arizona birding tours feeders

Arizona's premier local guiding service for birders and bird photographers

More birds. better photos. your list., our services.

A popular choice for birders seeking to discover Arizona's spectacularly diverse birdlife. Starting at $250 .

Bird Photography

A birding experience designed to get you the best possible photos of Arizona birds. Starting at $300 .

The BEST OF ARIZONA North AND South

We guide in all regions of the state, from the birder mecca of Southeastern Arizona to the world-famous canyon country of Northern Arizona. We want to get you the best of Arizona birds north and south – Elegant Trogons and hummingbirds to Pinyon Jays and California Condors.

Our REVIEWS

Arizona Birding Guides

Arizona Birding Guides is about following passions – passion for being in nature, for exploring beautiful places and amazing birds, for getting the best possible photo, and for having new experiences that create lasting memories. We are honored to be able to share our passion for Arizona birds with you!

Answers to your questions!

What time of year is best for birding in Arizona? Where should I go birding when I visit? What species of birds will I see while I’m there? Find answers to all your questions and more on our FAQ page.

Pro Tips For Birding IN Arizona

Get a copy of our free mini-guide, Pro Tips for Birding in Arizona , and learn how to make the most of your Arizona birding trip!

Check us out out on Ebird!

RESERVE YOUR DATES!

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Immersed in Nature

Trailside, santa catalina mountains, birders/photogs/nature haven, 'doorstep' hiking & biking trail access, cannabis-friendly/educational, wow arizona tucson, a secluded location immersed in nature.

With over eighty feeders throughout the grounds and two Hummingbird Patios, we offer world-class birdwatching and photography opportunities. Hiking or mountan biking? We depart ‘from the doorstep’.

Nature immersion starts here! Don’t pack the car or load the bike for a long drive to the trail, begin your adventure from our home.

We would love to share the Wild Outdoor World of Arizona with you!

We are MaryEllen and C.J. (Christopher).

CJ & ME, Your Hosts WOW Arizona 501(c)(3)

All Photos taken on-site!

Birding or photography, day visitors, please support wildlife.

Our location supports wildlife through extensive habitat restoration, providing nesting and shelter sites for all of the creatures. We have an abundance of feeding stations, with over EIGHTY hummingbird, suet, thistle, black oil sunflower and mixed seed feeders in different zones. Please help us! Your tax deductible donation will help us fill and replace feeders.

Relax in nature WITH nature. We are cannabis friendly and I am happy to share with our legal-aged guests.

So, why the glasses? Narrow Angle Glaucoma & Rheumatoid Arthritis leave me with constant “photophobia”. I treat my pain from both with cannabis. Cannabis  allows me to function and be a productive, happy person.

Director WOW Arizona/Cannabis Consultant , 411 On 420

Awaken to nature in our self-contained mini-suite!

For a more private experience, we offer both rooms as a suite, private space from our main home, allowing you and guests to relax and enjoy Netflix, Amazon Prime and AppleTV+ in our Patio Room while other friends rest in the Green Room. Your own private entrance and exit onto our Upper Hummingbird Patio with views of the Santa Catalina Mountains makes the suite sweet.

Enjoy private space in our home & support wildlife

 one suite of two rooms.

Nature Replenishment Suite

Includes both rooms depicted below. Private access to the grounds for you. Guests can have a private sleeping space while friends still access the patio for stargazing or sitting with the crackling chiminea.

• Private Space, Private Bathroom
• One King & Twin Trundle
• Separate ‘mother-in-law’ suite in main house

Price Per Night for two

$50 per extra person, can sleep four.

The Hummingbird Patio Room

This room is our favorite to use when guests are not here, we call it “our clubhouse”, with flatscreen, weather station console, full view of the mountains and hummingbirds. A great place to relax part from the Green Room Bedroom!

• Mini-refrigerator
• Daybed/trundle with two twins
• Coffee/tea maker

The Green Room

Guests praise the quality of sleep they have had in the Green Room. Arizona Ash and juniper outside the window are a refuge for hummingbirds and they bring the color and sounds of the outdoors into your private space.  As a suite, guests can have a private sleeping space while others still access the patio for stargazing.

• One King Bed

More Than Four People?

We have additional sleeping arrangements.

• two Twin Futon Beds
• Queen-sized pullout couch with topper
• Common areas ONLY filled with full group

Price Per Extra Person

Food, drink & offerings, coffee, tea, water, & handcrafted artisan wine.

We are happy to share some of our ‘Dr.Decadence’ Handcrafted Fruit Wines. We also make an incredible Blueberry/Blood Orange Margarita!

Evening Appetizers and Tastings

Whether it is some homemade guacamóle, some chiles con queso & chips, a 4:20 tasting of the day or some delicious tea, we like to spend the evenings on the Hummingbird Patios, watching the creatures and the sunset. Available upon pre-arranged request

Your event, our setting

Intimate, low key gatherings can be hosted in our gardens, on the patios and amongst the creatures.

• Private Setting
• Lighted patios
• Limited event equipment included

Weddings, parties, small corporate groups Contact us for details

Photo © neil atchley, used with permission, information, share our home, trailside location.

There are over thirty miles of hiking and mountain biking trails accessed from our doorstep.

Patio Sunsets

Share our handcrafted wine and CJ’s organic cannabis, watching a mountain sunset from the patio.

On-site Naturalist

We are happy to share any knowledge of the flora & fauna. Guide books and binoculars available to house guests.

Sip a beverage, share a pic on our Hummingbird Patios, WiFi in & out!

eBird Hotspot

With over seventy hummingbird and bird feeders, maintained daily, and numerous water areas, we are a birding HOTSPOT

'House' Trails

Our grounds offer access to birding spots with seating thoughtfully placed along all of the pathways.

Checkin & Checkout

Checkin is at 3:30 PM and checkout is 11:30, unless other arrangements have been made. 

Cancellation Policy

We have been doing a homestay for twenty years. If you can’t make your reservation, tell us so someone else may visit.If you insist on giving a deposit, send a check. Refunds will be allowed up to fourteen days before reserved dates.

House Rules

We welcome guests to enjoy the grounds and our home. We do not allow pets. If you smoke tobacco, you must do so in your vehicle.

Location & Nearby Attractions

Tucson and southern Arizona offer a dazzling array of sights, sounds and tastes!

Biking & Hiking

We have trailside access to the Santa Catalina Mountains and the 50 Year Trail System. The Tucson area has hundreds of miles of trails as well as “The Loop” bikeway surrounding Tucson itself.

Sight Seeing

San Xavier del Bac Mission is a beautiful architectural sight, south of Tucson. We recommend visiting Tohono Chul, The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, The Flandrau Observatory and Mt. Lemmon

Restaurants

Close, a couple of miles: Carlota’s (Mex) It’s Greek To ME (Greek) Mi Tierra (Mexican) Catalina Craft Pizza All fast food offerings

10 miles or so, Oro Valley offers a full range: Harvest (American) Rosati’s Pizza (we like this one) Michelangelo’s (Italian)

We recomend a drive up Mt.Lemmon. Seven life zones are traversed as you go from desert floor to montane peaks. Saguarro National Park is a great trip and the Arizona-Sonoa Desert Museum is HIGHLY recommended.Nogales, Mexico is about two hours away.

Guest Reviews

Wow arizona is an absolute hotspot for birding in southeast arizona… birds and wildlife of all sorts put the site on par with any other destination birding location in the region..

Restoration Biologist , Tucson Audubon Society

WOW is an outstanding B&B! Great place to walk through the trails and see dozens of species of birds and other wildlife. Mary Ellen and Chris are extremely welcoming. The breakfasts of fresh fruit and home made warm muffins are out of this world delicious! We had a great time during our stay with them.

