Did you know that you can see more than 500 species of birds in Tucson alone? Recently, you may have spotted a bright red vermillion flycatcher (see one above with its babies!) or cardinal in your neighborhood or at a local park. There are some places in Pima County where you can spot Gila woodpeckers, hummingbirds, goldfinch, and many other bird species on a daily basis!
Before the summer humidity hits, why not try birding as a family? You probably don’t need to venture far from home to see many beautiful species. Here are some of the best birding spots in Southern Arizona.
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Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
Sasabe, AZ
520-823-4251 -
Madera Canyon
Southeast of Green Valley, AZ
520-281-2296 -
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve & Patagonia Lake State Park
Patagonia, AZ -
Ramsey Canyon Preserve
27 E Ramsey Canyon Road, Hereford, AZ
520-335-8740 -
San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
4070 S Avenida Saracino, Sierra Vista, AZ
520-258-7200 -
Sweetwater Wetlands Park
2511 W. Sweetwater Drive, Tucson, AZ
520-791-4331 -
Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area
4423 W Bagby Road, McNeal, AZ
520-642-3763 - All of our mountain ranges! Mount Lemmon, the Chiricahuas, the Santa Ritas, the Muleshoes, and more.
The Audubon Society offers some great advice on getting kids into birding and some tips on getting started for birders of all ages. The Audubon Society also offers a free birding app that you can download and use on your smart phone. Interested in other apps? Cornell University’s famous Ornithology Lab offers a list of the best birding apps for kids.
Check out some books!
Of course, books are also a great resource for getting kids into birding. Here are just a few of the many books for young readers about birds and birding that are available from the Pima County Library catalog.
Pamela Hickman’s Birds introduces young readers to birds and their important roles in the food chain and environment. Colorful illustrations help make scientific concepts concrete for kids, and the book includes a bird-watching questionnaire kids can use in their own communities.
Carme Lemniscates’ Birds describes the differences and similarities between birds and fosters young readers’ appreciation for bird diversity.
DK guide book series book Birds, by Ben Hoare, gives kids the chance to learn how birds all over the world build nests, raise young, communicate, migrate, and more.
How to Find a Bird, by Jennifer Ward, offers tips to kids on how and where to find birds.
Birding Adventures for Kids, by Elissa Wolfson, includes bird range maps, tips on identifying birds, and hands-on bird-related activities like building birdhouses.
The National Geographic birding field guide for kids, Birds, by Julie Beer, includes color-coded maps, activity suggestions, and information about bird calls.
National Audubon Society First Field Guide
The National Audubon Society First Field Guide is a popular and colorful guide to birds throughout North America written specifically for young birders.
Visit Learn at Home for even more great resources, including:
- Free online tutoring
- Online tools available 24x7x365
- Recommended items from our collection that you can pick up curbside
