Birding in Arizona Full Itinerary
Full Details
Join Alabama Audubon and American Birding Guides for a May 2025 adventure in southeastern Arizona- one of the top birding destinations in the United States! Witness the bold colors and incredible wildlife of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Desert and the unique mountain sky islands that rise from these deserts. In one of the most biodiverse regions in North America, your expert guide will show you birds, plants, and other wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. We’ll begin in Tucson, first traveling to Mt. Lemmon and Box Canyons north of Tucson, before traveling south and east across the desert to famous birding destinations such as Madera and Ramsey Canyons, Patagonia, and the Huachuca Mountains before returning to Tucson.
This small-group adventure is designed to be immersive and relaxing, with abundant opportunities to watch and photograph birds and explore Arizona at an enjoyable pace.
May 23 – 30, 2025
$2,400 per person in a double room
$3,000 per person in a single room
Deposit: $500 per person
Deadline to register: April 25, 2025
Final Payment Due: April 25, 2025
Cancellation Fees
All cancellations are effective from the date that written notification is confirmed as received by Alabama Audubon.
Reservation – 30 days prior to tour start date: $500 per person
29 – 15 days prior to tour start date: 50% of total order
14 – 0 days prior to tour start date: 100% of total order
Highlights
Visit two of four vast and beautiful desert ecosystems in Arizona: The Chihuahuan Desert and the Sonoran Desert.
Explore famous birding hotspots such as Mount Lemmon, Madera Canyon, Ramsey Canyon, Patagonia, Paton’s Center for the Hummingbirds, Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Huachuca Mountains, and the Las Cienegas Grasslands.
Search for regional endemic bird species such as the Elegant Trogon; Thick-billed Kingbird and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers; Violet-crowned, Lucifer, and White-eared Hummingbirds; Olive and Red-faced Warblers; and many others.
Learn about desert ecosystems, culture, and water and land conservation practices from one of American Birding Guide’s most experienced leaders, Jake Thompson, who is a lifelong Arizona resident, naturalist, and elite guide in North America’s southwestern ecotypes.
Explore the incredible biodiversity of the sky island mountains and their valleys in ecosystems, including the portions of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts, the Saguaro – scrub desert, high-elevation Spruce and mixed conifer forest, river canyons, Madrean pine-oak forest, cottonwood riparian forest, and the Las Cienegas Grasslands.
Other possible sightings include Rufous-capped Warbler; Gray, Swainson’s, Zone-tailed, and Common Black Hawks; Golden Eagle; Lucy’s Warbler; Scott’s and Hooded Orioles; and Burrowing Owl!
Itinerary Summary
Independent Arrivals at Tucson International Airport by 3:00pm (MST)
1 Night in Tucson; Country Inn and Suites – Tucson Airport
2 Nights in Green Valley; Comfort Inn
3 Nights in Sierra Vista; Holiday Inn Express
1 Night in Tucson; Country Inn and Suites – Tucson Airport
Independent Departures at Tucson International Airport (TUC)
Group Size and Guides: 1 bird guide; 6-8 passengers + 1 Alabama Audubon Host
Accommodations
Tucson – Country Inn and Suites at Tucson International Airport (5/23)
Green Valley – Comfort Inn (5/24 – 5/25)
Sierra Vista – Holiday Inn and Express (5/26 – 5/28)
Tucson – Country Inn and Suites at Tucson International Airport (5/29)
Meals
Included meals with the price of this trip are all breakfasts (7), three (3) lunches, and two dinners (2). Other meals are not included in the price, so you have the freedom to choose what you want from the menu. Fruit, snacks, and water will be provided daily while birding. We will eat the standard continental breakfast provided by the hotel each morning before we depart. To beat the heat, we will arrive to breakfast early each day and aim for 6:30 – 7:00 am departures from the hotel to our birding destination each morning. Any additional items not included in the continental breakfast must be purchased individually.
One lunch will be ‘picnic style’, and guests can choose from a variety of sandwiches and side options as we watch a popular bird feeder in Green Valley. The other two included lunches at local restaurants that typically include a main dish, a side item, and a beverage. There will be a brief opportunity for guests to quickly purchase any forgotten toiletries and additional food items at lunch on the third day when we have our picnic lunch. Please be sure to create a packing list of essentials and double-check that you’ve packed everything before you travel. We will be isolated in the desert and far from larger stores.
