An Intimate Encounter with Arizona’s Forest Owls

In Arizona's Chiricahua Mountains, owl calls echo through pine-oak canyons long after sunset. Hidden within old woodpecker cavities, standing dead trees and rugged mountain forests, species such as flammulated owls, northern saw-whet owls, elf owls and whiskered screech-owls depend on nesting habitat that few people ever have the opportunity to explore.

Why Are Arizona's Sky Islands One of the Best Places in the World to Study Forest Owls?

Arizona's Sky Islands, including the Chiricahua Mountains, contain an unusual concentration of habitats within a relatively small area. Desert grasslands, oak woodlands, pine forests and mixed-conifer forests occur across steep elevation gradients, allowing forest owl species from the Rocky Mountains, Mexico and the American Southwest to overlap in a single mountain range.

For scientists, this creates a rare opportunity to compare how different owl species nest, hunt and use forest habitats across changing environmental conditions. Combined with decades of ongoing field studies and access to remote mountain forests, the Sky Islands have become one of North America's most important landscapes for understanding forest owls and the ecosystems they inhabit.

Quick Facts: An Intimate Encounter with Arizona's Forest Owls

• Location: Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

• Research partner: Southwestern Research Station

• Primary species: Flammulated owls, northern saw-whet owls, elf owls and whiskered screech-owls

• Key activity: Owl surveys, cavity monitoring and habitat assessments

• Conservation focus: Owl nesting habitat, forest health and climate change impacts
  
  

What Wildlife Will I See on an Arizona Forest Owl Expedition?

Forest owls are the primary focus of the expedition, but the Chiricahua Mountains support an extraordinary diversity of wildlife thanks to their unique position between the Rocky Mountains, Mexico and the Sonoran Desert. Wildlife sightings vary with habitat, elevation and season, making each expedition different.

Most Likely

• Flammulated owls

• Elf owls

• Hummingbirds

• Gila woodpeckers

• Harris's hawks

• Gambel's quail

• Cactus wrens

• Roadrunners

Medium Likelihood

• Northern saw-whet owls

• Whiskered screech-owls

• Elegant trogons

• Arizona woodpeckers

• Mexican chickadees

• White-tailed deer

• Coatimundis

The Chiricahuas are widely recognized as one of the premier birding and wildlife destinations in the American Southwest, supporting a remarkable mix of desert, woodland and mountain species.

What Is the Climate Like in Arizona During This Expedition?

The Chiricahua Mountains experience a mountain climate that is cooler and wetter than the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Conditions can vary significantly between Tucson and the higher elevations where research takes place.

Because much of the research occurs in mountain forests and during nighttime surveys, participants should be prepared for both warm daytime conditions and cooler evenings.

What Should I Pack for an Arizona Forest Owl Expedition?

Participants should pack for active days outdoors, variable mountain weather and nighttime fieldwork. Layered clothing is important, as temperatures can vary considerably between daytime and evening research activities.

Recommended items include:

• Comfortable hiking boots or trail shoes

• Lightweight field clothing

• Long pants for hiking and fieldwork

• Lightweight jacket or fleece

• Rain jacket

• Wide-brimmed hat

• Sunglasses

• Sunscreen

• Refillable water bottle

• Small daypack

• Headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries

• Binoculars

• Camera

• Insect repellent

Because research often continues after dark, a reliable headlamp and comfortable layers for cooler evening temperatures are especially important.

What Will I Experience on An Intimate Encounter with Arizona’s Forest Owls?

Participants assist researchers studying some of North America's least-understood owl species, contributing to surveys, habitat assessments and nest cavity monitoring across the Chiricahua Mountains. Depending on timing and research needs, participants may help monitor nests, search for cavity trees, conduct nighttime surveys and observe owl banding activities.

Beyond the research, participants experience the dramatic transition from the Sonoran Desert to Arizona's Sky Island forests, exploring pine-oak canyons, rugged mountain landscapes and one of the Southwest's most biologically diverse regions.

What Does Daily Fieldwork Look Like?

Fieldwork takes place at active research sites throughout the Chiricahua Mountains. Days may focus on searching for nest cavities, monitoring habitat conditions, checking equipment and documenting owl activity across a variety of forest types.

As daylight fades, research often shifts to nighttime surveys when owl activity increases. Participants may accompany researchers into the field to listen for calls, locate active territories and learn how scientists study species that are more often heard than seen. Field schedules remain flexible and are shaped by weather, owl activity and ongoing research priorities.