Arizona: Owls and Warblers

Day 1: Our trip officially begins with a meeting at 6:00 pm where we will meet in the lobby of our Tucson, Arizona hotel for dinner and an introductory meeting. Night in Tucson.

This is my second tour with WINGS and it was beyond awesome! I really appreciate the small size of the group and more importantly the expertise of the tour leader. I really liked the night owl tours and breaking up the day sometimes by going out very early, back for a couple hours and out again in the afternoon and/or evening. - Kathy K.

Day 2: We’ll travel northeast of Tucson to the lower San Pedro River and Aravaipa Canyon. Passing through surprisingly lush Sonoran Desert, we’ll search for Harris’s Hawk, Gilded Flicker, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Rufous-winged Sparrow, and Pyrrhuloxia, on our way to the shady cottonwood-willow riparian habitat around Dudleyville, summer home to the southernmost reliable Common Black-Hawks in Arizona. At this season riparian corridors are alive with bird activity, including large numbers of Lucy’s Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, and Hooded Orioles. We’ll also look for Mississippi Kite, which has an isolated breeding population in this area, and Zone-tailed Hawk. If weather conditions permit, we’ll travel slightly farther north for Gray Vireo, here at the southern limit of its breeding range in Arizona and the sprightly and attractive Black-chinned Sparrow. We’re also likely to see riparian-favoring species such as Brown-crested and Ash-throated Flycatchers and Bell’s Vireo. In the afternoon we’ll return to Tucson, have an early dinner, and watch the sunset from the lovely desert landscapes of the Santa Catalina Mountains. In the waning moments of daylight we’ll scan for Lesser Nighthawks and listen for Elf Owls as they begin calling from the tall saguaros; it’s the quintessential Sonoran Desert experience. Depending on the weather (and our energy level), we may drive farther up the Mount Lemmon Highway for our first attempts to hear and hopefully see Whiskered Screech-Owls, Flammulated Owl, and perhaps Northern Saw-whet Owl, which are occasional breeders in the highest parts of the mountain. Night in Tucson.

Day 3: We’ll return to Mount Lemmon, where we should be greeted by a cacophony of birdsong emanating from the lower oak-dominated canyons; the voices may include Acorn Woodpecker, Greater Pewee, Olive Warbler, Painted Redstart, and Black-headed Grosbeak. A bit higher on the mountain we’ll enter pine forest, where we’ll search for Western Bluebird, Pygmy Nuthatch, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, and possibly a migrant Townsend’s or Hermit Warbler. Higher still, we’ll arrive at a green canyon dominated by firs and maples where Red-faced Warbler is almost common. This is also a good area for such higher-elevation species as Cordilleran Flycatcher, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper and Steller’s Jay. After lunch we’ll travel to Madera Canyon, where the pine-oak forests and arrays of feeders should be filled with birds. We’ll take our time birding the lower and middle canyon, searching for Arizona Woodpecker, migrant flycatchers and warblers, and a host of glittering hummingbirds, including Rivoli’s and Broad-billed. Night in Green Valley or Madera Canyon.

Day 4: We’ll explore the remote border ranges of the Atascosa Highlands. We’ll stop in at Pena Blanca Lake, looking for nesting Canyon Wrens, Vermilion Flycatchers, and perhaps a surprise migrant or two tucked into the willows that line this picturesque lake before driving west into the Atascosa wilderness, not far from the Mexican border. A single dirt road skirts the south side of the Atascosa Highlands, passing several south-draining canyons that are the best place in North America to observe certain “Mexican” species. We may encounter Montezuma Quail along the drive, as well as the Southwest form of Eastern Bluebird, a candidate for species status, but our main focus will be California Gulch, a small steep-sided valley that empties into Mexico and is covered in short thornscrub. Here we’ll spend a few hours wandering along a dirt road, seeking border species like Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Varied Bunting, and the star of the show—Five-striped Sparrow, one of the most range-restricted bird species in the US. After a picnic lunch we’ll finish the loop around Ruby Road, stopping at Arivaca Lake and the Amado Sewage Ponds to check for wayward waterbirds. In the late afternoon we’ll visit the agricultural fields and ponds east of Rio Rico, where we should have excellent comparison views of Western, Cassin’s, and Tropical Kingbirds and perhaps will see comical Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks or glimmering White-faced Ibis feeding in the shallow ponds. If Buff-collared Nightjars are active we will make a late afternoon trip out to the California Gulch area to look for this scarce borderlands breeder. Night in Green Valley or Madera Canyon.

