Tucson Bird ID Center
Brush up on your local bird ID skills with the resources
on this page:
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150+ Tucson-area
Birds
Tucson Bird ID
Tips
- Re-familiarize Yourself with Local Birds
- Use checklists, pictures, and recorded sounds to remind
yourself of the ID clues local birds give you. Even pros should
spend a morning birding in different parts of town to become
re-acquainted with various local species.
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- Pay Attention to Habitat and Behavior
- Clues from habitat and behavior can quickly suggest species
to key in on as you make an ID. But don't rely on habitat
alone — birds often turn up in unexpected places.
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- Use Your Ears
- The TBC occurs during a time of year when many birds
are singing like crazy. Use these clues to help detect and
ID birds that aren't visible. Learning the calls/songs of
even a few common species (Gila woodpecker, Cactus wren...)
can help. See the web resources available
on this page for recorded local bird sounds.
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- Beware Vocal Mimics
- Northern mockingbirds, Lesser goldfinches, European starlings,
and others often imitate other species' vocalizations. In
my neighborhood, Starlings "do" Gambel's quail,
Killdeer, and Flickers more often than those species themselves.
If you're relying on sound alone, be sure you're familiar
with these mimics!
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="Common"
Tucson birds, found at more than 10% of sites on the Tucson
Bird Count.