NEW! Arizona

With more than 550 species recorded, Arizona is one of THE premier birding destinations in all of North America. With spectacular scenery too, the amazing cacti desert and ‘sky-island’ mountain landscapes often attract as much attention as the birds. Sharing a border with Mexico, there is a diversity of fabulous birds to match the scenery. From desert and Mexican specialities, to gorgeous breeding plumaged American Wood-warblers heading northwards into the mountains. There is always something to see and with migration in full swing at this time of year, wave upon wave of new birds can arrive in the right conditions.

Out on the plains we watch for Greater Roadrunner, an iconic and much sought after species for anyone visiting Arizona. The state is equally famous for its hummingbirds, Violet-crowned, Rivoli’s, Lucifer’s, Anna’s and Calliope among our biggest targets. Other key targets include Scaled Quail, Elegant Trogon, hard to find Olive and Red-faced Warbler, stunning Vermillion Flycatcher and Arizona’s state bird - the Cactus Wren. A range of other desert specialities and migrant passerines will feature, of which it is the American Wood-warblers which inevitably attract the most attention with their bright plumage. Water is limited, and where present an array of waders and wildfowl are drawn to wetland habitats. In the surrounding grasslands we keep an eye out for sparrows and buntings, including range restricted Five-striped Sparrow. With such enjoyable birding, this is the trip every birder should do at least once in their lifetime!

Enjoy your complimentary pre-flight overnight hotel before your holiday begins. Full details from our office! Read more about our Pre-flight Service here!

Day 1: Tue 5 May – Flight to Arizona and transfer to Portal
We fly London to Tucson (via a US transfer airport), meet our local guide and transfer east for three hours to Portal. If time allows, our first birding opportunity comes near Willcox, where Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf Course ponds regularly hold a range of migrant, wetland birds. Likely to be present are American Avocet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Phalarope, White-faced Ibis, Black-crowned Night Heron, Western Grebe and plenty of other nice species to get us started. Continuing to the village of Portal, we stay at Cave Creek Ranch for the next four nights, enjoying spectacular mountain vistas all around!

Day 2: Wed 6 May – Birding the Chiricahuas
Heading to the top of the Chiricahuas, between dramatic views of the peaks and surrounding desert, we spend time in the conifer forests looking for Mexican Chickadee and Yellow-eyed Junco – two regional specialties. Other targets around the high mountain meadows include Greater Pewee, Red-faced and Olive Warbler. We enjoy the wildflowers in full bloom, and perhaps mammals such as Apache Fox Squirrel, Javelina and Coue’s White-tailed Deer. Even Black Bear is possible in the Chiricahuas! Returning to our lodge early, at dusk we venture out to look for Western and Whiskered Screech-Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl and Elf Owl – the latter of the smallest owls in the world!

Day 3: Thurs 7 May - Cave Creek Canyon
A pre-breakfast outing for the ‘dawn chorus’, with bird song and calls echoing through the canyons a magical way to start the day. Possibilities include Dusky-capped and Brown-crested Flycatcher – both of which nest locally, as do Grace’s, Virginia’s, Lucy’s, Olive and Red-faced Warbler. Exploring Cave Creek Canyon further, we find ourselves in one of the most biologically diverse places in the United States. The ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Madres, the Chihuahuan Desert and the Sonoran Desert intricately combining for a unique range of habitats. Other birds we look for include Mexican Jay, while several pairs of Elegant Trogon have nested in the canyon in recent years. Walking on shaded trails, also likely are Painted Redstart, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Acorn and Arizona Woodpecker.

Day 4: Fri 8 May - Cave Creek Canyon and Portal grasslands
There is so much good birding to be had in the Cave Creek area, that it can often be hard to leave our lodge grounds in the morning! The village of Portal is something of an oasis too, where a range of tanagers, orioles and North American Wood-Warblers can be enjoyed in the parks and gardens. Along State Line Road, grassland specialties such as Scaled Quail, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and several species of thrasher may be found and we have a good chance of iconic Greater Roadrunner here too. The nearby old mining town of Paradise might give us Oak Titmouse, White-eared Hummingbird and more, and there are a number of migrant hotspots in the area to explore and enjoy. On one of our days here, we also plan to visit the American Museum’s Southwestern Research Station, and if required will make further attempts for owls after dark.

