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 Southeastern Arizona is one of the most biologically rich areas in the country - the combined diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, and butterflies found here is unequaled in the United States. Among these different classes of organisms, it is the avian diversity that has been the most popular attraction for visitors from around the world. At the heart of this birder's paradise lies The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. For more than a century, Ramsey Canyon has been a "must see" destination for birdwatchers of all ages and all levels of interest. From its headwaters high up in the mixed conifer forests of the Huachuca Mountains to the semidesert grasslands found at the canyon mouth, Ramsey Creek supports a lush riparian woodland of maples, sycamores, cottonwoods, willows, and ash. Such a woodland provides a bounty of resources for resident and migratory birds - food, water, shelter, and nesting sites are abundant and diverse.  Birding in Ramsey Canyon, like most other areas in the temperate zones, is most productive from April to September. During these months birdwatchers can enjoy spring and fall migration as well as the nesting season. Bird song and breeding reach their peak in May, June & July when resident birds such as the Arizona woodpecker, Mexican jay, whiskered screech owl, and bridled titmouse join neotropical migrants such as elegant trogon, elf owl, painted redstart, hepatic tanager, and dusky-capped flycatcher in a dynamic series of territorial and nesting behaviors. Such species are fairly common in the canyon during spring and summer. Higher up in Ramsey Canyon, in the Miller Peak Wilderness Area, one can find a different suite of breeding species including buff-breasted flycatcher, northern pygmy owl, greater pewee, olive warbler, northern goshawk, red-faced warbler, and other southwestern specialties. At the mouth of Ramsey Canyon, as the woodland gives way to grassland and desert scrub, one can find yet another different group of birds - Gila and ladder-backed woodpecker, Cassin's kingbird, verdin, pyrruloxia, blue grosbeak, and curve-billed thrasher.
In addition to Ramsey Canyon, birders staying at the Ramsey Canyon Inn can visit a number of other easily accessible and nearby birding hotspots. The San Pedro River, located 25 minutes from the preserve, was designated the first Globally Important Bird Area in the United States by the American Bird Conservancy in 1995. For The Nature Conservancy, it is one of "The Last Great Places". Winter and spring birding along the San Pedro can be outstanding. Grey hawk, vermillion and brown-crested flycatcher, green kingfisher, and tropical kingbird are among the more than 100 species of breeding birds. Further east, the Sulphur Springs Valley is the winter home for more than a dozen species of raptors, many sparrow and waterfowl species, and up to 20,000 sandhill cranes Perhaps the greatest joys of birding this rich area are the many wildlife surprises one encounters - a troop of foraging coatimundi, pronghorn grazing in the grassland, the amazing summer wildflowers, the tremendous variety of summer butterflies, or a rare sighting of a Sonoran mountain kingsnake. All seasons of the year have something special to offer the bird and nature watcher in southeastern Arizona. We hope you can join us at Ramsey Canyon Inn for a memorable stay.
 Arizona Birding Links The Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO)is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the birds of southeastern Arizona, their habitats and the diversity of species which share those habitats through research, monitoring and public education. Birding Hotspots Around the World - Arizona This site describes Ramsey Canyon: "World famous for the variety and quantity of Hummingbirds. Go in July or August. Sit and marvel. Black-chinned, Magnificent, Blue-throated, Broad-billed and maybe even Violet-crowned Hummingbird. One of the top 10 spots in North America." The Hummingbird Society The Hummingbird Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and conservation of hummingbirds. Southeastern Arizona Birding Trail High Lonesome Ecotours High Lonesome provides high quality personalized trips for birders who like a smaller group experience. Mark Pretti Nature Tours offers year-round custom guiding designed to help you see, enjoy, and learn about birds and natural history of southeast Arizona and beyond. Ornithology.com The Scientific Study of Birds and Bird Life About.com's "Types of Birds - Everything About Hummingbirds" Peterson Online North American General Birding Links Real Birds: Birding in Arizona San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area - Birding 
*All Hummingbird images on this site are provided by Ross Hawkins of the Hummingbird Society and Clayton Fogle professional Wildlife Photographer. These images are copyrighted and digitally watermarked, their use here in no way implies consent for commercial distribution or reuse. Only the copyright owners can release the images for reuse.
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Ramsey
Canyon Inn
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{ Arizona Bed and Breakfast } { Lodging } { Map and Directions } { Ramsey Canyon Preserve } { Birding } { Attractions } { Weather } |
Of course, the birds for which Ramsey Canyon is best known are the hummingbirds. Fifteen species have been recorded at the Ramsey Canyon Preserve - of this total, about twelve species occur in an average year. From May to early September, one can expect to see between six and twelve species at any one time. Hummingbird numbers and diversity have two peaks during the year. The first is in mid May while the second, and more dramatic of the two, is late August/early September. Except for an occasional individual blue-throated or magnificent which may spend the winter, hummingbirds at Ramsey Canyon are migratory and all fly south to Mexico for the winter. They leave by early October and begin arriving in late March. Among the species found at Ramsey feeders are a number of Mexican species whose range barely extends into the southwestern United States - these include the berylline, white-eared, magnificent, blue-throated, broad-billed, and violet-crowned.
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