The Welcome and Farewell Dinners will have pre-selected options to choose from and include two beverages: a beer or wine and/or then a choice of water, soft drink, or coffee. Additional alcoholic beverages, meals and drinks not mentioned above, desserts, and miscellaneous dining purchases should be purchased individually.
Inclusions
Accommodations and activities as described in the itinerary
One (1) expert birding guide provided by American Birding Guides
One (1) Alabama Audubon host that will drive a private 15-person van and assist with
logistics
All entry fees to parks and preserves, including Ramsey Canyon and Paton’s Center for the Hummingbirds.
Special Use Permit fees associated with accessing Coronado National Forest and other national lands visited with the guide
All meals as noted in the itinerary (B, L, D)
One (1) drink per each included lunch; two (2) drinks per each included dinner (beer, house wine, soft drinks, coffee, and bottled water)
Bottled water, fresh fruit, and snacks are provided in a cooler when traveling with the guide.
Shuttle services to and from Tucson International Airport upon arrival and departure.
Gratuities for included meals
Exclusions
Airline travel, including transfers, to and from Tucson International Airport
Travel insurance
Airline baggage fees
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary as included
Alcoholic beverages not covered in the Welcome and Farewell Dinners
Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Tips for housekeeping/guides
Other expenses of a personal nature
Any other items or services not mentioned in the itinerary
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 – May 23, 2025
ARRIVAL IN TUCSON / TRANSFER TO HOTEL / WELCOME DINNER
Independent arrivals on flights to Tucson International Airport should arrive by 3:00pm to allow time for refreshing and relaxing before attending our group dinner. After you pick up your luggage, guests will follow signs to the shuttle area, and a shuttle will take you to the Country Inn and Suites – Tucson International Airport. The shuttle is free and runs 24 hours on a circuit every 15 to 20 minutes to the airport and hotel. Hotel check-in is at 3:00pm.
We will meet in the lobby at 4:30pm to make introductions before heading to our Welcome Dinner in Tucson. Your host will provide a briefing with important information about our time in Arizona while we eat before we head back to the hotel to sleep.
Meals: D
Day 2 – May 24, 2025
MOUNT LEMMON & GREEN VALLEY
After an early breakfast in Tucson, we will be joined by our American Birding Guides expert, Jake Thompson, who will lead us through Saguaros to Spruce and up to Mt. Lemmon for our first experience of the extreme elevational changes in the Sonoran Desert. These mountains, often called sky islands, change drastically in plant and animal life along the rise of the slopes and will be our first access to mixed conifer habitats that feature specialty birds like Red-face Warblers, Mountain Chickadees, and Olive Warblers. We will eat at a local restaurant at the top of Mt. Lemmon (Beyond Bread Bakery) before birding our way down the mountain into the Mojave Basin, where species such as Gray Vireos, Juniper Titmouses, and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays are all possibilities on this day. We will make our way south to Green Valley for the night, stopping to eat dinner along the way and then arriving at the hotel.
Meals: B, L
Day 3 – May 25, 2025
SANTA CRUZ RIVER / MADERA CANYON / OPTIONAL OWL PROWL
We will start out by birding along the Santa Cruz River in a massive Cottonwood Riparian Gallery Forest on the I-19 Corridor in search of specialties such as Green Kingfishers, Thick-billed Kingbirds, Rose-throated Becards, and Gray Hawks. After spending a few hours along the river, we will stop at a grocery store to gather items for our picnic lunch and watch the feeders nearby. To beat the heat, we will then travel to Madera Canyon, one of the most famous birding stops on our trip. Here, we will search for Elegant Trogons, Arizona Woodpeckers, and Mexican Jays in the Madrean pine-oak forests of this region. We’ll then return to Green Valley for dinner and the hotel.
*Owl Prowl (optional outing) *
Arizona is one of the best locations in the country to search for owls and nightjars in spring; it also has exciting nocturnal mammals and reptiles to observe! After dinner, those that still want to explore Madera Canyon will have the opportunity to do so on an optional owl prowl in search of Western and Whiskered Screech-Owls, Elf Owls, Flammulated Owl, Common Poorwills, Lesser Nighthawks, and possibly threatened Mexican Spotted Owls. We will also look for reptiles, mammals, and other fun desert critters before making the short trip to our hotel at a reasonable hour.
