Arizona: Second Spring Highlights
Southeast Arizona is rightfully considered one of the US’s premier birding destinations. Here, representatives of many neotropical groups found nowhere else North of the Mexican border give a taste of the tropics, including Coppery-tailed Trogon, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Rose-throated Becard, and more. Hummingbird diversity is far higher here than anywhere else North of the border too, and despite the lack of a coast there are few places with such enviable diversity of habitats. From saguaro dominated deserts to high elevation ponderosa pine forests, a short drive can see a dramatic change in both habitat and species makeup. The geographically separated “sky islands” add to this further, as some species such as Mexican and Mountain Chickadees fill similar niches in islands of similar habitat in different mountain ranges. We enjoyed a thorough sampling of all of these ranges and habitats, seeing special species such as Five-striped Sparrow, Rose-throated Becard, multiple Montezuma Quail, White-eared Hummingbird, Spotted Owl, and many more.
