Birding at Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

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The heavily forested canyons provide habitat for numerous wildlife, including coatimundi, white-tailed deer, javalina, and many species of birds; over three hundred bird species are found in the Chiricahua Mountains, some of whom have migrated north from Mexico. Within Chiricahua National Monument are intermittent streams, such as Bonita and Rhyolite, lined with a mixed canopy of Arizona walnut, Fremont cottonwood, velvet ash, Arizona cypress, and several oaks including Emory, silverleaf and netleaf. A few perennial springs are found within the boundary. Typical breeding birds in this area consist of Cooper's Hawk, Western Screech-Owl, Whip-poor-will, Blue-throated Hummingbird, Magnificent Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Dusky-capped and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Cassin's Kingbird, Gray-breasted Jay, Bridled Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Solitary Vireo, Black-throated Warbler, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bronzed and Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Northern Oriole. A mix of grasslands and small shrubs occur in the surrounding areas of Fort Bowie and lower Bonita Canyon in the Chiricahua National Monument. Breeding birds include Red-tailed Hawk, Scaled Quail, Common Poorwill, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Lark and Black-throated Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlark, and Scott's Oriole. The steep slopes of innumerable exposed cliff faces of Chiricahua National Monument are clothed with one-seed juniper, mountain mahogany, and pointleaf manzanita. Birds of the chaparral include Scrub Jay, Rock Wren, Rufous-sided Towhee, and Black-chinned Sparrow. Mid-elevation woodlands of Chiricahua National Monument are dominated by Mexican pinyon, Arizona oak, netleaf oak, silverleaf oak, Chihuahua and Apache pines, Arizona madrone, and alligator juniper. Breeding birds include Whiskered Screech-Owl, Acorn Woodpecker, Gray-breasted Jay, Bridled Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Vlrginia's and Black-throated Gray Warblers. The dominant trees in the upper elevations of Chiricahua National Monument include Arizona pine, southwestern white pine, Douglas fir, and Gambel oak. Typical breeding birds are Band-tailed Pigeon, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Mexican Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Solitary Vlreo, Grace's Warbler, Redfaced Warbler, Olive Warbler, and Yellow-eyed Junco. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17-miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985 acre site.

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