July 1980 we formed WINGS, incorporating Northeast Birding and Will Russell Weekends. We purchased Sunbird in August 1982, and David Fisher was appointed director of our United Kingdom operations. In 1987 we moved our headquarters from Northeast Harbor, Maine, to Tucson, Arizona.
Sunbird
Some of the tours we offer are organized by our British company, Sunbird. Their standards are identical to ours. Sunbird-organized tours are identified as such at the end of the tour text. Sunbird’s website can be found at www.sunbirdtours.co.uk.
The Trips
Our tours are planned as ones that we ourselves would like to go on, so they are very strongly oriented toward birds. All WINGS leaders have varied interests in natural history and other related fields, but the timing and itinerary of our tours is dictated almost entirely by ornithological considerations. A few tours combine serious birdwatching with other activities appropriate to the area, or even with simple relaxation, and these are clearly indicated.
Unless otherwise noted in the tour text, group size for our tours ranges from four to 16 people plus the leader(s). Very occasionally, group sizes will be larger, as when the use of chartered aircraft or boats requires larger groups to keep our per-person costs within bounds.
If you have never taken a birding tour, you might want to look at our essay Choosing a Birding Tour.
Reservations and Contact Information
Reservations for tours require a deposit of 10% of the tour cost per person, of which $200 is non-refundable upon receipt. Certain tours, such as Kenya and most cruises, may have higher deposit requirements; participants will be notified of those deposit amounts when they register. Reservations with deposits are accepted in order of their receipt. Telephone reservations are accepted provided that they are followed by the appropriate deposit within 10 days. Reservations can also be made on line here.
Our telephone numbers are (888) 293-6443 (toll-free) and (520) 320-9868.
Our fax number is (520) 320-9373.
Our e-mail address is
The office is staffed from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Mountain Standard Time, Monday through Friday, by Lauren Bosch, Greg Greene, Kris LaFleur, and Kathi McIvor.
Our mailing address:
WINGS
1643 N. Alvernon, Suite 109
Tucson, Arizona 85712
Payment and Refunds
Invoices for the balance of the tour price will be mailed about 14 weeks (98 days) before the departure date. Payment is due upon receipt of our invoice. Refunds for canceled reservations are made according to the following schedule:
If notice of cancellation is received more than 14 weeks (98 days) before departure, the deposit—less the non-refundable amount of $200—and any other payments already made are refundable.
If notice of cancellation is received between 14 weeks (98 days) and 10 weeks (70 days) before departure, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments made against the balance of the tour price will be returned. Please note that anyone canceling a Sunbird-organized tour outside of 70 days may also be subject to cancellation penalties for deposits or payments made for air tickets or concert tickets.
If notice of cancellation is received 10 weeks (70 days) or less before departure, we will refund separable costs such as individual airline tickets or room charges, insofar as funds are returned to us by the providers of those services.
We cannot refund inseparable costs, such as those for vehicle rental, leaders’ expenses, or other fixed-cost services. In most cases the refundable portion will be less than 50% and often less than 25% of the tour price.
Please note that certain of our tours have more restrictive cancellation policies. In such cases, notification will be made at the time of registration.
Payment must be made in US dollars by check, credit card (Mastercard or Visa), money order, or bank transfer. WINGS offers a 3% discount on 2010 tours when the tour balance on the final tour invoice is paid by cashier’s check; this discount does not apply to deposits or other interim payments, or to payments for additional services. To qualify for the discount, payments by cashier’s check must be received before the due date indicated on the final tour invoice. Within 70 days of tour departure, all payments must be made by credit card; no discount will be applied. There is no discount offered for payments by personal check. If you have any questions about our payment and discount policies, please call the WINGS office at 520 320-9868.
Travel Insurance
WINGS is pleased to offer our clients travel insurance from Travelex. Just click on the link for a quote. Travel insurance offers welcome protection to those for whom a health-related trip cancellation is a concern. Travel insurance also usually protects you if you fall ill while on the tour (for example, it may get you back home). Please note that most travel insurance companies require that insurance be purchased no later than the day the initial deposit(s) are sent to the travel company, and please note that all policies have fairly restrictive conditions.
What the Trip Price Includes
The price for our tours includes all travel as noted in the itinerary, lodging in comfortable hotels/motels or their equivalent unless otherwise indicated, all meals unless otherwise noted, tour materials, and the services of the leader(s). Routine tips for included meals, porters, drivers, and other service providers are also included.
The Single Occupancy Supplement listed for each tour provides a single room throughout the tour unless otherwise noted. Certain small lodges will not provide single rooms if they are heavily booked; these are listed in the “Notes” section of their respective tour itinerary. In such cases, the portion of the Single Occupancy Supplement applicable to the lodge or lodges will be refunded.
Unless a single room is specifically requested on your reservation form, all registrants will be assigned a suitable roommate. If no roommate is available, a single room will be provided and you will be charged the Single Occupancy Supplement.
Baggage handling assistance is provided by our hotels or by the leader(s) unless otherwise noted.
The following items are not included in the tour price: passports, visas, departure taxes, immunizations, excess baggage charges, optional excursions, telephone calls, alcoholic beverages, laundry, room service, snacks, or anything of a purely personal nature. If you have questions, please contact us.