Day 5: Sat 9 May - Chiricahua National Monument and transfer to San Pedro River
Retracing our route up and over the mountains to the rock wonderland of the Chiricahua National Monument, where in amidst spectacular rock pillars formed by volcanic activity and erosion, famous Apache leaders Cochise, Geronimo and their followers once hid from American troops. Zone-tailed Hawk is one of the raptors which may feature here, and as we learn more about this historical location we look out for Rock and Canyon Wren, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and Red-faced Warbler. We may also see inquisitive Coatimundi, a relative of the raccoon while Claret-cup Cacti and Yucca should be in bloom. Heading west through extensive grasslands under the shadow of the Dos Cabezas Mountains, raptors are again possible as is Lark Bunting. At our new lodgings on the San Pedro River south of Sierra Vista, we are well placed with active bird feeders, a pond and the river itself right outside our door. We stay at Casa de San Pedro for the next three nights.

Day 6: Sun 10 May - Ramsey & Ash Canyons
In heart of the Huachuca Mountain range, the Nature Conservancy Preserve at Ramsey Canyon was one of the first well-known birding locations in Southeast Arizona. With a good monsoon flow of water descending through the oak woodlands, massive Arizona Sycamore thrive - the favoured nesting trees of Elegant Trogon. Walking the well-maintained trail, we may see Wild Turkey, Arizona Woodpecker, Golden Eagle, Black-throated Grey and other North American Wood-Warblers plus a variety of colourful hummingbirds. We take lunch at nearby Ash canyon, hoping to enjoyed this mesmerising group of birds some more. The feeding station here often attracts Lucifer Hummingbird – a key target, as well as more regular Anna’s, Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbird. Another possibility at the feeders is Scott’s Oriole, with Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Mexican Jay, White-winged Dove plus a range of sparrows, finches and buntings frequenting the area during spring migration. Butterflies occur in abundance too, as do a number of reptiles, amphibians and dragonflies – a great day in a spectacular setting!

Day 7: Mon 11 May - Huachuca Mountain canyons and San Pedro River
After a morning birding in one of the canyons for hummingbirds and more, we return to the Casa after lunch to walk along the San Pedro River. Birds of interest include Swainson’s and Gray Hawk, Black Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, Abert’s Towhee, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Bell’s Vireo, Lucy’s Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat and several species of grassland sparrows. Occasionally, a Green Kingfisher is present along the river or visits the nearby pond too.

Day 8: Tue 12 May - Patagonia Lake 
After breakfast, we head to the hamlet of Patagonia, visiting the hummingbird feeders at the Tucson Audubon Society’s Paton Centre where Violet-crowned Hummingbird is one of over 200 bird species recorded onsite. Later, we birdwatch along the riparian shoreline of Patagonia Lake State Park, a hidden treasure within the hills. Canyon Towhee, Inca Dove, Vermilion Flycatcher, Black Vulture and several species of hummingbird may feature, and it is a good place to try for rare Black-capped Gnatcatcher. Pausing at the famous Patagonia Roadside Rest stop can reward with views of Thick-billed Kingbird as well as the stunning geology. Driving on through extensive grasslands, we look out for Chihuahuan Raven in the grasslands plus Pronghorn, a member of the antelope family. We arrive at our accommodation in Green Valley late afternoon, catching a first glimpse of the Santa Rita Mountains. We stay for three nights at Best Western, Green Valley.