Staying at wow is overwhelmingly special. everything that christopher and mary ellen do, they do with thoughtfulness and attentive care. if you love being immersed in nature, this is an experience not to be missed.  i am already looking forward to my next visit., sensory overload….

Author , Kaufman Field Guides

Our experience at Wow Arizona was extraordinary from beginning to end… One highlight was the guided nature walk we took with Mary Ellen… The care and attention to detail in all that they do was very endearing. I highly recommend this Airbnb.

Immersed in nature, we have vacancy.

We are immersed in color right now!

(520)907-8735

5494 e edwin rd, tucson az, 85739, [email protected].

Email Address

Guest Rooms

Our Arizona bed and breakfast’s modern territorial hacienda is designed to evoke the traditional architecture of Spain and Mexico. Mexican hardwood furnishings with hand carved embellishments add an elegant touch to the setting.

Casa de San Pedro is centrally located, permitting easy day trips to other birding hotspots such as Madera Canyon, Patagonia, Empire Cienega, Garden Canyon, Miller Canyon and Ramsey Canyon.

Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory at the Casa!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Visit the SABO website to make donations that will help to continue the hard work that make this incredible nature site possible. 

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Bird Guides in SE Arizona

• Birding 101—books, binoculars, the basics
• Birding 102—calls and behaviors
• Birding 103—families and habitats
• Birding by Ear
• Beyond Color and Shape
• Hummingbirds
• Birding journaling
• Woodpeckers and wrens
• Flycatchers
• Eggs and nests
• Ducks/Not ducks
• Feathers and fluff
• Desert Dozen
• Backyard Birding

Casa de San Pedro Bed and Breakfast 8933 S. Yell Lane Hereford, AZ 85615, USA (520) 366-1300, Toll Free: (888) 257-2050 EMAIL: [email protected]

A Naturalist Haven!

Here you can view 355 species of birds and hundreds of butterflies. Experts agree Casa de San Pedro is one of the most romantic Arizona getaways and the most upscale Southern Arizona Bed and Breakfast. Naturalists, bird watchers, history buffs and environmentalists herald the inn as a world-class accommodation with a heart. One seasoned travel writer exclaimed that the Casa is "90 miles from Tucson, but only inches from Heaven."

Arizona offers the incredible combination of beautiful scenery, rich biological diversity, and exciting experiences. Naturalist Journeys offers Arizona birding tours to the Sky Island mountain ranges of Southeastern Arizona during spring migration and monsoon season in the late summer. These Sky Islands rise from deserts and grasslands; the drastic elevation change affords fantastic biodiversity, rare in such a small geographic area. Join Naturalist Journeys on a Southeast Arizona birding tour, Southeast Arizona nature tour, or a private Portal birding tour .

Guided Group Tours

Group travel is rewarding and fun! With more eyes you see more species. Travel Planners of Naturalist Journeys and Caligo Ventures have been creating memorable journeys for 40+ years. We offer you small-group birding and nature tours, limited to just 8-10 persons led by expert guides. Learn and explore with like-minded people, enjoy local food and culture, and immerse yourself in birding and nature.

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Our Services

Let us make the most of your arizona birding trip.

Whether you are a hardcore lister, expert photographer, beginning or advanced birder, we will work with you to create a custom birding experience designed to meet your goals.

Perfect for experiencing Arizona's unique avifauna, growing your life list, or targeting those few remaining rare and local specialty birds. $350/ full day (8-10 hrs) or $250/ half day (4-6 hrs).

The only way to get up close and personal with several of Arizona's amazingly diverse owl and nightjar species - night birding under the stars. $200/ night (1-3 hrs).

Bird Photography

Ideal for photographers wanting to get the best possible shots of birds. Special focus on locations, timing, and strategy for bird photography. $400/ full day (8-10 hrs) or $300/ half day (4-6 hrs).

Private Tour

The all-inclusive Arizona birding experience. Custom itineraries planned around your birding goals - we handle transportation, lodging, and meals. Custom Pricing depends on number of participants, length of tour, and other specifics of the itinerary.

What's included?

This is what you’re getting when you book us as your guide:

• CUSTOM CONSULTATION - We communicate with you extensively prior to our date(s) and we work together to create a custom birding experience designed to meet your specific goals. We talk about the type of birding you want to do (e.g. target birding vs. casual, photography, etc.), what birds are possible and our chances of seeing them, locations and strategies for maximizing our sightings, physical constraints we may need to factor in, and logistics (lodging, meeting, traveling, etc.).
• PROFESSIONAL GUIDE - Our full range of services while on tour, including guiding you to our destinations, getting you on the birds, and instruction on identification and photography.
• EBIRD CHECKLISTS - We keep track of all birds observed during our time together per location and will share checklists via eBird or email at the end of the day or shortly thereafter.
• OPTICS - We always carry a spotting scope with us and we have an extra pair of binoculars available for use upon request.

any other fees?

There are a few scenarios to consider that can involve additional fees:

• ADDING PEOPLE - Our base rates include one person. Extra people are welcome for an additional $50/person per day.
• TRAVEL TO MEET - The flat rate fee is variable depending on where we are coming from, e.g. Tucson to Portal is $50. This does not apply if we're already in the area. This fee goes to cover gas and wear and tear on our vehicles.
• EXTENDING THE DAY - Adding time to the day is possible is an additional $50 per hour beyond our standard ranges.

What are our Policies?

We strive to be adaptable to varying circumstances but there are some simple guidelines we follow:

• RESERVATIONS : We will hold your requested date(s) for up to 2 weeks without a deposit. We understand that making plans can take time!
• DEPOSITS : A deposit of 50% is required to book your date(s). The remainder of the balance is due 1 month prior to the start of your tour.
• PAYMENT : We happily accept credit and debit cards, checks, and electronic transfers from Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal .
• CANCELLATION : If cancellation is at least 1 month prior to your date(s) your deposit is 50% refundable. Within a month of your date(s) your deposit is non-refundable. Balances that have been paid on deposits are fully refundable. If you must cancel 100% of your total payment (deposit & balance) is transferable to future bookings!

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Arizona: Birding the Border

Mention Southeast Arizona to a birder, and images of gaudy hummingbirds, tanagers, lofty and cool pine-covered mountains rising out of the flat desert, trogons, rare nightbirds, refreshing stretches of lush riparian woodland, a rare stray or two from south of the border, and warblers with red faces will no doubt come to mind.

Southeast Arizona has a greater variety of breeding birds than any other area of comparable size within the US. Among the many possibilities are the fantastic Elegant Trogon, as many as ten or more of those gaudy hummingbirds, the very local Five-striped Sparrow, the unbelievable Montezuma Quail, stunning Painted Redstarts and Red-faced Warblers, eight or more species of owls, and the exquisite Varied Bunting.

This short tour visits the best available sites to give us a very good chance of finding virtually all of the regular Southeast Arizona specialties at a comfortable pace. Our loop begins and ends in Tucson with stops in the Santa Rita, Huachuca, and Chiricahua mountains, the Patagonia/Sonoita Creek and Nogales areas, California Gulch, and the San Pedro River. Our time is spent mostly in those cool and lofty mountains and refreshing riparian stretches (that's where the birds are!). Stop daydreaming and join us in May for some of the best birding in North America!

For a similar itinerary in the July/August monsoon season, see our ARIZONA'S SECOND SPRING tour .

