Arizona boasts the third highest total of bird species by state in the United States, pretty impressive for being completely landlocked. In particular, the southeast corner holds the highest diversity due to the confluence of eastern and western species and many southern species that just spill over the international border here. Southeast Arizona is a land of contrasts, where rugged, forested mountains form “sky islands” within the Sonoran Desert. Rivers, like the Santa Cruz and San Pedro, flow slowly across arid valleys, creating ribbons of greenery along their banks by supporting cottonwoods and willows. Middle elevations are covered by rich grasslands and juniper-oak woodland while the highest elevations harbor mixed coniferous forests. In between, one finds desert areas dominated by impressive saguaro cacti, dense mesquite thickets, man-made wetlands that are magnets for water birds, and ancient stands of sycamores along creeks and canyons. This variety of habitats packed into a relatively small area is home to the greatest diversity of breeding birds in the United States.
Many species from further south reach their range limits in southeastern Arizona and occur nowhere else in the country. This tour will focus on these southeast Arizona specialties, southwest desert birds, and the spectacular variety of nocturnal birds that can be found here, including up to eight species of owls and four species of nightjars. Some of the specialty species we seek include Montezuma Quail, Grey and Zone-tailed Hawks, Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted, Dusky-capped and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Tropical and Thick-billed Kingbirds, Bendire’s and Crissal Thrashers, Olive, Virginia’s, Lucy’s, Grace’s and Red-faced Warblers, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Abert’s Towhee, Rufous-winged, Five-striped, Cassin’s and Botteri’s Sparrows, Yellow-eyed Junco, and Varied Bunting. Some rarer possibilities include Short-tailed Hawk, Rose-throated Becard, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Rufous-capped Warbler, and Flame-colored Tanager.
Southeast Arizona is also the hummingbird capital of the United States and we will search for Broad-billed, Violet-crowned, Blue-throated Mountain-Gem, Rivoli's, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed and Lucifer Hummingbirds. The canyons and mountains here also offer some of the most productive night birding anywhere and we will conduct several evening outings or search for species on day roosts. Possibilities include Whiskered and Western Screech-owls, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Flammulated, and the impressive Spotted Owls. Among nightjars, we will look for Mexican Whip-poor-will, Common Poorwill, Lesser Nighthawk, and the exceedingly rare Buff-collared Nightjar. These nocturnal outings can also be productive for mammals, including Collared Peccary, Black Bear, several species of skunks, Ringtail, Bobcat, and even Mountain Lions still roam these wilderness areas. Our itinerary will take us from the desert around Tucson to the famous sky islands of the Santa Rita, Huachuca and Chiricahua Mountains through the Patagonia and Sonoita Creek areas and the unique California Gulch.
Montezuma Quail; Grey & Zone-tailed Hawks; Elegant Trogon; Arizona Woodpecker; Gilded Flicker; Greater Pewee; Buff-breasted & Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers; Thick-billed Kingbird; LeConte’s, Bendire’s, & Crissal Thrashers; Olive, Lucy’s, and Red-faced Warblers; Abert’s Towhee; Rufous-winged, Five-striped, & Botteri’s Sparrows; Yellow-eyed Junco; Varied Bunting; Violet-crowned, Blue-throated Mountain-Gem, Rivoli's, Broad-billed & Lucifer Hummingbirds; Whiskered Screech-owl; Flammulated, Elf & Spotted Owls.
Collared Peccary; Black Bear; Ringtail; Bobcat; Mountain Lion (very rare).
Desert flats and scrub, mesquite thickets, grassland, riparian forest, and mountain coniferous forests.
Spring is an ideal time for warm to mild temperatures in the mountains 20℃ (70℉), low lying desert areas can become hot during the day with temperatures exceeding 32℃ (90℉). Mornings could be cool at higher elevations, carry at least one warm layer. Throughout the tour, sunny and dry conditions prevail.
14 with 1 Rockjumper Leader and 1 Highlonesome Leader
easy, but some early mornings and later evenings, one moderate hike (optional), few long drives
very comfortable hotels; some fine local restaurants
mostly easy with a few difficult species
140 - 150
wonderful scenery, mountain views, wild west landscapes, historical towns, Spanish missions and historical parks
good to excellent
Luke & Adam did a great job. This tour was the perfect US specialty tour (will be interested to see more of these)... We covered tons of environments in a fairly small territory. Luke is a LA-area expert and aimed us exactly where we needed to be.