Day 5: We’ll begin the day with roadside birding around Patagonia and along Sonoita Creek, searching for Gray Hawk, Thick-billed Kingbird, Bridled Titmouse, and with luck an assortment of migrants. We’ll stop at the now-famous hummingbird feeders in Patagonia, where we’re likely to see a variety of species including Violet-crowned Hummingbird and large numbers of Broad-billed and Black-chinned. We’ll almost certainly visit Lake Patagonia too, a backup location for Black-capped Gnatcatcher. After lunch in a local café in Patagonia we’ll continue east, stopping in the Sonoita Grasslands to look for Scaled Quail, Grasshopper Sparrow, the Lillian’s form of Eastern Meadowlark, and Chihuahuan Raven. We’ll reach Sierra Vista and the delightful Huachuca Mountains in mid-afternoon. After a brief break at our hotel we’ll begin our investigation of the canyons on the eastern flank of the Huachucas, possibly including Ramsey and Ash Canyons, where feeders sometimes support Lucifer Hummingbird among the more common species. Night in Sierra Vista. 

Day 6: We’ll begin in Miller Canyon, which supports a diverse avifauna, including Grace’s Warbler and Spotted Owl, and a famous set of hummingbird feeders where up to seven species are regular in early May, often including the scarce White-eared Hummingbird. A hike up the Miller Canyon trail should reveal Red-faced Warblers, Painted Redstarts, and Arizona Woodpeckers, as well as a good number of migrant birds. Our chief prize, though, will be a chance to see Mexican Spotted Owls on a day roost, often quite close to the trail. We often hear or see Northern Pygmy-Owl on the hike, as well as an interesting assortment of mid-elevation reptiles and butterflies. Once we’re done with the hike we’ll watch the feeders for a bit before driving to the quirky mining town of Bisbee, where we’ll have lunch at a small café. 

In the afternoon we’ll drive to Portal, with stops at Whitewater Draw and Willcox Twin Lakes, where we hope to encounter a broad array of migrating shorebirds and waterbirds. Birds such as Wilson’s Phalarope, Eared Grebe, and American Avocet (all in full breeding plumage) should be common. Around the lakes we may encounter Bendire’s Thrasher or Scaled Quail, and every visit to Willcox during migration seems to produce a surprise or two. We’ll arrive in Cave Creek Canyon in time for dinner, followed by a short evening owling excursion to look for Western Screech and Elf Owls and perhaps Common Poorwill or Mexican Whip-poor-will. **Night in Portal.

Days 7 and 8: Our two full days in the Chiricahuas is always special. A wide array of habitat types converge near Portal, including the sycamore-lined creek bed of South Fork, mid-elevation pine forests along Turkey Creek, juniper woodland near Paradise, and open Chihuahuan Desert around Rodeo NM. One early morning (pre-breakfast) outing to Rodeo should reveal skulky Crissal and Bendire’s Thrashers and perhaps singing Botteri’s Sparrows or migrating Lazuli Buntings. During our time here we’ll spend a morning walking along South Fork, where bird diversity can be staggering. Some of the specialties here include Blue-throated Mountain-gem, Elegant Trogon, and Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, but the sheer beauty of the location can overshadow even such an exotic trio. We’ll have a some mid-afternoon rest time on each day. We will also plan to head uphill, looking for Mexican Chickadees near Turkey Creek. As the sun sets and nightbirds begin to take over, we’ll seek out Flammulated Owls among the higher-elevation pines. **Nights in Portal.

Day 9: This morning we’ll take an early-morning trip to the tiny town of Paradise, where we should be able to find Juniper Titmouse, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, and perhaps Black-chinned Sparrow in the juniper forest. We’ll spend the rest of the morning near Paradise, and early afternoon driving up and over Onion Saddle, seeking out Mexican Chickadee and any other high-elevation species of interest. After a picnic lunch we’ll stop again at the ponds at Willcox, where a good variety of lingering ducks and migrant shorebirds can be expected. We’ll arrive at our hotel at a reasonable hour and then enjoy a leisurely farewell dinner at an excellent Mexican restaurant. Night in Tucson.

Day 10: The trip concludes this morning in Tucson.

