Why Southeast Arizona Belongs on Your Winter Birding List
When birders think of Southeast Arizona, spring migration, summer hummingbirds and the region’s famous Sky Island specialties often come to mind. But winter reveals another side of this remarkable birding destination. From the saguaro-covered Sonoran Desert surrounding Tucson to open grasslands, wetlands, riparian corridors and mountain canyons, Southeast Arizona offers an impressive variety of habitats within a relatively small region. In winter, those habitats support a fascinating mix of resident Southwestern birds and seasonal visitors from farther north.
While some of the region’s warm-season specialties have already departed, there is certainly no shortage of birds, or memorable birding experiences. In fact, winter may be one of Southeast Arizona’s most overlooked birding seasons.
A Different Side of Southeast Arizona
One of the things that makes birding in Southeast Arizona so rewarding is how quickly the landscape can change. Around Tucson, towering saguaros dominate the Sonoran Desert, where birds such as Gila Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Gambel’s Quail, Abert’s Towhee, Verdin, Phainopepla, and Crissal Thrasher can be found. As you travel south and east, the desert gradually opens into grasslands, agricultural areas, wetlands and the isolated mountain ranges known as Sky Islands. Each shift in elevation and habitat brings a new community of birds, and that variety is a large part of what makes Southeast Arizona such an enjoyable place to explore. In a single day, you can move from desert birds among the saguaros to waterfowl at a wetland or mountain birds in a wooded canyon.
In winter, much of the region’s bird activity concentrates in the lower elevations, where food and shelter are more abundant. The San Pedro River and the Sulphur Springs Valley are especially productive from December through February, supporting an impressive mix of resident species and winter visitors.
One of Winter's Great Birding Spectacles
There are memorable individual birds—and then there are experiences that are impressive simply because of their scale. Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Draw fall firmly into the second category. Each winter, thousands of Sandhill Cranes gather in Sulphur Springs Valley. Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area has become well known for this winter spectacle, with thousands of cranes using the area during the winter season.
Seeing them is one thing. Hearing them is another. Thousands of cranes fill the wetlands and surrounding landscape. Their calls carry across the open valley as groups arrive, depart and move throughout the area. It is one of those birding experiences where it is almost impossible to know where to look first. And the cranes aren't the only reason to visit these wetlands. Winter also brings an assortment of ducks, geese and other waterbirds, adding an entirely different dimension to a Southeast Arizona birding trip.
Southwest Specialties Are Still Here
But winter birding in Southeast Arizona isn't simply about birds arriving from the north. Many of the birds that make this corner of the United States distinctive can be found year-round. Species such as Coppery-tailed Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Mexican Jay, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Olive Warbler, and Montezuma Quail — immediately give a day of birding a distinctly Southwestern character.
The Arizona Woodpecker, for example, is an especially memorable bird for many visiting birders. Its predominantly brown plumage makes it unlike the more familiar black-and-white woodpeckers found across much of North America. Then there is the Rufous-winged Sparrow, a regional specialty with a relatively restricted U.S. range. Neither species needs to be spectacularly colorful to be exciting. Part of the appeal of birding Southeast Arizona is simply encountering birds that you are unlikely to see in other parts of the country.
Winter Still Has Plenty of Color
Winter doesn't mean a landscape filled entirely with brown and gray birds, either. A flash of red in a wooded canyon can reveal a Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager or Coppery-tailed Trogon along with several species of hummingbirds. Broad-billed, Anna's, Costa’s, Violet-crowned, and Rivoli's Hummingbirds all occur in winter, adding unexpected color to the season. Although the hummingbird diversity doesn’t match the region’s famous summer peak, finding hummingbirds in winter always brings a pleasant surprise. It is also part of what makes winter birding here interesting: you never quite know what might linger.
Raptors, Sparrows and Winter Visitors
Winter brings another group of birds into the spotlight. Grasslands and agricultural areas can hold wintering sparrows, goldfinches and raptors, while wetlands attract waterfowl and cranes. Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and Golden Eagle are regular highlights, along with an impressive mix of sparrows and other seasonal visitors.
And every so often, winter delivers something completely unexpected – the kind of surprises that reminds us why birding is never predictable. Southeast Arizona has a way of producing memorable moments, and winter often brings some very good ones.
A Quieter Season to Explore
There is another reason we enjoyed Southeast Arizona in winter: the experience itself. Winter has a different pace from the region's spring migration and summer-monsoon seasons. Some mountain areas can be quieter bird-wise, while activity becomes concentrated in productive lower-elevation habitats. That makes winter less about racing from one famous specialty to the next and more about exploring the region's different habitats and seeing what each day brings. And with generally mild, sunny winter days in the lower elevations—although cold weather and even snow are certainly possible, it can be a beautiful time to experience the Arizona landscape.
So, Is Southeast Arizona Worth Visiting in Winter?
The answer is yes. Winter offers something different from the Southeast Arizona experience many birders already know. There are desert specialties among towering saguaros. Mexican Jays and Arizona Woodpeckers in the mountains. Sparrows, goldfinches, and raptors across open country. Hummingbirds tucked into sheltered corners. Large numbers of waterfowl gathering on wetlands. And then there are thousands upon thousands of Sandhill Cranes filling the sky and wetlands of the Sulphur Springs Valley.
Winter doesn't replace spring or summer birding in Southeast Arizona. It is an entirely different reason to go.
Come Experience Southeast Arizona With Us
From the Sonoran Desert around Tucson to Southeast Arizona's famous canyons, grasslands and wetlands, we'll search for Southwestern specialties, winter visitors and whatever unexpected birds the season may bring. And, of course, we'll make time for one of the great spectacles of an Arizona winter, the gathering of thousands of Sandhill Cranes.
Want to See What We Found Last Winter?
Our December 2025 scouting trip took us from Tucson to the Chiricahua Mountains and produced everything from Arizona specialties and hummingbirds to Sandhill Cranes and a few completely unexpected winter rarities.
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