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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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Program

At a Glance

Duration

6 days

Program Begins

Portal, AZ

Program Concludes

Portal, AZ

Group Type

Small Group

Meals

15 ( 5B, 5L, 5D )

Activity Level

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.

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.

View Full Itinerary

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

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 the program

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Sharon Goldwasser

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.

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 (13 to 24)

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Suggested Reading List

View Full List (8 Books)

You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?

We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!

Call 800-454-5768

Start Enrolling

Enroll with Confidence

Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.
Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.