2026 Narrative

IN BRIEF:

It sure is hard to beat southeast Arizona in the spring time. The days are often still not too hot, the evenings not too cold. Wildflowers are starting to spring up and everyday can bring a fresh wave of migrating birds back to the Sky Islands. But the thing about migration, is every year there are subtle (and not so subtle..) differences in the year to year patterns. This was no exception and from my perspective a little baffling as some early season migrants were scarce, while some later migrants were quite abundant. But in all, it was quite birdy for us and we were able to record 196 species, my second highest total yet for this tour! 

Obviously owls and warblers are the highlights of the tour, we did well for owls with 8 species recorded. We had great looks at Whiskered Screech, Western Screech as well as Elf, Burrowing and Great Horned Owls. Also thrilling was hearing Northern Pygmy, Spotted and Northern Saw-whet Owls, the latter being only the 4th time ever encountered on this tour (out of 24 tours)! Warblers were modest in numbers and diversity, but we had banger looks at some of the most “important ones”, with terrific experiences with Red-faced Warbler and Painted Redstart. An honorary warbler, though a solo species in its own family, this was the best showing for Olive Warbler I’ve seen in several years. Good to see after a few years of low numbers. 

But the highlights don’t stop there! Hummingbirds were excellent and we had 12 species plus a Berylline x Broad-billed Hummingbird hybrid! Flycatchers had great diversity and we enjoyed goodies like Thick-billed Kingbird, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Greater Pewee and Olive-sided Flycatchers. We had a few rare woodpeckers with the expected species, namely Red-naped Sapsucker and a male Williamson’s Sapsucker, the latter only being the 3rd time recorded on the tour. We had decent shorebirds the few times we checked out some wetlands. We recorded ten species, most exciting was the fourth ever Long-billed Curlew for the tour. A few standout moments that must be mentioned include a flyover over Crested Caracara, only the second ever for the tour, and an evening where we had a pair of Buff-collared Nightjars. In the Huachucas, a pair of Flame-colored Tanagers were breeding, which we were able to have a lovely morning with. And finally, it would be remiss of me to not mention after last year’s abysmal trogon numbers, that we had some great experiences with the recently renamed Copper-tailed Trogon in both Madera Canyon and up the south fork of Cave Creek Canyon! 

IN FULL: 

We began our adventure in Tucson, over a nice italian meal where we got to know one another before setting off on our grand birding caper. We dined on the outdoor patio where we got our first birds of the tour- a small group of Lesser Nighthawks foraging overhead! A great way to start the adventure! We headed across town to begin our ascent up Mount Lemmon. Before we could even gain elevation, I had to keep pulling over for birds we spotted in the neighborhoods we were driving through- first for a Harris’s Hawk on a telephone pole, next for a group of White-throated Swifts foraging low over the desert scrub. They kept passing us so close, you could almost touch them! The ride up Mount Lemmon is a journey through various habitat types, starting out at the lower elevation of the Sonoran Desert dominated by stately saguaro cacti where we encountered our first Greater Roadrunner and Verdins, we ascended all the way up to Ponderosa Pine and Douglas-fir forests at over 8000 feet where Olive Warblers and Yellow-eyed Juncos added a Sierra Madrean flair to high elevation Rocky Mountain species such as Hairy Woodpecker and Red-breasted Nuthatch, along with the southernmost Arizona population of Mountain Chickadee. A stop at the Molino Canyon got us great looks at Rock Wren, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Hooded Oriole and a mixed flock of Black-tailed and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. A bathroom stop made for a brief encounter with our first owl, but sadly only a couple of us heard a quick series of toots by a Northern Pygmy Owl. We spent a long time birding at Rose Lake Canyon. Here we were treated to great looks at an Olive Warbler singing away as we ate picnic lunch. Other warblers showed well here such as Townsend’s and  Grace’s Warbler as well as Painted Redstart. And we had a great time observing a pair of Greater Pewee, after a bit of a search trying to find its favored snag. Another animal that showed well for us here was a Tassel-eared Squirrel. Native to northern Arizona, they have been introduced to Mnt Lemmon and their handsome pelage and adorable ear tufts make this one classy looking squirrel! Further up the mountain, we tried for a few more warbler species- Virginia’s Warbler gave us only a fleeting glance but the amazingly beautiful Red-faced Warbler danced about our faces. We came back down the mountain and after a hotel turnaround, we headed out for dinner at a favorite Oaxacan restaurant I like and considered the day to be a great success and a good omen for our birding luck for the rest of the tour. 