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment "I've done several trips with Field Guides and have been very satisfied with every trip. This was a fantastic trip. All aspects met or exceeded my expectations. A wonderful leader, interesting new locations, and great birds. John Coons was wonderful, both in his birding skills of course (and his knowledge of Arizona flora and fauna, among other things), but he is also a very personable leader, with fun stories and a good sense of humor. Office service was very good. Caroline Lewis helped me book an extra night at the Tucson hotel, and all my interactions with the Field Guides staff were professional and without any issues." G.J., ARIZONA: BIRDING THE BORDER 2019

Other Tours in USA

Itineraries • tour status • details • space requests.

• 2025 (PDF expected Aug 2024)

DEPARTURES • We have 5 departures currently scheduled through 2026, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.

May 11-20, 2024 Guided by: Chris Benesh Tour Manager: Caroline Lewis Tour Limit: 7 Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available - This tour is full, and all those booked have made deposits. Click below to be waitlisted for this tour with no obligation; if you are waitlisted, we will also notify you in case of an added departure of this tour. Tour Fee: $4125 Deposit: $425 REQUEST WAITLIST OR MORE INFO

May 9-18, 2025 Guided by: Chris Benesh Tour Manager: Caroline Lewis Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4125 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

May 16-25, 2025 Guided by: Micah Riegner Tour Manager: Caroline Lewis Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4125 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

May 8-17, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4125 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

May 15-24, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4125 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Enjoy looking through the 8 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!

• 2023 (May departure guided by Micah Riegner)
• 2023 (May departure guided by Chris Benesh)
• 2022 (May departure guided by Chris Benesh)
• 2022 (May departure guided by John Coons)
• 2021 (May departure guided by Dave Stejskal)
• 2021 (May departure guided by Chris Benesh)
• 2021 (May departure guided by John Coons)

Richard’s Guiding Prices & Fees

Birding guide services in southeastern arizona.

Many thanks for visiting! I’d be delighted to be your birding guide in southeast Arizona. I offer half day (Rio Rico area only), full day and multiple day birding guide services in SE Arizona .

• Please see my calendar for availability, then contact me to make a booking.
• A $100 deposit per day is required to secure your booking
• If you hire me, you agree to my terms and conditions (below)

I’ve tried to keep my pricing as simple as possible, but there are so many variables that inevitably it can get a bit complicated. I want you to be confident that there are no hidden extras when you hire me as your birding guide. I’m a full-time, professional birding guide and tour leader; this is my livelihood so I charge fairly and appropriately.

There are potentially three fees payable to me (plus entrance fees where required) when you hire me as your birding guide, as follows:

1. Guiding Fee

My wages. This also covers my business expenses: guiding permit fees, training and certification costs, insurance, etc. You’ll find that I offer the best value in Arizona!

• Number in group
• Half day (up to 5 hrs) *
• Full day (up to 10 hrs)
• Per hour (over 10 hrs)
• Night birding (up to 5) **

* Half day price ONLY available in the Rio Rico/Tubac area. I’m willing to travel for a half day, but I have to charge for a full day if we meet outside of my immediate area.

** Price for night birding in Santa Cruz County ONLY, or elsewhere when added to a full day. For stand-alone night birding outside Santa Cruz County, I charge for a full day.

2. Meeting Point Fee

I live in Rio Rico, which is an hour south of Tucson along I-19. I’m happy to meet you anywhere in SE Arizona, but it’s a big place and I have to cover my travel costs. I charge the following flat fees and I don’t charge additional hours for my travel, leaving you free to enjoy your half day or full day of birding.

• Meeting Point
• Green Valley
• Madera Canyon
• Tucson (most of)
• Marana/Oro Valley/Catalina/Vail, etc.
• Benson/St. David
• Sierra Vista
• Hereford/Huachuca Canyons
• Arizona City (Santa Cruz Flats)
• Portal/Chiricahuas *
• Meeting Point Fee

* While I enjoy guiding in the Portal area and the Chiricahua Mountains, it’s so far from where I live that it’s not really practical. It’s a seven-hour round trip for me, and an early start is unrealistic in terms of leaving home three-and-a-half hours before we meet. In almost all circumstances, you’ll be better off seeking a guide in that area, rather than paying me to drive halfway across the state and arrive an hour or two after sunrise. Please see my list of alternative guides , some in the Portal area or much closer than I am (eg: Sierra Vista).

3. Vehicle Fee

From our meeting point, if we take your vehicle, there is no further charge. If we take my vehicle (4×4 SUV) I charge a Vehicle Fee per mile of travel, which covers gas, vehicle maintenance, and comprehensive passenger insurance.

• Vehicle Fee
• 55c per mile

Note: the 2023 government/IRS rate for vehicle usage is 65.5c/mile, so I’m offering a significant discount.

Please see the mileage charts below to help plan your day.

I’ll email a PDF field checklist for planning, printing, use in the field, or for later reference. By prior request, I can provide printed checklists on the day.

I always carry my camera and sneak a few photos in, so I’ll email my best digital photos from your trip, free of charge.

I’ll log everything we see on eBird as we go, and share those lists with you via eBird (if you have an account) or by email if you don’t have an eBird account (free at eBird.org).

I’ll produce an eBird Trip Report, a neat way to tie up all the birds, numbers, places, checklists, and photos from the trip!

Example Pricing

Example #1:

Your group of four wants to spend two really full days birding, starting in Tucson both days and taking my vehicle. The first day we do 180 miles, the second day we travel 70 miles. The first day we go 13 hours, the second day 12 hours. The cost would be: Guiding Fee for four people, Full Days (10 hrs) 2 x $440 = $880; Extra Hours, 5 x $40 = $200; Meeting Point Fee, 2 x $45 = $90; Vehicle Fee, 250 miles in total x 55c/mile = $137.50; Total: $1307.50.

Example #2:

You come down to Rio Rico on your own, pick me up at the truck stop on I-19, and we spend five hours birding locally using your vehicle. The cost would be: Guiding Fee for one person for a half day, $220; Meeting Point Fee, none; Vehicle Fee, none; Total: $220.

Additional Information

• I am certified in first aid , CPR, and defibrillator use.
• My vehicle is equipped with a comprehensive first aid kit .
• Please advise me in advance of any medical conditions or special requirements you may have.
• My vehicle is regularly maintained and equipped with a new spare tire, tire pump, heavy duty jack, battery charger pack, jumper cables, basic tools, extra water, etc. I also have AAA breakdown and emergency coverage.
• Filtered water refills will be available at all times. Please bring your own refillable water bottle , electrolyte/energy drinks, and additional snacks should you want them.
• There are many lunch options in SE Arizona, although some birding areas are remote and without facilities. usually, we can stop at a restaurant, pick something up as we go, or you can bring your own lunch. It’s your call.
• I always carry a spotting scope and tripod , for your use.
• A spare pair of binoculars is available on request.
• I have spare hats, sunscreen, bug spray , etc, should you need them.
• Tips are not necessarily expected, but are gratefully accepted and much appreciated .

