Your guide to birdwatching in Arizona this fall & winter

With an ecologically diverse habitat that over 500 species of birds call home, Arizona is a perfect place for birdwatching in cooler weather.

“Go Cardinals!” the crowd shouts while watching the football fly past the endzone. If you were in my humble, rural Arizona living room, though, instead of watching the Cardinals play football on the big screen, you would look out the big window and watch the real winged cardinals crowd around our feeder.

Cardinals are just one of the 500+ bird species that call Arizona home, which is good news for nature enthusiasts, gardeners, and animal lovers alike. While there is nary a bad spot to go birdwatching within the state—we even had birds at the feeder when we lived at a townhouse in Chandler—there are many places that have been deemed a wonderful spot to bring the binoculars, walk around, and give your time to the birds.

Whether you are a seasoned birdwatching pro or a complete novice to the fascinating hobby, the fall and winter are primed with cooler temperatures and birds flying south to us—and no, I’m not talking about the snow birds. So strap on those boots, grab your gear, and get ready to savor the sights and sounds of Arizona’s feathered friends.

Birdwatching in Northern Arizona

With stunning mountain and canyon landscapes, lush forests, and plenty of natural water, Northern Arizona adds unparalleled beauty to the birdwatching experience.

Lyman Lake State Park

Lyman Lake State Park, located in St. Johns, is a perfect way to play on the water while simultaneously watching the birds. This lake sits at the foot of the White Mountains, surrounded by brushy vegetation and trees aplenty. Thanks to this vibrant ecosystem, many birds call Lyman Lake home, including grebe, mallard, black ibis, blue heron, curlew, and more. Plan to spend a day lakeside or on the water rafting, and you will soon understand why Lyman Lake is a Northern Arizona hotspot for the birds.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Not to beat the dead horse with this gem, Dead Horse Ranch State Park is located in the quirky art town of Cottonwood and is perfect for camping, swimming, and—you guessed it—birdwatching. This state park offers access to trails around the Verde River and is brimming with birding opportunities, thanks to the trees, running river, and dense flora. There are also several lagoons to watch for waterfowl while fishing or lounging. Keep your eyes peeled for quail, mallards, black hawks, blue herons, hummingbirds, and even bald eagles!

Red Rock State Park

If you would like to enhance the birdwatching experience by watching birds feast, Red Rock State Park in Sedona is the spot for you! Located along Oak Creek among the cooling waters and majestic red rocks, Red Rock State Park boasts a feeding area for birds where you can sit and enjoy the views while wrens, finches, swallows, hawks, and sometimes even eagles come along to enjoy easier meals. The park also maintains waterside trails for better viewing of waterfowl, and even offers a rooftop retreat at the visitor’s center, should you prefer a bird’s-eye view while birdwatching. The beauty of this state park makes it easy to enjoy a leisurely afternoon of birdwatching.

Birdwatching in Southern Arizona

Known as the main hub for birdwatching in Arizona, the southern half of the state is full of a natural desert habitat that has been able to maintain and house some of the most spectacular birds worth viewing. Any of these three state parks is the perfect start to any birdwatching journey. Just be warned: Starting here will lead to such diversity and abundance of the winged creatures that it will create a birdwatching dragon you may forever chase—those are called taradactyls.

Picacho Peak State Park

Picacho Peak State Park is home to the iconic Saguaro as well as other cactuses of Arizona. This landscape is au naturel and thus homes the native birds of the Sonoran Desert. Not only will you see the hawks, falcons, quails, and hummingbirds brimming in this area, you will also likely see thrashers—their beautiful song is unexpected from their gray appearance, warblers, woodpeckers, and more. This is the perfect place to bring your camera for iconic Arizona photos, as well as spotting a diversity of birds.

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Kartchner Caverns State Park is one of the many caves worth exploring to gain insight into the dynamic geological history of Arizona. It also happens to be in the heart of Southern Arizona, which is the main hub for birdwatching. Undiscovered until the 70s and not open to the public until the 90s, Kartchner Caverns State Park has managed to maintain a natural desert landscape. Surrounded by native desert foliage, this park provides the perfect home for our desert-dwelling birds such as roadrunners, quail, sparrows, doves, and owls. Just be careful about gathering any feathers—it is actually illegal to have any owl feathers in your possession under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Patagonia Lake State Park

Patagonia is home to Paton Center for the Hummingbirds, which is an ideal spot for year-round birdwatching. This area is also home to Patagonia Lake State Park as well as Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, both of which are prime places for watching our feathered friends. Around any of these locations, you can expect to see waterfowl, turkey vultures, white-faced ibis, warblers, vultures, roadrunners, owls, hummingbirds, and more! If you are new to birdwatching and want to set yourself up for success, planning a trip to Patagonia is the best spot to begin your birding journey in Arizona.