Trip Alterations
Changes in itinerary may occur in spite of careful planning. If major changes are necessary before the start of the tour, participants will be informed and may withdraw from the tour without penalty if they so choose. Should a change of itinerary or mode of operation be forced upon us while the tour is in progress—for example, by an airline strike, weather delay, or political crisis—the additional costs, if any, are the responsibility of the individual participant. Please note that when two leaders are listed, the second may not accompany the tour if there are not sufficient registrations.
Price Increases
Price increases can occur unexpectedl y. In costing tours months in advance, we try to anticipate the rising cost of airfares, ground transportation, and lodging, but if unexpected increases occur, we reserve the right to charge participants an increase of up to 10% of the tour price. If greater increases are necessary, participants may withdraw without penalty. For 2010, our Sunbird tours were costed in July 2009 using an exchange rate of $1.70; tours with a significant Euro component were costed using an exchange rate of $1.40. Actual tour invoices are prepared using the exchange rate in effect at the time of invoicing.
Restrictions on Participation
Restrictions on participation are a matter of common sense; we impose no absolute restrictions. If you have a health problem or any physical limitation that might hamper or restrict your full involvement in any aspect of the tour, or about which we should be aware for your safety (for example, walking difficulties, diabetes, asthma, angina, and so on), please advise us in detail and in writing at the time you reserve space. We will provide any information that you or your doctor may need to judge your capacity to participate fully in the tour, and we may request a physician’s letter indicating that you are healthy enough to participate fully on the tour. We do not normally program strenuous physical exercise, but if it cannot be avoided, the fact is made explicit in the tour description and in the General Information sheets for the tour. Participants should be able to complete gentle walks of half a day, ride in any seat in tour vehicles, and abide by the schedule of the tour. We reserve the right to send home persons unable or unwilling to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the satisfactory operation of the tour.
Please note that we do not allow the collecting of plants or animals during the course of any tour.
Trip Cancellation
We reserve the right to cancel any tour or tour extension for which there are insufficient reservations 10 weeks (70 days) before the departure date. Undersubscribed tours at Christmas may be canceled 90 days before departure. In case of cancellation by WINGS, all deposits and other payments for the tour or tour extension will be refunded. Participants should note that the cancellation of a tour’s pre-tour or post-tour extension does not alter their rights and obligations with respect to the main portion of the same tour.
Trip Materials
Past or prospective bird lists and General Information sheets will be sent to each registrant on receipt of a deposit. Final tour information, meeting instructions, a participant list, and any additional materials will be mailed about three weeks before tour departure. A final tour report will be mailed to all participants after the tour.
The Pace of Our Trips
Birdwatching involves some odd hours and at least a modest amount of physical activity, and we want all participants to understand fully what’s required. Birds are most active during the early hours, and often we’ll have a pre-breakfast walk or an early breakfast before leaving for more distant points. All tours require gentle walking, sometimes for periods of up to six hours. Birdwatching is continuous, of course, and we rest as necessary. At times we climb hills, walk on uneven or wet terrain, or push through vegetation. On tours with more than one leader, we are sometimes able to have “faster” and “slower” groups. Lunches are often picnics, but sometimes we have a sit-down or “fast food” lunch. In warm climates we usually rest during the heat of the day, venturing out again in mid- to late afterno on and returning to the hotel an hour or so before dinner. A bird list is compiled most days, usually before or after dinner. Nightlife more adventurous than an after-dinner drink is seldom possible on most tours, as we normally stay in hotels well away from commercial development.
All activities are optional within the general framework of the tour. We encourage and assist participants in the pursuit of personal aims if these do not conflict with the conduct of the tour. Persons with specific non-ornithological goals should contact WINGS before the tour to determine whether they can be realized.
Most tour participants have been birdwatching for some time, and while their skills may vary, they normally have binoculars, know how to use them, and are familiar with at least the rudiments of how to watch birds. If you have never watched birds before, please contact us and we’ll suggest a few ways to help you prepare for your tour.
Travel to the Point of Trip Departure
WINGS and Avenues to Travel would be happy to assist with your travel arrangements. If you would like assistance, please contact Avenues to Travel at (800) 736-7320 or (520) 297-7320 and identify yourself as a WINGS client.
Assumption of Risk and Liability Release Agreement
While WINGS BIRDWATCHING TOURS, INC., spares no effort in its attempt to provide its clients and staff with a safe travel environment, we frequently travel to remote locations where medical care may be nonexistent or minimal, where the terrain may be rugged and unpeopled, and where local governments may respond very differently than our own. We expect our clients to take reasonable and prudent care for their own safety and to recognize that WINGS cannot guarantee anyone’s personal safety. For these reasons, we are willing to provide you with the tour opportunity you have requested only if you accept your personal responsibilities and you release us from liability for your safety within the limits of the law by entering into the Assumption Of Risk And Liability Release Agreement that you will be sent at the time you register for a tour.
Download the Assumption Of Risk And Liability Release Agreement [PDF, 64KB].
Note: Information on this web site supersedes any materials concerning tour descriptions, itineraries, costs, etc., published or distributed prior to 1 November 2009.
Updated: December 2009