Terms and Conditions

IMPORTANT! Please read carefully. I hate to be a rule maker and you’ll find that I’m a very laid back guy, but experience has taught me that some things need to be said and understood before we go, to make everyone’s lives simpler and safer. So, if you book my services as a birding guide, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

• The Guiding Fee you pay is the price quoted for the year your booking falls in, which may differ from the time you make your booking. I only alter my prices on January 1st, and not every year. I advertise price changes several months in advance. Please check if you are unsure.
• Vehicle Fees and Meeting Point Fees are subject to change at any time due to wild fluctuations in fuel costs (unlikely).
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• Payments are accepted in US Dollars only, by cash, US check, Zelle, Venmo, money order, or wire transfer. I can take PayPal, or credit card payments (via PayPal) for an additional fee of 5%. So, for example, a $100 deposit payment becomes $105, and a $300 balance payment becomes $315, and so forth.
• A $100 deposit per day is required at time of booking to secure your reservation, with the balance payable at the conclusion of your tour. In the case of a cancellation, deposits will be returned in full, but only if I can re-book the day/s. Reservations are not confirmed until a deposit has been received. Please note that, at certain times of the year, I am very busy and could book myself out multiple times per day, so it’s strictly a case of the first deposit received secures that date. Please don’t leave it until the last minute, for my sake and yours.
• Prices quoted are for guiding and other fees only, as described above. All other expenses remain your responsibility, such as meals, lodging, etc. See our Arizona birding tours for all-inclusive trips.
• If we visit fee areas (eg: State and National Parks, National Forest, Nature Conservancy) you are responsible for paying fees for all members of the group, including your guide. I can advise you of the current fees for areas we may visit, although these are subject to change without notice. We may visit areas (such as feeder sites) that accept and indeed rely upon donations; at these important birding sites, your generous donations are strongly encouraged.
• If we use my car (medium 4×4 SUV, 3 passengers is comfortable, 4 passengers max), some dirt roads are realistically out of bounds, even for a relatively high clearance 4×4. However, I will go to most, if not all the well-known birding sites in my vehicle, given suitable conditions (please bear monsoon season in mind) and the limitations of my vehicle.
• If you provide the vehicle, please note that while most of Arizona’s birding sites are perfectly accessible in any car, even ones along dirt roads, a few locations absolutely require high clearance. Four-wheel drive is preferable, especially in the monsoon or winter rains, but in practice is rarely necessary. I will advise you as best I can, but I take no responsibility for any damage done to your vehicle by attempting to drive on unsuitable roads or in unsuitable conditions for your vehicle. If you would like me to drive your vehicle and can name me on your insurance in advance, I will be glad to do so.
• I employ and encourage the sensible use of pishing, owl imitations and playback at times, but only if I feel comfortable doing so under the circumstances. I want to show you as many birds as I can, but first and foremost I’m a conservationist. I never use playback for certain species or at certain times of the year and will prevent you from doing so if I feel it has the potential to cause disturbance to sensitive species. I feel that I have a sensible, balanced approach to this loaded issue, and I’m always willing to listen to your opinion and work with you to reach our mutual goals.
• Arizona can have many hazards! Your safety is my number one priority. I will take the necessary precautions with my vehicle, if we use it, and do my best to advise you and keep you safe. However, you must appreciate that, while always safe in my experience, southern Arizona does have snakes, smugglers, flash floods, mountain lions, extreme heat, tarantulas, monsoon storms, biting insects, remote, rugged country and various other potential dangers far from the control of a humble birding guide. You are ultimately responsible for your own well-being and are expected to prepare, dress and behave accordingly. I advise that you get travel insurance for a longer visit.

Mileage Chart from Rio Rico

All miles and times are according to Google Maps and measured from exit 25 of I-19, Palo Parado Rd in Rio Rico, Arizona.

SANTA CRUZ & S. PIMA COUNTY Going North and West

• Santa Gertrudis Ln (Anza Tr) Tumacacori
• Rock Corral Canyon, Tumacacori Mts
• Bridge Road (Anza Trail) Tubac
• Green Valley (Continental Rd)
• Montosa Canyon
• Madera Canyon (Santa Rita Lodge)
• Florida Canyon
• Arivaca Cienega (via Arivaca Rd)
• Buenos Airies
• Organ Pipe National Park

SANTA CRUZ & S. PIMA COUNTY Going South and West

• Peck Canyon, Rio Rico
• Guy Tobin Trailhead (Anza Trail) Rio Rico
• Esplendor Resort, Rio Rico
• Kino Springs
• Pena Blanca Lake
• Sycamore Canyon
• California Gulch

SANTA CRUZ & S. PIMA COUNTY Going East

• Patagonia Roadside Rest
• Patagonia Lake State Park
• Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
• Paton Center, Patagonia
• Harshaw Canyon, Patagonia Mts
• San Rafael Valley
• Empire Gulch, Las Cienegas

PIMA COUNTY Around Tucson

• Tucson (downtown)
• Tucson (midtown)
• Sweetwater Wetlands
• Saguaro National Park West
• Saguaro National Park East

PIMA, PINAL & MARICOPA COUNTIES Heading Further North

• Mt Lemmon (bottom)
• Mt Lemmon (top)
• Catalina State Park
• Santa Cruz Flats
• Phoenix (airport)
• Buckeye Thrasher Spot
• Boyce Thompson Arboretum
• Aravaipa Canyon

COCHISE COUNTY Heading East

• San Pedro House
• Ramsey Canyon
• Miller Canyon
• Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary
• Casa de San Pedro B&B
• Whitewater Draw
• Portal (via Douglas)
• Portal (via I-10)
• Portal (via mountain roads)
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Fun Birding Tours LLC

Custom and Set-Departure Bird & Wildlife Tours Around the World

Southeast arizona: birding the sky islands - birding tour, tour overview:.

Arizona is well and truly on the beaten track; out-of-state and foreign birders have been streaming into the state for decades. For good reason! A surfeit of habitat diversity, combined with its privileged location on the Mexican border has given Arizona a list of more than 550 species. The southeastern corner of the state offers a delectable set of enticing birds, many of which are rarely seen north of here. For ABA listers, treats like Elegant Trogon, Spotted and Elf Owls, Montezuma Quail, Red-faced Warbler, and Five-striped Sparrow are hard to resist. On top of that, there are some of Arizona’s signature birds, from their well-chosen state bird, the Cactus Wren, to their “highway specialist”, the Greater Roadrunner. And, for family listers, Phainopepla and Olive Warbler are likely to provide entirely new families for many.

One of the attractions of Arizona is that it delivers top quality birding all year round. However, arguably the advent of the “second spring”, with the onset of monsoon rains in July and August, offers the very best time of all. All the celebrity species are still present, and they are supported by a luscious cast of hummingbirds. This is THE time to get the highest diversity of hummingbird species, not only in the state, but all of North America. The monsoon season can also be a good time to look for some of the rarities for which SE Arizona is famous – species such as Plain-capped Starthroat, Sinaloa Wren, Rufous-capped Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, and a host of others have all been recorded in recent years.

Upcoming Departures:

13 - 24 July  ($4860; single supplement: $890)

19 - 30 July  (TBA)

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Other tour details:.

Length: 12 Days

Starting City: Tucson

Ending City: Tucson

Pace: Moderate

Physical Difficulty:  Moderate

Focus: Birding

Group size:  7 + 1 leader

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Tucson

The tour starts with an afternoon meeting at Tucson airport (1:30PM). Sitting on a plain in the Sonoran Desert, we’ll be in good position to head right out as the afternoon starts to cool off, and start picking off desert species right off the bat. That is the beauty of Tucson – it is surrounded by excellent birding sites. Targets will include species such as Costa’s Hummingbird, Gila Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Verdin, Canyon Towhee, and Rufous-winged Sparrow. The first two nights of the tour will be spend in Tucson.

Day 2: Tucson Hotspots and Desert Birding

Today we will spend the day searching for the common desert species of Arizona. We will explore city parks, spectacular desert landscapes, man-made wetland and farmlands, all in search of the more common but scattered birds of Southeast Arizona.

