Birds in Arizona

If you were to ask American bird watchers of their favorite destination for birding, a significant percentage would choose the southeast Arizona without a second thought. The region might be small but woodlands, forests and deserts are in abundance.

What Is The State Bird Of Arizona?

The Cactus Wren became the state bird of Arizona in 1931. The largest type among the North American Wren species, the Cactus Wren are quite protective and aggressive when it comes to their nests, viciously keeping predators away from it. They also have this tendency of attacking the nests of other species of birds, often taking away their eggs or pecking at it.

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What Are the Top Bird Watching Spots In Arizona?

Patagonia Lake State Park consists of wetlands, woodlands, and desert scrub. The rich habitat allows for quite a bit of rarity showing up around the area. The most regular birds in the area are Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Abert’s Towhee, Neotropic Cormorant, and Lucy’s Warbler.

Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area is what used to be a ranchland once, located just 4 miles away from McNeal. While it has gained quite a reputation for being the absolute place to see Sandhill Cranes during winter, the place is also teeming with Snow Goose, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and American Kestrel among many.

How Many Birds Can You See in Arizona?

Arizona can proudly boast about its 560 species count when it comes to birds. A county like Pima alone gives you the chance to come across 472 bird species. Birds in Arizona can also be seen the most in places like Cochise, Maricopa, Santa Cruz, and Pinal. Cochise is one species short of Pima with 471. The other three counties have a count of 446, 444, and 411 respectively.

Patagonia Lake State Park is one of the best hotspots of Arizona with a count that is currently estimated to be 321. The other two well known hotspots Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch and Willcox–Lake Cochise, both share the count of 306.

Top Birds To See In Arizona

Who wouldn’t want to see a Greater Roadrunner if they are in Arizona? It’s wide eyed stare, the splashes of hair on the top of its head, long beak and a blue tail- the species is certainly made to be admired.

You can’t ever talk about birds in Arizona without talking about Trogon. The red birds have grayish blue wings and beak and are content standing on the bark of trees. If you come across one, don’t forget to take a picture.

Common Birds To See In Arizona

Oddly enough, Gila Woodpeckers are a common sight in Arizona. People living in Phoenix and Tucson tend to come by it at least once. Arizona city and Flagstaff are also well acquainted with Wrens and White-winged doves.

Final Thoughts

A true bird watcher would never miss out on Arizona. It’s one of the inevitables of life for them. The Ponderosa pine forest- the largest in the world- as well as the wetlands running along the Colorado river, offers some form of reward.