An excellent tour, and Stephan and Claudia were both very knowledgeable guides. I was also very grateful to them for so conscientiously researching the options for the Covid test I needed to travel back to the UK (following the UK Government’s announcement after I had already left for the tour) and ensuring I got the test. All in all a very enjoyable experience and with lots of good birds!
This was my 4th tour with Stephan, and he continues to be welcoming, caring, and on-point the entire trip. He always goes the extra mile to ensure everyone has a chance to see the birds and is very informative throughout the tour, always slipping in identification characteristics, sounds, or habitats that will help us in the future. He does all this with a very easy-going manner despite his high energy level and excellent people skills to ensure comraderie within the group. Despite the varied skill levels of the group’s participants, he is able to make each of us feel special, whether it is for me as a beginner birder with limited name associations to the species and a brain that doesn’t recall the information from day to day, all the way for those who are excellent at spotting birds and already knowing the species, perhaps due to a career in the field. This tour provided more challenges with some restaurants and toilets closed due to the pandemic or limited hours which did not mesh with the tour route, but Stephan and Claudia did an excellent job of rounding up food, supplies, meals, drinks, and toilet breaks. Because of the intense nature and number of miles/hours required each day to see the target species, they arranged for one vehicle to return to lodging each night at dinner time to provide an early night for those of us who needed a bit more sleep or for those whose abilities limited nighttime walking on uneven surfaces! I really appreciated that effort and concern, even though I love to see owls, etc. They are wonderful guides and friends!!!
Forrest Rowland led the tour, he was very good spotting birds and getting participants on the birds. Very friendly and professional, I would sign on to another tour with him.
I just wanted you to know that the trip to Texas with Stefan and Claudia went fantastic. The birding was unbelievable and the logistics to pull that all off in such a large state as Texas were near flawless. Stefan is an amazing birder and his persistence and patience made certain everyone got on the birds; the views were amazing. Claudia was a great help for him and was fantastic at quickly getting the scope on the birds as well. It was all wonderful Rockjumper birding until you drop at its finest! On side notes, the food was great.
01 May 2024 - 08 May 2024 (8 days)
USD3,500 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Tour price (Per person): USD3,500 * GBP2,825 * EUR3,285 * AUD5,451
Single Supplement: USD600 * GBP484 * EUR563 * AUD934
USA - Montana & Wyoming: Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem I 2023 - June 2023
USA - Arizona: Southeast Specialties & Nightbirds 2023 - May 2023
USA - Texas: Spring Migration & Hill Country 2023 - April 2023
USA - Colorado: Prairie Chickens, Grouse & More 2023 - April 2023
USA - Texas: Winter: Whooping Cranes and the Lower Rio Grande 2023 - February 2023
USA - Arizona: Southeast Specialties, Monsoon Breeders & Hummingbirds 2022 - August 2022
USA - Arizona: Southeast Specialties & Nightbirds 2022 - May 2022
USA - Florida: Spring Migration & Specialities 2022 - April 2022
USA - Texas: Spring Migration & Hill Country 2022 - April 2022
USA - Colorado: Prairie Chickens, Grouse & More 2022 - April 2022
USA - Montana & Wyoming: Greater Yellowstone in Winter 2022 - February 2022
USA - Texas: Winter: Whooping Cranes and the Lower Rio Grande 2022 - February 2022
USA - Texas: Winter: Whooping Cranes and the Lower Rio Grande II 2021 - December 2021
USA - California: Southern Specialties 2021 - December 2021
USA - Arizona: Hummingbird Migration, Monsoon Breeders & Night Birds II 2021 - August 2021
USA - Arizona: Hummingbird Migration, Monsoon Breeders & Night Birds I 2021 - August 2021
USA - Arizona: Southeast Specialties & Nightbirds 2021 - May 2021
USA - Texas: Hill Country Specialties and Wildlife 2021 - April 2021
USA - Texas: Migration Spectacle along the Upper Texas Coast 2021 - April 2021
USA - Texas: Spring Migration & Hill Country 2021 - April 2021