Day 3: Mount Lemmon to Green Valley

Less than 15 miles away from Tucson, this mountain and its extraordinary range of habitats illustrates why many birders choose to base themselves in the city. Leaving the city early, we not only avoid traffic, we get to experience the mountain waking up. We’ll head straight for the top of this sky island, and then work our way down through the habitats and birds through the morning. Lemmon is the highest of the Santa Catalina Mountains, reaching an elevation of 9157ft (2790m) at its highest point. The forest-covered summit area is usually 20-30°F cooler than the deserts below, which will make for a welcome break of the heat of the desert visible at its base. In the ponderosa pine forest at the summit we’ll be tracking down breeding Olive Warbler (in their own family, separate from all the other American wood warblers), Band-tailed Pigeon, and Cordilleran Flycatcher. We’ll also check the hummingbird feeders at a local restaurant, where Rivoli’s Hummingbirds are often present.

Working our way down the mountain, we’ll be birding within mixed forests of both open Pine-Oak and denser fir forests, at around 7,000 ft (2130 m). One of Arizona’s finest birds occurs within the cooler, shadier areas; the mouthwatering Red-faced Warbler. The same areas are also likely to yield Greater Pewee, Pygmy Nuthatch, and both Grace’s and Virginia’s Warblers. Moving lower still there will be areas of alders, cypresses and sycamores, which could produce different species again, including Arizona Woodpecker, Mexican Jay, or even the pretty Painted Redstart. Woodland and chaparral in this area are also good for Black-chinned Sparrow and Bridled Titmouse.

Once we reach the base, we’ll have returned into desert once more. Here we will search for anything missed the afternoon before, which may include Cactus Wren, Hooded Oriole, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, and Curve-billed Thrasher. In the afternoon we’ll make our way south, out of the Catalina Mountains, and into the Santa Ritas. The night will be spent close to Madera Canyon. On this evening there will be the opportunity to search for some of Southeast Arizona’s famous nightbirds, as both Elf Owl and Whiskered Screech-Owl occur in this area. We’ll spend three nights in Green Valley.

Day 4: Santa Rita Mountains

The Santa Rita Mountains lie just south of Tucson. They are rightly regarded as one of the most famous birding areas in North America, with both a long list of vagrants and a star case of breeding species. Targeting this second group, we’ll spend some time in the lower canyons desert areas, looking for species like Scaled Quail, and Botteri’s, Cassin’s, Black-throated and Brewer’s Sparrows. In the canyons themselves we’ll search for Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Varied Bunting, and Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher among others. Madera Canyon will also offer up our first shot at the “Star of Arizona”, Elegant Trogon, which occurs in the riparian woodlands here. Hummingbird feeders within the canyon are typically very productive, with a variety of attendants; regulars include Black-chinned, Broad-billed, and Magnificent Hummingbirds, while at other times, rarer species like Blue-throated, Berylline and White-eared Hummingbirds have been known to drop in.

Day 5: Santa Rita Mountains

The morning will see us target two of the most wanted birds of the tour. Five-striped Sparrow, a Mexican species that barely makes it into the US at all, is best found on the scrubby hillsides here. This part of the state is also arguably the best for the stunning Montezuma Quail, a scarce and inconspicuous species at the best of times! Keeping a close eye for imposters among the overhead Turkey Vultures might also reveal their chief impressionist, the Zone-tailed Hawk among them. We will also search around for species we might have missed up until now.

Day 6: Patagonia to Sierra Vista

We will leave Green Valley early on this morning to reach the tiny town of Patagonia. Patagonia is located within the Sonoita Creek Valley, and is one of the most revered rarity locations in all of North America. Wetlands close to town could yield Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, while nearby partially wooded areas give us a shot at the weird and unique Phainopepla. Other local breeding species include Western Wood-Pewee, Band-tailed Pigeon, and Abert’s Towhee. It is also a good area for Tucson Audubon’s well chosen cover bird, the gaudy Vermilion Flycatcher. Another of our primary targets will take us on a visit to the famous Paton’s feeders, where we’ll keep a sharp eye out for the dapper Violet-crowned Hummingbird amid the more common (but no less good looking) Broad-billed. Switching habitats, we’ll also head south out of the valley and onto the San Rafael Grasslands, where we’ll look for the local race of Grasshopper Sparrow and Chihuahuan Meadowlark. In the afternoon, we’ll make our way east to the city of Sierra Vista, an excellent base for exploring the Huachuca Mountains, which are clearly visible from within the city itself. We’ll spend the next two nights in Sierra Vista.

Day 7: Huachuca Canyons

A full day will be spent birding the various canyons that cut the Huachuca Mountains. Carr Canyon, to the south of the city, will occupy much of our time. The pine-oak woodland here plays host to a number of high-value targets, including Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Greater Pewee, Red-faced Warbler, and Hepatic Tanager. Depending on the year, we may visit Ramsey Canyon, with its excellent birding and hummingbird feeders. Among the 14 species that have been reported here are regulars such as Blue-throated, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned, and the chance at rarities like Berylline, Lucifer, and White-eared Hummingbirds. As the hummingbird situation changes, both seasonally, and annually, the choice of which feeders to visit will be dictated by the latest news of sightings. There are also feeders and good birding offered at both Miller (which holds the single US day record for hummingbird species), and Ash Canyon (traditionally the best place to find Lucifer Hummingbird). Miller Canyon also gives us a shot at the iconic Spotted Owl.

Day 8: Huachucas to the Chiricahuas

A final morning will be spent in one or more of the local canyons (Ramsey, Carr, Ash, or Miller), chasing whatever we still need, before forging on east to Portal, in the Chiricahua Mountains, for a three-night stay. As we make our way across the flat desertlands between the sky islands of the Huachucas and the Chiricahuas we’ll keep a keen eye on both the roads, and the surrounding desert, as we will be traversing prime roadrunner country. In the afternoon, we will stop briefly at a wetland hotspot in Wilcox for shorebirds, waterfowl, terns and other water related targets. When we pull into the tiny town of Portal, we’ll check out some local feeders where birds like Scaled and Gambel’s Quails, and Crissal and Curve-billed Thrasher can sometimes be found.

Days 9-10: Chiricahua Mountains

We’ll have two full days to explore the diverse birding opportunities provided by the eastern Chiricahuas. While this is a tour of Arizona, we will make a brief foray over the state line into New Mexico, to the town of Rodeo, in search of the local Bendire’s Thrasher, as well as another shot at Scaled Quail. The area around the nearby hamlet of Paradise provides some different habitats, and we’ll check some well-placed feeders for Juniper Titmouse, and hummingbird feeders here give us our best shot at the diminutive Calliope Hummingbird. The higher reaches of the eastern Chiricahuas, where we’ll spend a good deal of our time, provide both welcome relief from the heat of the lower elevations, and a different mix of birds. Nowhere else in the US offers as good a shot at Mexican Chickadee and Yellow-eyed Junco! We’ll also have another shot at several birds we’d looked for in the Huachucas, including Red-faced and Olive Warbler, Greater Pewee, and Hepatic Tanager.

And there is Cave Creek Canyon, one of the most illustrious birding sites in the country. Not only will this offer up an excellent chance at tracking down the iconic Elegant Trogon, a treasure trove of other birds occurs in this shaded canyon. Local and much-desired birds like Arizona Woodpecker, Painted Redstart, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, and both Plumbeous and Hutton’s Vireos all call this gorgeous spot home. The Chiricahuas, like most sites visited on this tour, also boast a healthy crop of extreme rarities over the years too, and we’ll keep an ear to the ground for anything that might have shown up.

Day 11: Portal to Tucson

After a few final hours birding in Portal we will once again check out wetlands near Willcox to see if we can pick up anything new. We will return to Tucson to sweep the area for any last birds before a farewell dinner and one last night in Tucson.

Day 12: Departure

The tour ends this morning in Tucson. A shuttle will be available to take you to the airport. No birding is planned for today.