Day 9: Wed 13 May - Florida, Box, & Madera Canyons
Florida, Box and Madera Canyons are a series of valleys carved into the Santa Rita Mountains, and each supports their own speciality birds. Florida Canyon gives us a good chance to look for Rufous-capped Warbler along with Broad-tailed, Broad-billed and Anna’s Hummingbird, Cactus Wren and Black-headed Grosbeak. Box Canyon for the last few years has held rare Five-striped Sparrow, while Black-capped Gnatcatcher is another bird recorded more frequently too. Madera Canyon, one of the most famous birding areas in the United States. North facing, with riparian woodland along an intermittent stream, bordered by mesquite, juniper-oak woodlands and pine forest, Madera is home to over 250 species of birds including 15 hummingbirds! Other avian specialties include Elegant Trogon, Flame-coloured Tanager, Elf Owl, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Common Bushtit, Hutton’s Vireo, Painted Redstart, Scott’s and Hooded Oriole. In the woodlands, Arizona Grey Squirrel may be found with Black-tailed Jackrabbit out on the grasslands where Botteri’s, Rufous-winged and Rufous-collared Sparrow are specialty birds. As the afternoon draws to a close, we drive east and cross a lush grassland area with Pronghorn in mind once again.

Day 10: Thur 14 May - Canoa, Tumacacori & Pena Blanca Lake
The corridor south of Tucson can be great for birding in spring, with some of the first migrants to arrive in the region touching down here at the lower elevation of the Santa Cruz River. We may find species such as Rose-throated Becard, Grey Hawk and Green Kingfisher plus a nice selection of North American Wood-Warblers. Canoa Ranch Conservation Park has a very productive pond where we hope to add several water bird species to our growing tally of Southeast Arizona’s avifauna. Other local hotspots may yield Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Thick-billed Kingbird, with Golden Eagle and other raptors in the Santa Rita Mountains. Travelling south to Rio Rico, we investigate the 19th-century Franciscan mission site at Tumacacori before continuing to Pena Blanca Lake. A delightful location only 20 miles from the Mexican border, the lake is a natural oasis in the southern desert and a great migrant trap. Boasting almost 300 species historically, possible on the wetlands are Green Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant with Bewick’s Wren, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Vermillion Flycatcher, Hepatic Tanager and the unique Painopepla in surrounding scrubland.

Day 11: Fri 15 May - Departure from Tucson
Our final morning and depending on flight times, we may take a walk along the Santa Cruz River for any bird species we have yet to connect with. We then transfer to the airport for our overnight flight, arriving back in the UK on Day 12 - Sat 16 May 2026.

What's included in your holiday price:

• return scheduled flight from London to Arizona. Airport taxes, transfers from and to airports (where appropriate).
• ground transportation as outlined in a modern and spacious air-conditioned vehicle.
• accommodation and all meals (as specified), including breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• the services of your leaders.
• National Park entry fees
• The Heatherlea Pre-Flight Service offers everything you need at the airport, including hotels, car parking, airport lounges, regional flights, and upgrades. Let Heatherlea take the strain! Pre-flight airport hotel and lounge included free of charge subject to terms and conditions.  Read more.

Free Field Guide! ‘Birds of Western North America’ by David Allen Sibley is included in your holiday price. One copy per room booked.

What's not included in your holiday price:

• personal insurance, drinks and other personal expenses, Esta costs where necessary
•  tips to the local guide/driver
•  Any other costs not specified as 'included'.

More holiday information

Accommodation is in hotels or lodges. All have en-suite facilities, and are comfortable to a good standard.
Food full-board accommodation at hotels and lodges (as specified) including picnic lunches and some meals at diners. Vegetarian and other diets are welcome.
Walking  is considered light to moderate with walks up to 4 miles daily. There may be some uphill track and road walking, though generally an average level of fitness is required.
Weather it is springtime in Arizona during this holiday, and the weather should be lovely! The Green Valley area & Portal areas are usually around low to mid 20's with the low desert (Tucson, Phoenix) warmer, reaching up to up to 28/29c.
Insects There are biting insects, though not usually as a major problem. A decent repellent is recommended.
Group size is restricted to 12 clients maximum.
Flights return scheduled flights from London to Arizona. We may be able to offer flight arrangements from another airport and/or or quote without flights should you wish. If you wish to add an extension either before or after your holiday, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange this for you.
Visa Travellers are required to obtain authorisation (known as ESTA) before arriving at the airport and can apply online. The application process should take around 20 minutes, and authorisation is normally granted immediately but may take up to 72 hours. Once granted, authorisation is valid for two years. At the time of writing the Esta application charge is $21.Please do not apply for this until the tour is a confirmed departure.