Birding Hotspots for Snowbirds

If you are planning to escape the cold northern winters this year, these are some birding hotspots you should consider visiting.

As many people join the birds and head south for the winter, I’ve compiled a list of birding hotspots that all snowbirds should consider visiting!

1. Huachuca Mountains – Southeast Arizona

The Huachuca Mountains are located just outside of Sierra Vista, AZ. Within this large area, there are many birding hotspots such as Carr, Miller, and Ramsey Canyons. By visiting just a few of the hotspots, you’ll be sure to find a huge variety of species.

Birding Hotspots for SnowbirdsRob Ripma
Rob Ripma The Huachuca Mountains are a great place to view hummingbirds including this Magnificent Hummingbird.
2. Estero Llano Grande State Park – Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Of all the wonderful places to go birding in the Rio Grande Valley, this park is my favorite. It combines a variety of habitats allowing you to find an incredible number of birds in one place. In a full morning of birding at this park, you’ll find everything from hummingbirds to kingfishers!

Birding Hotspots for SnowbirdsRob Ripma
Rob Ripma Estero Llano Grande State Park is a great place to find Rio Grande Valley specialties like Ringed Kingfisher.
3. Everglades National Park – South Florida

The Everglades are certainly well known as a tourist attraction but you might not realize how wonderful the birding is in the park. Be sure to stop at Anhinga Trail and to drive all the way to the end of the main road which ends at the Flamingo Visitor Center.

Birding Hotspots for SnowbirdsRob Ripma
Rob Ripma Anhingas can be found throughout Everglades National Park.
4. Salton Sea – Southern California

The Salton Sea is a huge lake in the middle of the desert south of Palm Springs. While there are many places around the lake to go birding, Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best stops to make. The concentration of waterfowl and shorebirds in this area is a sight to see!

Birding Hotspots for SnowbirdsRob Ripma
Rob Ripma In addition to the waterfowl and shorebirds, this area is a great place to find Burrowing Owls.
5. Canopy Tower – Panama

For the adventurous birding snowbird, a trip to the American tropics is a great option to really get away from the cold weather. Canopy Tower in Panama is a great option to get into the tropics and enjoy not just wonderful birding but some awesome tropical wildlife.

Birding Hotspots for SnowbirdsRob Ripma
Rob Ripma In the tropics, you’ll find many families of birds that you might not be familiar with like the motmots. This Broad-billed Motmot is a bird you might find at Canopy Tower.

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Rob Ripma
Rob Ripma, a lifelong Indiana resident, has traveled and birded extensively throughout the Americas.