Trip Considerations

PACE: Moderate. There are some early starts to be out before the heat of the day (we will typically leave the hotel at 5:30-6am); long days spent in the field; and there are some hikes up canyons, on uneven trails required. There are not many long drives on this tour; the longest being of around 3 hours on days 7 and 10. Some lunches may be taken in the field, from fast food sandwich stores or similar.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Moderate. Most of the walking will be along good trails, and along roads. There are likely to be a few optional uphill hikes into canyons, which could be up to around 2 miles (3km) in length. On average around 2 miles (3km) will be walked daily. Elevations on this tour are generally between 4000-5000 feet (1200-1500m), but will reach up to 9000 feet (2750m) on two days.

CLIMATE:  Days will be warm to hot and nights cool. At this time of year daytime highs in the 90s Fahrenheit (early 30s Celsius), and nighttime temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit (16 Celsius) are expected. This tour is timed for the second spring/monsoon season, and therefore some rainfall is expected.

ACCOMMODATION: Good to excellent throughout, with full-time electricity, hot water and en-suite facilities at the standard motels used everywhere. All places used have Wi-Fi Internet.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Although this is a birding focused tour, there will be good opportunities for the casual photographers, as there are many feeder sites on this tour (e.g. Madera Canyon, Sierra Vista area, Patagonia and Portal).

WHEN TO GO: Arizona makes for a good destination year round, although hummingbird diversity and a more comfortable, cooler climate comes in July-August, when this tour is run.

Other Information

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required for non-US citizens; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. Most foreign visitors to the USA need to APPLY FOR AN ONLINE ESTA BEFORE LEAVING THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE. Travel requirements are subject to change; if you are unsure, please check with the nearest embassy or consulate, or ask our office staff for help.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?:   Accommodation from the night of day 1 to the night of day 11; meals from dinner on day 1 to dinner on day 11; spare drinking water in the vehicle when required; Tropical Birding tour leader (who is also the tour driver) with scope and audio gear from the afternoon of day 1 to the morning of day 10; airport shuttle to the hotel in Tucson for arrival; one group airport drop off on day 10; ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary from the afternoon of day 1 to the morning of day 10 in a rental vehicle; entrance fees to birding sites mentioned in the itinerary; a printed and bound checklist to keep track of your sightings (given to you at the start of the tour – only electronic copies can be provided in advance).

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?: Optional tips to the Tropical Birding tour leader (who is also the driver on this tour); tips for any luggage porters used; international flights; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.

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Hotels for Birdwatching

Arizona's unique accommodations offer prime spots to spot native species.

Arizona is an ideal place for birdwatching, with more than 530 species documented in the state, including 300-plus that have nested here. After waking early to spend a busy day tracking eagles, herons, hummingbirds and an elegant trogon or two, you, too, are going to want to nest down for the night. Here are just a few inns - some of which offer special birding programs - that put you in the middle of our feathered friends' habitats.

Ski Lift Lodge, Flagstaff

At first glance, Ski Lift Lodge in Northern Arizona might seem like an odd choice for birders. The more than one-dozen folksy cabins in the pines are packed with snowboarders and skiers in winter, who head uphill to hit the slopes at Arizona Snowbowl. But once the snow melts, things quiet down. Northern Arizona Audubon Society lists the meadows and trails of the surrounding national forest as a major birdwatching site, known for Clark's nutcrackers, sooty grouse, bluebirds, green-tailed towhees and more.

The Inn Above Oak Creek, Sedona

In Central Arizona, The Inn Above Oak Creek is just that - luxe lodging in the middle of Sedona just above the creek's leafy riparian zone. If you can tear yourself away from the modern rooms' scenic balconies, fireplaces and whirlpool tubs, you can meander down to the creek with your complimentary Continental breakfast to look for wood ducks, flycatchers and woodpeckers - and perhaps even catch a glimpse of a rare yellow-billed cuckoo. A short drive away, Red Rock State Park offers year-round guided bird walks.

The Tavern Hotel, Cottonwood

Not far away, The Tavern Hotel in historic downtown Cottonwood features sleekly decorated, sumptuous rooms that are just steps from the town's many wine-tasting rooms, restaurants and shops. The hotel is also close to the bird-dense Verde River via a series of meandering trails, where you can see orioles, kingfishers, tanagers, swallows and more. You'll end up at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, another popular birding place and the site of the annual Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival.

Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, Mesa

Outside Phoenix, Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch opened as a camp in 1927 to house workers building the dam that formed Saguaro Lake on the Salt River. Today, 20 rustic cabins and the historic rock-walled lodge welcome guests along the banks of the river and in the shadow of craggy cliffs, both of which are home to eagles, herons, egrets and many migratory birds. After a hearty ranch-style breakfast at the guest ranch - designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society - look for feathered friends along the riverbank or on trails in the surrounding national forest.

Chuparosa Inn, Madera Canyon

In Southern Arizona, Madera Canyon cuts deep into the Santa Rita Mountains and is a peaceful place for birdwatching and hiking. Surrounded by national forest and straddling Madera Creek, Chuparosa Inn is an optimal base for viewing the canyon's hummingbirds, elegant trogons, tanagers, warblers, owls and even bats, wild turkeys and the occasional bear. The woodsy, two-level inn has four cozy suites and provides a complimentary Continental breakfast. The inn is surrounded by a rock-walled patio and balconies, which make great perches for lazy birding if you don't feel like hiking the canyon's easier, lower trails.

Duquesne House, Patagonia

The Duquesne House, located in the charming small town of Patagonia in Southern Arizona, is near The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve and the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, both major birdwatching spots, as well as the Tucson Audubon Society's Paton Center for Hummingbirds. The historic adobe inn, which has four suites decorated with antiques and Mexican crafts, also connects visitors with local bird guides who can take you to sure-fire spots and help you discern the difference between, say, the spotted and the canyon towhee. If you prefer a more relaxed form of birding, hit the inn's hammock in the garden with a glass of wine and watch the hummingbirds hover around feeders.

Casa de San Pedro Bed & Breakfast, Hereford

Not far from The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve and other Southern Arizona birding spots, Casa de San Pedro Bed & Breakfast in Hereford offers not only 10 modern hacienda-style rooms that open onto a courtyard, but a regular calendar of birding programs as well. Inn guests can participate in hummingbird banding, guided bird walks and special weekends filled with bird-centric seminars. The innkeepers also work with a number of bird guides for custom tours, so you can be sure to see painted redstarts and black-chinned hummingbirds in their natural habitats.

Coronado Motor Hotel, Yuma

Along Arizona's West Coast, the Spanish-style, historic Coronado Motor Hotel has been greeting guests in downtown Yuma since 1938. With updated rooms, two pools and a complimentary breakfast, the Coronado puts you within walking distance of the city's Gateway, West Wetlands and East Wetlands parks along the Colorado River - great places to catch glimpses of grebes, egrets, ibises and more. Imperial and Kofa national wildlife refuges are also a short drive away.

About the Author

Nora Burba Trulsson

Nora Burba Trulsson is a long-time Arizona resident and a freelance writer specializing in travel, food, lifestyle, architecture and design topics. Her articles have appeared in Phoenix Home & Garden, Arizona Highways, Sunset, houzz.com, Valley Guide, Modern Luxury Scottsdale and other publications and websites.

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The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu

An unusual outbreak of the disease has spread to dairy herds in multiple u.s. states..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise, and this is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The outbreak of bird flu that is tearing through the nation’s poultry farms is the worst in US history. But scientists say it’s now starting to spread into places and species it’s never been before.

Today, my colleague, Emily Anthes, explains.

It’s Monday, April 22.

Emily, welcome back to the show.

Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.