Meals: B, L
Day 4 – May 26, 2025
MONTOSA CANYON / PATAGONIA / HARSHAW CREEK / RAMSEY CANYON
We will start by traveling east toward Montosa Canyon to search for uncommon Five-striped Sparrows, Hepatic Tanagers, Rock Wrens, Bullock’s Oriole, and Golden Eagles. After soaking in the beauty of this area, we’ll travel to one of the most renowned and biodiverse natural areas in the county, Patagonia. In this area, we will search for Dusky-capped Flycatchers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Canyon Towhees, and Prairie Falcons. Hotspots here include Paton’s Center for the Hummingbirds, which can host 11+ species each year, including Violet-crowned and Rivoli’s hummingbirds, and Blue-throated Mountain-Gems. After our morning adventure, we will travel to Ramsey Canyon, stopping for lunch along the way. At Ramsey, we can hope to find Berylline and Calliope Hummingbirds, Elegant Trogons, Greater Pewee, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, and Virginia’s Warbler. We will do some slow birding here to end our day before traveling to Sierra Vista for dinner and check-in to our hotel.
Meals: B
Day 5 – May 27, 2025
HISTORIC SAN PEDRO RIVER HOUSE / HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS / OPTIONAL OWL PROWL
After breakfast, we’ll start at a lower elevation along the San Pedro River at the historic San Pedro House, a historic ranch run by the Friends of the San Pedro River. The American Birding Conservancy has designated this special place as a globally important bird area and features bird possibilities such as Swainson’s Hawks, Green-tailed Towhees, White-throated Swifts, Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia, Summer Tanagers, and Common Ravens. It is also our first foray into a section of the Chihuahuan Desert, which varies in terrain and ecology from the Sonoran nearby. We’ll head back to Sierra Vista for a quick lunch before driving up the Huachuca Mountains to explore more Madrean pine-oak woodlands. Like the other sky islands, the biodiversity in the Huachuchas is unique and captivating. Birds such as White-eared Hummingbird, Hepatic Tanager, Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Yellow-eyed Juncos, and Band-tailed Pigeons can be found here, and the elevation can offer a reprieve of midday heat. After light exploring, we’ll travel back to Sierra Vista for dinner and rest for the night.
*Owl Prowl (optional outing) *
After dinner, those that still want to explore the nearby mountains and valleys around Sierra Vista will have a second opportunity to do so on an optional owl prowl. Those that join will try to find Whiskered Screech-Owls, Northern Saw-whet Owls, Mexican Whippoorwills, and Lesser Nighthawks. We will also look for reptiles, mammals, and other fun desert critters.
Meals: B
Day 6 – May 28, 2025
SAN PEDRO RIVER / ASH CANYON BIRD SANCTUARY
We will start by birding along the San Pedro River again, this time near Hereford, in hopes of seeing Common Black Hawks and Varied Buntings. This will be a nice place to pick up some lower-elevation desert species such as Cassin’s Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Inca Dove, Abert’s Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, and Cactus Wrens. We plan on doing some slow birding during this time to target any expected bird species we might be missing to this point and to enjoy the spectacular views along the river. Lunch will be in Sierra Vista. After lunch, we will head over to Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary for a relaxing afternoon. This location features another hummingbird feeder station that will give us a chance to see the uncommon Lucifer Hummingbird, as well as Verdin, Lesser Goldfinches, and Bushtits. We will also search for elusive birds such as Crissal’s Thrasher and the rare Rufous-capped Warbler, a warbler that sometimes visits the state from Central America. We will then return to Sierra Vista for dinner and rest.
Meals: B
Day 7 – May 29, 2025
TARGETED BIRDING NEAR SIERRA VISTA or REVISIT RAMSEY, MADERA, or ASH CANYONS / LAS CIENEGAS GRASSLANDS / SWEETWATER WETLANDS
For the last full day, we will collectively decide as a group what our final morning will entail for a relaxing, final full morning before heading to lunch. We will bird at a new location near Sierra Vista or revisit a previous stop such as Ramsey, Madera, or Ash Canyons nearby to target birds we missed at a previous stop or a rarity that surfaces during our time in Arizona. After a relaxing morning chasing remaining targets, we’ll have a group lunch on the road before visiting the Las Cienegas Grasslands.