The next morning, we left a little past sunrise, and over beautiful Gate’s Pass into Saguaro National Park. Our quarry was the regional endemic Gilded Flicker but despite trying a few different locations we had only fleeting glances of them and heard them calling among the saguaro forest. We were given great looks at a few other desert species like Ash-throated Flycatchers, Black-throated Sparrow, Gambel’s Quail and some lovely Pyrrhuloxias. 

We did much better when we headed up north of Tucson to a colony of Burrowing Owls. We had one right as we were still headed to the colony sitting along the road and provided some great photo opps for all. Continuing to the colony we had another 13 owls scattered about; definitely my most observed ever at this site. Also notable here was an adult and young Western Meadowlark- surprisingly the first ever for this tour and one of the most southernmost breeding records of this species for Arizona. Afterwards we turned around and put Tucson in the rear-view mirror for the Santa Rita Mountains. But first we made a few more stops along the way while still in the Sonoran Desert. I wanted to see if we could get a better experience with Gilded Flicker but again it was not to be. However, one of the joys of birding is there is always something wonderful to see and we had some great afternoon desert birding with a very cooperative Roadrunner perched in a saguaro, a nest of Chihuahuan Ravens with little babies, our only desert Purple Martins of the tour (quite possibly a cryptic species not currently recognized), and a flyover Crested Caracara, the latter being only the second time recorded on the spring Arizona tour! We then stopped by our first of several waste water treatment ponds- these bodies of water are amazing in the desert for adding species one would never see otherwise! Here we had a few species of duck some of which we would not see again like Redhead and Ring-necked Duck, as well as a good look at most people’s lifer Mexican Duck! 

We finally arrived late that afternoon to Madera Canyon where we would stay the next couple nights at the idyllic Santa Rita Lodge, giving us easy nighttime access to forests of oak and alligator bark juniper- the hallmark of a Sierra Madrean forest, a rich biological habitat common in northern Mexico, but only found in select canyons scattered across southeast Arizona. 

The feeders here gave great views of Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, Acorn Woodpecker, and hordes of Black-headed Grosbeaks.  But the main show at the Santa Rita lodge was the more than average number of hummingbirds present. In fact, I had plans for us to go birding elsewhere on our first evening at the lodge, but as we gathered by the feeders to leave, it became apparent we needed to stay right there and watch the hungry hordes feeding right in front of our faces! Many dozens of Broad-billed Humminbird were present along with lesser numbers of Rivoli’s, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed. A few rarer ones were present as well, a Costa’s Hummingbird, a couple of Calliope Hummers and a Broad-billed X Beryline Hummingbird hybrid all made an appearance. As we watched hummers, Turkey Vultures started gathering for their evening roost, bringing with them a look-alike Zone-tailed Hawk. A morning hike up at the top of the canyon was full of various flycatcher species, territorial Brown-crested & Dusky-capped Flycatchers and a few migrant Hammond’s Flycatchers, and we had excellent looks at a few Painted Redstarts. But our quarry this morning was playing a fine game of “now you hear me, try and find me”. That quarry being a couple different singing Coppery-tailed Trogons! We chased these birds up and down the canyon for a while, and they finally relented and gave a fine look back when we went to the parking lot, one bird sitting literally in an oak over our parked van! An exploration of Box Canyon gave us a great Thick-billed Kingbird experience, along with a pair of Gray Hawks. A late afternoon stop at a sewage pond in Amado afforded us a nice visit with a flock of Lazuli Buntings with a male Indigo Bunting feeding with them. Staying right in the canyon allowed us to have some great night bird experiences; we heard several Whiskered Screech-Owls and got a look at a pair of diminutive Elf Owl at their nest cavity. Mexican Whip-poor-Will songs ricocheted across the canyons and we also heard several Common Poorwills. And one evening, we traveled to an adjacent canyon where a Buff-collared Nightjar had established a territory. We did a stakeout for a while and as dusk fell, not one but two nightjars started vocalizing in a dry wash; a few participants even got eyes on them!

After a couple days here, we had to leave Madera Canyon behind; we headed southeast birding the Santa Cruz River and Sonoita Creek riparian corridors. In Tubac we had some great looks at Tropical Kingbirds and Vermilion Flycatchers and another stop in Harshaw Canyon did not yield a Becard that was setting up to nest, but gave a nice experience with Lucy’s Warblers and Western Tanagers. Onwards to the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia where we easily obtained great looks at a Violet-crowned Hummingbird among the many Broad-billed Hummingbirds. A Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet teed up nicely for a good look. Yellow-breasted Chats flitted on the wood’s edge and even came into the suet feeder here. We checked into our overnight stay in Sierra Vista, and took a birding cruise along the international border through some nice grasslands where we had a couple of cooperative Botteri’s Sparrows. We capped off that day's birding at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, where we enjoyed picking through the large flock of Anna's, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds which paid off with eventual a male Lucifer Hummingbird!