So, Emily, we’ve been talking here on “The Daily” about prices of things and how they’ve gotten so high, mostly in the context of inflation episodes. And one of the items that keeps coming up is eggs. Egg prices were through the roof last year, and we learned it was related to this. Avian flu has been surging in the United States. You’ve been covering this. Tell us what’s happening.

Yes, so I have been covering this virus for the last few years. And the bird flu is absolutely tearing through poultry flocks, and that is affecting egg prices. That’s a concern for everyone, for me and for my family. But when it comes to scientists, egg prices are pretty low on their list of concerns. Because they see this bird flu virus behaving differently than previous versions have. And they’re getting nervous, in particular, about the fact that this virus is reaching places and species where it’s never been before.

OK, so bird flu, though, isn’t new. I mean I remember hearing about cases in Asia in the ‘90s. Remind us how it began.

Bird flu refers to a bunch of different viruses that are adapted to spread best in birds. Wild water birds, in particular, are known for carrying these viruses. And flu viruses are famous for also being shapeshifters. So they’re constantly swapping genes around and evolving into new strains. And as you mentioned back in the ‘90s, a new version of bird flu, a virus known as H5N1, emerged in Asia. And it has been spreading on and off around the world since then, causing periodic outbreaks.

And how are these outbreaks caused?

So wild birds are the reservoir for the virus, which means they carry it in their bodies with them around the world as they fly and travel and migrate. And most of the time, these wild birds, like ducks and geese, don’t even get very sick from this virus. But they shed it. So as they’re traveling over a poultry farm maybe, if they happen to go to the bathroom in a pond that the chickens on the farm are using or eat some of the feed that chickens on the farm are eating, they can leave the virus behind.

And the virus can get into chickens. In some cases, it causes mild illness. It’s what’s known as low pathogenic avian influenza. But sometimes the virus mutates and evolves, and it can become extremely contagious and extremely fatal in poultry.

OK, so the virus comes through wild birds, but gets into farms like this, as you’re describing. How have farms traditionally handled outbreaks, when they do happen?

Well, because this threat isn’t new, there is a pretty well-established playbook for containing outbreaks. It’s sometimes known as stamping out. And brutally, what it means is killing the birds. So the virus is so deadly in this highly pathogenic form that it’s sort of destined to kill all the birds on a farm anyway once it gets in. So the response has traditionally been to proactively depopulate or cull all the birds, so it doesn’t have a chance to spread.

So that’s pretty costly for farmers.

It is. Although the US has a program where it will reimburse farmers for their losses. And the way these reimbursements work is they will reimburse farmers only for the birds that are proactively culled, and not for those who die naturally from the virus. And the thinking behind that is it’s a way to incentivize farmers to report outbreaks early.

So, OK, lots of chickens are killed in a way to manage these outbreaks. So we know how to deal with them. But what about now? Tell me about this new strain.

So this new version of the virus, it emerged in 2020.

After the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus, authorities have now confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of influenza, a kind of bird flu.

And pretty quickly it became clear that a couple things set it apart.

A bald eagle found dead at Carvins Cove has tested positive for the highly contagious bird flu.

This virus, for whatever reason, seemed very good at infecting all sorts of wild birds that we don’t normally associate with bird flu.

[BIRD CRYING]

He was kind of stepping, and then falling over, and using its wing to right itself.

Things like eagles and condors and pelicans.

We just lost a parliament of owls in Minneapolis.

Yeah, a couple of high profile nests.

And also in the past, wild birds have not traditionally gotten very sick from this virus. And this version of the virus not only spread widely through the wild bird population, but it proved to be devastating.

The washing up along the East Coast of the country from Scotland down to Suffolk.

We were hearing about mass die-offs of seabirds in Europe by the hundreds and the thousands.

And the bodies of the dead dot the island wherever you look.

Wow. OK. So then as we know, this strain, like previous ones, makes its way from wild animals to farmed animals, namely to chickens. But it’s even more deadly.

Absolutely. And in fact, it has already caused the worst bird flu outbreak in US history. So more than 90 million birds in the US have died as a result of this virus.

90 million birds.

Yes, and I should be clear that represents two things. So some of those birds are birds who naturally got infected and died from the virus. But the vast majority of them are birds that were proactively culled. What it adds up to is, is 90 million farmed birds in the US have died since this virus emerged. And it’s not just a chicken problem. Another thing that has been weird about this virus is it has jumped into other kinds of farms. It is the first time we’ve seen a bird flu virus jump into US livestock.

And it’s now been reported on a number of dairy farms across eight US states. And that’s just something that’s totally unprecedented.

So it’s showing up at Dairy farms now. You’re saying that bird flu has now spread to cows. How did that happen?

So we don’t know exactly how cows were first infected, but most scientists’ best guess is that maybe an infected wild bird that was migrating shed the virus into some cattle feed or a pasture or a pond, and cattle picked it up. The good news is they don’t seem to get nearly as sick as chickens do. They are generally making full recoveries on their own in a couple of weeks.

OK, so no mass culling of cows?

No, that doesn’t seem to be necessary at this point. But the bad news is that it’s starting to look like we’re seeing this virus spread from cow to cow. We don’t know exactly how that’s happening yet. But anytime you see cow-to-cow or mammal-to-mammal transmission, that’s a big concern.

And why is that exactly?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons. First, it could allow the outbreak to get much bigger, much faster, which might increase the risk to the food supply. And we might also expect it to increase the risk to farm workers, people who might be in contact with these sick cows.

Right now, the likelihood that a farmer who gets this virus passes it on is pretty low. But any time you see mammal-to-mammal transmission, it increases the chance that the virus will adapt and possibly, maybe one day get good at spreading between humans. To be clear, that’s not something that there’s any evidence happening in cows right now. But the fact that there’s any cow-to-cow transmission happening at all is enough to have scientists a bit concerned.

And then if we think more expansively beyond what’s happening on farms, there’s another big danger lurking out there. And that’s what happens when this virus gets into wild animals, vast populations that we can’t control.

We’ll be right back.

So, Emily, you said that another threat was the threat of flu in wild animal populations. Clearly, of course, it’s already in wild birds. Where else has it gone?

Well, the reason it’s become such a threat is because of how widespread it’s become in wild birds. So they keep reintroducing it to wild animal populations pretty much anywhere they go. So we’ve seen the virus repeatedly pop up in all sorts of animals that you might figure would eat a wild bird, so foxes, bobcats, bears. We actually saw it in a polar bear, raccoons. So a lot of carnivores and scavengers.

The thinking is that these animals might stumble across a sick or dead bird, eat it, and contract the virus that way. But we’re also seeing it show up in some more surprising places, too. We’ve seen the virus in a bottle-nosed dolphin, of all places.

And most devastatingly, we’ve seen enormous outbreaks in other sorts of marine mammals, especially sea lions and seals.

So elephant seals, in particular in South America, were just devastated by this virus last fall. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli and I were talking to some scientists in South America who described to us what they called a scene from hell, of walking out onto a beach in Argentina that is normally crowded with chaotic, living, breathing, breeding, elephant seals — and the beach just being covered by carcass, after carcass, after carcass.

Mostly carcasses of young newborn pups. The virus seemed to have a mortality rate of 95 percent in these elephant seal pups, and they estimated that it might have killed more than 17,000 of the pups that were born last year. So almost the entire new generation of this colony. These are scientists that have studied these seals for decades. And they said they’ve never seen anything like it before.

And why is it so far reaching, Emily? I mean, what explains these mass die-offs?

There are probably a few explanations. One is just how much virus is out there in the environment being shed by wild birds into water and onto beaches. These are also places that viruses like this haven’t been before. So it’s reaching elephant seals and sea lions in South America that have no prior immunity.

