Because of the area’s range of elevations and habitat types, a diversity of birds can be found here. These include species that people come here especially to see, such as the coppery-tailed trogon, common black-hawk, northern beardless tyrannulet, broad-billed hummingbird, Montezuma quail, and buff-breasted flycatcher.

Of the 36 species of raptors (birds of prey) that nest in Arizona, 31 do so in the Santa Cruz River watershed. The valley is also a major migration corridor for species that winter in the tropics and nest north of the Mexican border. The Santa Cruz Valley has 21 of the 50 stops on the Southeastern Arizona Birding Trail.

Watch “The Birds are Coming,” an excerpt from the “Desert Song” episode of Discovery Road (4 mins).

Read more about Bird Habitats here.