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 semi-desert 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.
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 April and May while the second, and more dramatic of the two, is mid July to 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.
In addition to Ramsey Canyon, birders staying at the Ramsey Canyon Inn can visit a number of other easily accessible and nearby birding hot spots. The San Pedro River, located 25 minutes from the Inn, 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!
Look out for 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. Of course for the History buffs any time is a good time. We hope you can join us at Ramsey Canyon Inn for a memorable stay.