The Las Cienegas Grasslands are extensive grasslands and will be unlike much of the ecosystems we’ve visited prior to this point. Birds such as Western and Cassin’s Kingbirds, Lark Buntings, Botteri’s Sparrow, and Burrowing Owls are likely species here, and notable mammals may also be found, including Black-tailed Prairie Dogs and American Antelope. After the grasslands, we will travel to Tucson to bird at the SHARP recharge ponds or the Sweetwater Wetlands in downtown Tucson. We will then check into our hotel around 3:00pm with time to refresh before the Farewell Dinner at a restaurant in downtown Tucson to share stories, thank our guide, and rest before traveling home. Plan to reconvene in the lobby around 5:00pm to head to dinner.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 8 – May 30, 2025
DEPART TUCSON
After breakfast, we will check out of the hotel. The free shuttle provided by the hotel will take guests to their respective gates at Tucson International Airport. The shuttle runs every 15 – 20 minutes from the hotel to departing gates.
Meals: B
Please note: This itinerary is preliminary and may be adjusted according to conditions on the day of operation.
What to Expect While Birding in Southeastern Arizona
This trip has been designed for birders and wildlife photographers of all skill levels and includes a variety of opportunities for close views of birds, desert wildlife, and landscapes. This is an active journey and includes stays in multiple locations with fully scheduled days that may include up to two (2) hours at a time of traveling or standing as a group and may cover up to two (2) miles unassisted on each half-day activity. Expect 6 – 8 hours each day of mild to moderate physical outdoor activity, including embarking and disembarking from the van, standing, and walking.
Because desert temperatures can reach 100F by mid-morning in May, an early start is critical to beating the heat. Thus, on several days we will be waking up, eating, and departing the hotel around 6:30 – 7:00am each day. During the midday we will spend our time driving or resting at a location providing shelter from the heat. Most of our afternoon birding will be in shaded valleys or at cooler, higher elevations and among the large oaks and pines on the mountain slopes.
Bring extra sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun’s strong intensity in this environment at this time of year. Light, reflective colors and breathable, non-cotton fabrics are recommended for daily attire. While shorts and short-sleeved shirts will be appropriate for many days, polyester or poly-blend field pants and long-sleeved nylon field shirts can add an extra layer of sun protection at no expense to keeping cool. Birding includes walking on paved and unpaved terrain, which may contain obstacles such as roots, rocks, and other debris not suitable for all people. Hiking shoes or boots are recommended during the day; sandals or sneakers are recommended for
evenings at the hotels.
Because much of the birding will be done in mountainous areas, changes in slope and terrain should be expected, and those unaccustomed to high altitude may experience shortness of breath, dehydration, and lightheadedness. Most of our time will be spent at altitudes of 2,600 feet above sea level in Tucson and 4,600 feet in Sierra Vista, but on several outings, we will visit elevations that reach altitudes of 8,000 – 10,000 feet and remain there for a couple of hours. Those unaccustomed to lower oxygen levels at the higher elevations will fare better if hydrated before the outing. We also recommend hydrating well during each outing as well as at the end of each day to prepare for the next.
We will travel in a 15-person van driven by your Alabama Audubon host. The van will be air- conditioned and available during the day for anyone needing a break or rest when we are away from shelter. To ensure we have enough space in the van for all passengers and their luggage, each passenger is limited to one (1) suitcase each, and one (1) personal item carried in their lap or on the floor while we are travelling in the van. Your host and guide will have spotting scopes that will be shared with you; please reach out to your host if you need to borrow a pair of binoculars for the trip.
Birding Arizona in May requires effective planning and packing to prevent overheating, dehydration, or injury. It is critically important to stay hydrated to prepare for the dry air and altitude we encounter on our trip – be sure to continue hydrating before and after each day to prepare. Alabama Audubon will provide water and other beverages in a cooler on the van during our birding activities.
Keep your host informed of any medical circumstances that may arise during the trip so they can plan for contingencies if/as needed. Forms requesting emergency contacts, dietary preferences/food allergies, and medical accommodations will be sent out after your deposit for the trip is received. Please reach out to your host if you have questions about any special accommodations, so that we can ensure your trip is as smooth as possible.
