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Arizona

Cave Creek Canyon Birding At Portal

Program No. 11973RJ
Boasting awe-inspiring landscapes and some of the richest wildlife diversity in the nation, it’s easy to see why Cave Creek Canyon is a mecca for both birds and birders alike.
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BirdingOutdoor AdventuresSmall GroupAnimals & Wildlife
Length
6 days
Rating (4.97)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,149

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6 days
5 nights
15 meals
5B 5L 5D
1
In back Dining Room 5:00 p.m. Orientation, 6:00 p.m. Dinner.
Portal, AZ
2
Wildlife Viewing, Cave Creek Canyon & Chiricahua Mountains
Portal, AZ
3
Rodeo-New Mexico, Chiricahua & Peloncillo Mountains
Portal, AZ
4
Cochise Lakes & Willcox Playa, Waterfowl & Shorebirds
Portal, AZ
5
Rustler Park Full Day Field Trip, Onion Saddle, Chiricahua
Portal, AZ
6
Cave Creek Canyon, Program Concludes
Portal, AZ
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At a Glance

One of the premier birding areas of the U.S., Cave Creek Canyon’s proximity to Mexico and unique highland habitat produce a rich mix of species. The Chiricahua Mountains provide a migration corridor above the surrounding desert and rise through seven life zones. Providing a wide range of ecosystems, it is one of only two sites in the U.S. where the Elegant Trogon nests and is home to 16 varieties of hummingbirds. Join a birding professional for daily field trips in our exploration of the mountains.
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to one mile at a time; getting in/out of vans. Elevations of 8,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Journey to the San Simon Valley to view Bendire’s Thrashers and Inca Doves before searching local mountains for Mexican Chickadees and Painted Redstarts.
  • Visit Cochise Lakes and the Willcox Playa, a habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds and a popular destination for birders.
  • Dazzle in the spectacular views — and spot high-elevation birds — during a field trip to Rustler Park, located high in the Chiricahuas.

General Notes

All Road Scholar birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1 in the field. This program has a ratio of 8:1. We adhere to the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics. Learn more at http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Matt Brown
Matt Brown has been a birding enthusiast from a young age! In elementary school, Matt taught birding ID to his fellow classmates. He went on to study psychology at Syracuse University before moving to Arizona in 1998 to pursue his passion of bird watching and bird leader. Locally, Matt has worked for the Nature Conservancy, Patagonia Lake State Park, Road Scholar and local birding and butterfly festivals. Since 2002, Matt has owned the Patagonia Birding & Butterfly Company offering custom birding and butterfly programs.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Matt Brown
Matt Brown View biography
Matt Brown has been a birding enthusiast from a young age! In elementary school, Matt taught birding ID to his fellow classmates. He went on to study psychology at Syracuse University before moving to Arizona in 1998 to pursue his passion of bird watching and bird leader. Locally, Matt has worked for the Nature Conservancy, Patagonia Lake State Park, Road Scholar and local birding and butterfly festivals. Since 2002, Matt has owned the Patagonia Birding & Butterfly Company offering custom birding and butterfly programs.
Profile Image of Sharon Goldwasser
Sharon Goldwasser View biography
Sharon Goldwasser became an avid birder and naturalist as a student at UC-Santa Cruz. She worked as a field biologist for several years, then moved to Tucson for graduate school in ecology where she studied song mimicry by Lesser Goldfinches. In 1987, she routed her career into education, bringing love of science to thousands of middle school students. Since retiring from the classroom in 2020, she has renewed her birding passion and is excited to share knowledge of birds and the ecology of southern Arizona.
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