Arizona Important Bird Areas Program

Several of Arizona's Important Bird Areas are featured in this episode of Trail Mix’d from Arizona PBS. Riparian areas are vital habitat within our arid region for many wildlife species. No wonder many are designated IBAs! Come explore them with this linked episode.

Hiking Arizona’s Riparians: It’s a Shore Thing Discover Arizona's rare riparian zones, their unique wildlife and ways to help preserve these Arizona hiking trails, vital habitats within a desert.

If you encounter Desert Purple Martins at saguaros this summer, you can report them via iNaturalist. This really helps out the Desert Purple Martin project! More info about these birds and the project at https://tucsonaudubon.org/purplemartin/

Many birders will be heading to Willcox for the Wings Over Willcox festival this weekend with wintering Sandhill Cranes as the star bird everyone wants to see. There are two Global Important Bird Areas in this region designated specifically for Sandhill Cranes. The Willcox Playa/Cochise Lakes IBA and the Whitewater Draw IBA. If you can't make it down this winter, you can still see the cranes with Arizona Game & Fish Department's live crane cam here: https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/wildlife-viewing/wildlife-live-cams/live-sandhill-crane-cam/
📸: Lois Manowitz