What to bring

• Good boots, or at least very comfortable walking shoes
• Clothing layers for the quick shifts in weather
• A pack full of snacks and water
• Binoculars or monoculars
• Bug spray and sunscreen
• A birding list, available at most visitor centers
• A journal to document the different species you see
• A phone with “Merlin Bird ID” loaded to help identify the trickier birds

39 birds to look for

• Abert’s Towhee – A medium-sized, plain brown songbird with a long tail and curious ground-foraging behavior.
• American Hummingbird (e.g., Anna’s) – Tiny, iridescent nectar-feeders with hovering flight and rapid wingbeats.
• Bald Eagle – A majestic, large raptor with a white head and tail, often seen soaring or near water sources.
• Black‑Throated Sparrow – A desert-loving sparrow with a distinctive black throat patch and melodic call.
• Cactus Wren – A scrappy, long-tailed wren with bold white eye-stripes and loud, rattling song.
• California Condor (Endangered) – One of North America’s largest birds, soaring on wide wings with a bald head.
• Cardinal – The striking red songbird with a distinctive crest and clear, whistled calls.
• Common Black Hawk – A dark-plumaged raptor often seen near water, swooping to snatch fish or frogs.
• Cooper’s Hawk – A medium-sized hawk with slate-gray back, reddish-orange chest bars, and a long, banded tail built for agile forest flight.
• Curve‑Billed Thrasher – A medium-sized, long-billed songbird with a curved beak, known for its mimicking songs.
• Elegant Trogon – Colorful and rarely seen; males have coppery backs and green heads, found in lush canyons.
• Gambel’s Quail – A plump, ground-dwelling bird with a distinctive forward-plumed crown.
• Gila Woodpecker – A medium woodpecker with a spotted belly and a squiggly white stripe on its black wings.
• Golden Eagle (Endangered) – A large dark raptor with a golden nape, often seen soaring above open terrain.
• Great Blue Heron – Tall, gray-blue wading bird with long legs and an S-shaped neck, common along waterways.
• Greater Roadrunner – A long-tailed, ground-running bird with a crest, often seen darting across desert floors.
• Green Heron – Small, compact wader with greenish back and rusty neck; typically stalks fish patiently.
• Hooded Oriole – A sleek, brightly colored oriole with a black face and mottled underparts, often near palms.
• House Finch – A small finch with rosy plumage (males) and cheerful, warbling song often heard in backyards.
• Lesser Goldfinch – A tiny, energetic finch with a black cap and bright yellow body, often feeding in flocks.
• Mallard – The familiar dabbling duck; drakes have a glossy green head and yellow bill.
• Mourning Dove – A soft, brown-grey dove with a mournful coo and a striking, flash of white in the tail in flight.
• Northern Aplomado Falcon (Endangered) – A slender falcon with a long tail and distinctive moustache stripe; hunts in open grasslands.
• Osprey – A large fish-eating raptor with a white underside and a dark eye mask, often seen near water.
• Pinyon Jay (Threatened/Candidate) – A noisy, blue jay-like corvid that travels in large flocks and caches pine seeds.
• Phainopepla – A slender blackbird with a silky crest and red eye, often seen perching elegantly in desert mistletoe.
• Red‑Tailed Hawk – A common raptor with a barred belly and reddish tail, often perched high, scanning for prey.
• Red‑Winged Blackbird – A flashy blackbird where males display red and yellow shoulder patches while singing.
• Ruby‑Crowned Kinglet – A tiny, energetic songbird with an olive body and a secretive red crown patch (males).
• Snowy Egret – Elegant white egret with lacy plumes, black bill, and yellow feet, wading in shallow water.
• Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Endangered) – A small, yellowish flycatcher known for its distinctive “fitz-bew” song.
• Thick‑Billed Parrot (Endangered/Extirpated) – Vivid green Mexican parrot with red crown; once native to Arizona’s mountain forests.
• Tree Swallow – A graceful swallow with shimmering blue-green, black, and white underparts, often flying over water.
• Verdin – A tiny, gray desert bird with a bright yellow head, known for its acrobatic flitting among brush.
• Vermillion Flycatcher – A striking male with a bright red body and dark face mask, perching conspicuously to hunt insects.
• White‑Crowned Sparrow – Medium-sized sparrow with a bold black-and-white striped crown and a sparrow-like bobbing walk.
• Whooping Crane (Endangered) – A tall, all-white crane with black wingtips and a loud, trumpeting call.
• Yuma Ridgway’s Rail (Endangered) – A secretive marsh bird with brownish plumage and a long bill that slips through cattails silently.

Challenge: Can you spot the endangered Golden Eagle? (USFWS Mountain-Prairie/CC BY 2.0)

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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