For the bird enthusiasts in your group, we’ve collected a list of some nearby birding hotspots to check out. Greer itself also offers a large variety of beautiful bird species for you to hear and see if you’d like to enjoy some birding here in town.
Be ready with your:
field guide
binoculars
details for the area from the state/national parks
water/snacks
sunscreen
small first aid kit (you might forget to watch where your feet are going with your eyes on the sky)
Greer
Birds you might happen upon:
American Dipper
Band-tailed Pigeon
Clark's Nutcracker
Double-crested Cormorants
Dusky Flycatcher
Dusky (Blue) Grouse
Grace’s Warbler
House Wren
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Northern Goshawk
Olive Flycatcher
Olive Warbler (rare)
Osprey
Plumbeous Vireo
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red-faced Warbler
Red-naped Sapsucker
Song Sparrow
Three-toed Woodpecker (rare)
Virginia’s Warbler
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Willow Flycatcher
Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wenima Wildlife Area How to get there: Travel on Highway 60 a couple miles west out of Springerville. At the junction of highways 60 and 180/191, drive .25 miles north on Highway 180/191 and turn right onto the graded dirt road going northeast. After 1.5 miles, the graded road drops into the Little Colorado River canyon corridor.
Notes: Birding here is best in Spring, Summer, and Fall, though there are still beautiful Mountain and Western Bluebirds during Winter.
Birds you might happen upon:
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Blue Grosbeak
Ferruginous Hawk
Golden Eagle
Gray Catbird
Green Heron
Indigo Bunting
Raptors
Sora
Yellow-breasted Chat
Becker Lake Wildlife Area
How to get there: Head 2 miles northwest of Springerville in the Arizona White Mountains, off the west side of Highway 60.
Notes: Birding at Becker Lake is best during late Summer and Fall, although there are stunning birds like the Bald Eagle also present during Winter.
Birds you might happen upon:
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Lewis’ Woodpeckers
Northern Harrier
Osprey
Red-winged Blackbirds
Red-tailed Hawk
Sparrows
White-faced Ibis
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
South Fork of Little Colorado River
How to get there: From the stoplight in Eagar, drive west on Highway 260 about 5.5 miles to milepost 390.7. Turn left (south) onto the road heading into South Fork. Follow signs to the South Fork Campground.
Birds you might happen upon:
American Dipper
Blue Grosbeak
Clark’s Nutcrackers
Golden-crowned Kinglets
Grace’s Warbler
Gray Catbird
Indigo Bunting
Lazuli Bunting
Montezuma Quail
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Pinyon Jay
Plumbeous Vireo
Red-naped Sapsucker
Red-faced Warbler
Virginia’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Yellow-breasted Chat
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Forest Road 117
How to get there: Drive west on Highway 260 from Eagar to Forest Road 117. The mixed conifer habitat along Forest Road 117 is excellent for birding.
Birds you might happen upon:
Clark's Nutcracker
Dusky (Blue) Grouse
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Gray Jay
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-naped Sapsucker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Williamson's Sapsucker
Highway 273 area
How to get there:
Drive west on Highway 260 from Eagar and turn left on Highway 273 (which leads past Sunrise Ski Area and Sunrise Lake on the White Mountain Apache Reservation.) Keep your ears and eyes peeled for bird activity.
You can also continue on Highway 273 until it becomes Forest Road 113, and travel to the Sheep Crossing recreation area. The Lee Valley Reservoir between Sheep Crossing and Gabaldon Campground is also excellent for birding, as is Gabaldon Campground itself.
Note: A pass is required if you want to bird on the Reservation.
For the bird enthusiasts in your group, we’ve collected a list of some nearby birding hotspots to check out. Greer itself also offers a large variety of beautiful bird species for you to hear and see if you’d like to enjoy some birding here in town.
Be ready with your:
Greer
Birds you might happen upon:
Wenima Wildlife Area
How to get there: Travel on Highway 60 a couple miles west out of Springerville. At the junction of highways 60 and 180/191, drive .25 miles north on Highway 180/191 and turn right onto the graded dirt road going northeast. After 1.5 miles, the graded road drops into the Little Colorado River canyon corridor.
Notes: Birding here is best in Spring, Summer, and Fall, though there are still beautiful Mountain and Western Bluebirds during Winter.
Birds you might happen upon:
Becker Lake Wildlife Area
How to get there: Head 2 miles northwest of Springerville in the Arizona White Mountains, off the west side of Highway 60.
Notes: Birding at Becker Lake is best during late Summer and Fall, although there are stunning birds like the Bald Eagle also present during Winter.
Birds you might happen upon:
South Fork of Little Colorado River
How to get there: From the stoplight in Eagar, drive west on Highway 260 about 5.5 miles to milepost 390.7. Turn left (south) onto the road heading into South Fork. Follow signs to the South Fork Campground.
Birds you might happen upon:
Forest Road 117
How to get there: Drive west on Highway 260 from Eagar to Forest Road 117. The mixed conifer habitat along Forest Road 117 is excellent for birding.
Birds you might happen upon:
Highway 273 area
How to get there:
Drive west on Highway 260 from Eagar and turn left on Highway 273 (which leads past Sunrise Ski Area and Sunrise Lake on the White Mountain Apache Reservation.) Keep your ears and eyes peeled for bird activity.
You can also continue on Highway 273 until it becomes Forest Road 113, and travel to the Sheep Crossing recreation area. The Lee Valley Reservoir between Sheep Crossing and Gabaldon Campground is also excellent for birding, as is Gabaldon Campground itself.
Note: A pass is required if you want to bird on the Reservation.
Birds you might happen upon:
Directions provided by
AZ Wildlife Trails
Visit Arizona
and White Mountain Audubon