There’s also the fact that these particular species, these sea lions and seals, tend to breed in these huge colonies all crowded together on beaches. And so what that means is if a virus makes its way into the colony, it’s very conducive conditions for it to spread. And scientists think that that’s actually what’s happening now. That it’s not just that all these seals are picking up the virus from individual birds, but that they’re actually passing it to each other.

So basically, this virus is spreading to places it’s never been before, kind of virgin snow territory, where animals just don’t have the immunity against it. And once it gets into a population packed on a beach, say, of elephant seals, it’s just like a knife through butter.

Absolutely. And an even more extreme example of that is what we’re starting to see happen in Antarctica, where there’s never been a bird flu outbreak before until last fall, for the first time, this virus reached the Antarctic mainland. And we are now seeing the virus move through colonies of not only seabirds and seals, but penguin colonies, which have not been exposed to these viruses before.

And it’s too soon to say what the toll will be. But penguins also, of course, are known for breeding in these large colonies.

Probably. don’t have many immune defenses against this virus, and of course, are facing all these other environmental threats. And so there’s a lot of fear that you add on the stress of a bird flu virus, and it could just be a tipping point for penguins.

Emily, at this point, I’m kind of wondering why more people aren’t talking about this. I mean, I didn’t know any of this before having this conversation with you, and it feels pretty worrying.

Well, a lot of experts and scientists are talking about this with rising alarm and in terms that are quite stark. They’re talking about the virus spreading through wild animal populations so quickly and so ferociously that they’re calling it an ecological disaster.

But that’s a disaster that sometimes seems distant from us, both geographically, we’re talking about things that are happening maybe at the tip of Argentina or in Antarctica. And also from our concerns of our everyday lives, what’s happening in Penguins might not seem like it has a lot to do with the price of a carton of eggs at the grocery store. But I think that we should be paying a lot of attention to how this virus is moving through animal populations, how quickly it’s moving through animal populations, and the opportunities that it is giving the virus to evolve into something that poses a much bigger threat to human health.

So the way it’s spreading in wild animals, even in remote places like Antarctica, that’s important to watch, at least in part because there’s a real danger to people here.

So we know that the virus can infect humans, and that generally it’s not very good at spreading between humans. But the concern all along has been that if this virus has more opportunities to spread between mammals, it will get better at spreading between them. And that seems to be what is happening in seals and sea lions. Scientists are already seeing evidence that the virus is adapting as it passes from marine mammal to marine mammal. And that could turn it into a virus that’s also better at spreading between people.

And if somebody walks out onto a beach and touches a dead sea lion, if their dog starts playing with a sea lion carcass, you could imagine that this virus could make its way out of marine mammals and into the human population. And if it’s this mammalian adapted version of the virus that makes its way out, that could be a bigger threat to human health.

So the sheer number of hosts that this disease has, the more opportunity it has to mutate, and the more chance it has to mutate in a way that would actually be dangerous for people.

Yes, and in particular, the more mammalian hosts. So that gives the virus many more opportunities to become a specialist in mammals instead of a specialist in birds, which is what it is right now.

Right. I like that, a specialist in mammals. So what can we do to contain this virus?

Well, scientists are exploring new options. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether we should start vaccinating chickens in the US. The government, USDA labs, have been testing some poultry vaccines. It’s probably scientifically feasible. There are challenges there, both in terms of logistics — just how would you go about vaccinating billions of chickens every year. There are also trade questions. Traditionally, a lot of countries have not been willing to accept poultry products from countries that vaccinate their poultry.

And there’s concern about whether the virus might spread undetected in flocks that are vaccinated. So as we saw with COVID, the vaccine can sometimes stop you from getting sick, but it doesn’t necessarily stop infection. And so countries are worried they might unknowingly import products that are harboring the virus.

And what about among wild animals? I mean, how do you even begin to get your head around that?

Yeah, I mean, thinking about vaccinating wild animals maybe makes vaccinating all the chickens in the US look easy. There has been some discussion of limited vaccination campaigns, but that’s not feasible on a global scale. So unfortunately, the bottom line is there isn’t a good way to stop spread in wild animals. We can try to protect some vulnerable populations, but we’re not going to stop the circulation of this virus.

So, Emily, we started this conversation with a kind of curiosity that “The Daily” had about the price of eggs. And then you explained the bird flu to us. And then somehow we ended up learning about an ecological disaster that’s unfolding all around us, and potentially the source of the next human pandemic. That is pretty scary.

It is scary, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it. And I feel like I should take a step back and say none of this is inevitable. None of this is necessarily happening tomorrow. But this is why scientists are concerned and why they think it’s really important to keep a very close eye on what’s happening both on farms and off farms, as this virus spreads through all sorts of animal populations.

One thing that comes up again and again and again in my interviews with people who have been studying bird flu for decades, is how this virus never stops surprising them. And sometimes those are bad surprises, like these elephant seal die-offs, the incursions into dairy cattle. But there are some encouraging signs that have emerged recently. We’re starting to see some early evidence that some of the bird populations that survived early brushes with this virus might be developing some immunity. So that’s something that maybe could help slow the spread of this virus in animal populations.

We just don’t entirely know how this is going to play out. Flu is a very difficult, wily foe. And so that’s one reason scientists are trying to keep such a close, attentive eye on what’s happening.

Emily, thank you.

Thanks for having me.

Here’s what else you should know today.

On this vote, the yeas are 366 and the nays are 58. The bill is passed.

On Saturday, in four back-to-back votes, the House voted resoundingly to approve a long-stalled package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and other American allies, delivering a major victory to President Biden, who made aid to Ukraine one of his top priorities.

On this vote, the yeas are 385, and the no’s are 34 with one answering present. The bill is passed without objection.

The House passed the component parts of the $95 billion package, which included a bill that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

On this vote, the yeas are 311 and the nays are 112. The bill is passed.

Oh, one voting present. I missed it, but thank you.

In a remarkable breach of custom, Democrats stepped in to supply the crucial votes to push the legislation past hard-line Republican opposition and bring it to the floor.

The House will be in order.

The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday.

Today’s episode was produced by Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Eric Krupke, and Alex Stern. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens; contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, Rowan Niemisto, and Sophia Lanman; and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• May 2, 2024   •   29:13 Biden Loosens Up on Weed
• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
• April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Produced by Rikki Novetsky ,  Nina Feldman ,  Eric Krupke and Alex Stern

Edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell ,  Rowan Niemisto and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

The outbreak of bird flu currently tearing through the nation’s poultry is the worst in U.S. history. Scientists say it is now spreading beyond farms into places and species it has never been before.

Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The Times, explains.

On today’s episode

Emily Anthes , a science reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

Scientists have faulted the federal response to bird flu outbreaks on dairy farms .

Here’s what to know about the outbreak.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

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☀️⛅️ Clear sky - scattered clouds Temperature: 96 - 97°F Wind: Light breeze - moderate breeze Wind Direction: NW - W Cloud Cover: 5 - 33% Humidity: 31 - 33% Sunrise: 5:35am Sunset: 7:23pm Weather generated by RainCrow

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Eurasian collared-dove, white-winged dove, black-chinned hummingbird, rufous hummingbird, allen's hummingbird.

Ongoing adult male, photographed.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Gila woodpecker, warbling vireo, common raven, barn swallow, white-breasted nuthatch, curve-billed thrasher, house sparrow, house finch, lesser goldfinch, yellow-breasted chat, lucy's warbler, northern cardinal, black-headed grosbeak, exotic species.

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Arizona Birding Guides feeders--Visitors Welcome, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, US on Wed Jul 26, 2023

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