The next morning began with a short drive from our Sierra Vista hotel up to Miller Canyon, a wild mountain canyon in the Huachucas. A hike up the trail resulted in great looks at Painted Redstart, Black-throated Gray, Audubon’s and Townsend's Warblers. However, the high point of the morning was certainly the killer looks we had of a pair of Flame-colored Tanagers! We first were able to locate the female sitting on her nest. The male briefly came in a few times, but we ended up having a fantastic look at him down by the creek. Afterwards we took a rest at the hummingbird feeders at the start of the trail where we were delighted to have multiple Calliope Hummingbirds. After lunch, we headed off to Willcox for a waterbird fix. There were a half dozen duck species here including Cinnamon Teal and Gadwall.  White-faced Ibis and American Avocets  lined the pond, and twirling over the water surface was a large flock of Wilson’s Phalarops. Exciting was a Long-billed Curlew, only the 4th time this species has ever been recorded on the spring Arizona tour. But it wasn’t the only rarity here. A flock of Ring-billed Gulls had a pair of Forster’s Terns with them, another 4th timer! 

We pulled ourselves away from Willcox to head to the famed Chiricahua Mountains. For this last leg, we would stay three nights at the Cave Creek Ranch in the tiny hamlet of Portal in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains. Set in the sycamore-lined Cave Creek Canyon, a location rich in ornithological history, bird life abounds here, with the largest North American hummingbird species, the Blue-throated Mountain-Gem being a common resident and prime attraction of the ranch. After check-in, we grabbed dinner and set off for an evening of owling that was quite the success. In addition to hearing numerous Elf Owls, we were able to get good looks at a pair of Whiskered Screech Owls and heard several others. But even more of a prize was hearing a calling Spotted Owl up the canyon from the South Fork parking area! 

Many of the people making their home in Portal are birders, and some have opened up their yards for the public to view their bird-feeding stations. We spent time at a few of these, and got great looks at such species as Gambell’s Quail, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Mexican and Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Hooded, Scott's and Bullock's Orioles, Bushtit, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Black-throated Sparrow and many more. A hike up in the canyon we saw Hepatic Tanagers, Scott’s Orioles, Graces Warblers, Painted Redstarts and another Coppery-tailed Trogon perched in an Apache pine. A big surprise was a male Williamson’s Sapsucker; a very out of season bird that should have left the Chiricahuas a couple months ago for mountains further north!

One of the mornings in the Chiricahuas, we traveled to the nearby town of Paradise for a delicious catered breakfast at the George Walker House. Highlights of our visit here was our only Juniper Titmouse of the trip, some great looks at Band-tailed Pigeon and a close study of another woodpecker rarity- this time a late Red-naped Sapsucker. We then traveled up to the conifer-dominated forests at the higher elevations and we spent the better part of our second day here exploring this region. In a remote canyon we saw a pair of Mexican Chickadees constantly coming in to feed their tiny young in a nest cavity up in the Chiricahuas. Our first Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers of the trip were also here, I felt lucky to get them, this is a notorious late spring migrant that could have been easily missed. We headed up to a canyon that was hosting a nesting pair of Spotted Owls. Sadly we couldn't find them that day, but we had a nice time looking at Buff-breasted Flycatchers. We headed up to Rustler Park for lunch, but a blustery wind picked up and birding became a bit of a challenge. Still we encountered a few nice species like Western Bluebird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Stellar’s Jay and Greater Pewee. After getting back from our day in the high country, we finished up our delicious catered dinner and went back out for some more evening birding.  We ended up having great looks at Great Horned Owl, Western Screech Owl, Mexican Whip-poor-Will and heard a real surprise, a Northern Saw-whet Owl (yet another 4th timer for the tour!). 

On our drive back to Tucson we again stopped at Willcox; there were less shorebirds this time, but we did have a nice study of a young Bendire’s Thrasher. To get our final shorebird fix, we made a final stop at the Benson Wastewater facility where we saw our final new trip birds, Eared Grebe and Black-necked Stilt. This brought our trip total to 196, my second highest for this tour (so far!)

- Skye Haas, 2026

Back to Narratives