Beginning birdwatching tour in Spanish at Wings Over Willcox festival

Of the more than 900 species of birds that live in the United States and Canada, more than half can be found in Arizona at some time during the year. Some are here year round while others breed in Arizona and then migrate south to Mexico and other areas in Latin America for the winter.

For some birds that breed in the northern United States and Canada, southern Arizona is their winter destination, and January is the perfect time to see some of these species. Sandhill Cranes, ducks, sparrows, hawks, and many more species spend the winter months here before returning to their breeding grounds in the north in the spring.

The 17th Annual Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival will offer a special Beginning Bird Watching field trip in Spanish. Whether you are a native Spanish speaker or would just like to improve your own basic Spanish skills, the tour will teach basic bird identification skills, including how to use binoculars, how to use a field guide to identify birds, and more at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas.

Tour leaders Juan Caicedo and Jennie Duberstein have many years of experience teaching about and studying birds in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America and they will be the guides for this three hour excursion. Binoculars and Spanish field guides will be provided for use during the tour if needed. The tour is free but requires registration. For more information or to register, contact Karla: 520-284-4122 or 507-1029.