Albuquerque, located in central New Mexico, is a great place for bird watching. The diverse habitats in and around the city provide homes for over 300 bird species. From urban parks to riparian forests, there are many excellent locations to observe birds in Albuquerque.
Best Places for Bird Watching in Albuquerque
Here are some of the top spots to see birds in Albuquerque:
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
This 300-acre nature preserve contains a mix of wetland, bosque, and desert habitats along the Rio Grande. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded here. The river and wetlands attract waterfowl and shorebirds. The cottonwood forest shelter warblers, flycatchers, and other songbirds. Raptors like Cooper’s hawks hunt the woods. Trails and observation decks provide good bird watching opportunities.
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Located about 90 miles south of Albuquerque, Bosque del Apache is one of the premier birding spots in New Mexico. Each winter, tens of thousands of snow geese and sandhill cranes stop here during migration. There are also huge flocks of ducks and a variety of raptors. A loop auto tour road and hiking trails allow you to find hawks, owls, sparrows, and other species in the cottonwood forest and desert scrub.
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains tower over Albuquerque. Hiking trails lead through conifer forests populated with mountain chickadees, pygmy nuthatches, Townsend’s solitaires, and other montane species. The crest of the Sandias offers one of the most accessible spots in New Mexico to find birds like Grace’s warbler, red-faced warbler, and other high-elevation specialties.
Open Space Areas
Albuquerque has over 90 open space areas covering nearly 60,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert, grasslands, and riparian areas. Spots like Elena Gallegos Open Space, Sandia Foothills Open Space, and the Piedras Marcadas Canyon provide access to regional desert species like black-throated sparrow as well as scrubland birds like loggerhead shrike.
Albuquerque Biopark
This urban oasis combines a zoo, aquarium, botanic garden, and public trails along the Rio Grande. The Biopark’s gardens attract birds like Gambel’s quail, ladder-backed woodpecker, phainopepla, and pygmy nuthatch. The ponds hold ducks and geese. The riverside trail is a migrant trap, with warblers, flycatchers, tanagers, and orioles passing through.
Best Times to Go Birding in Albuquerque
Albuquerque offers good bird watching opportunities year-round. Here are some of the best times to see birds:
Spring Migration
April and May bring waves of neotropical migrants through Albuquerque. Wilson’s, yellow, Nashville, MacGillivray’s, and other warblers flit through forests and parks. Bullock’s orioles add splashes of orange to urban trees. Tanagers, grosbeaks, flycatchers, and hummingbirds pass through during this exciting time.
Summer Residents
Although spring migration winds down by late May, a variety of species spend the summer and nest in Albuquerque. Broad-tailed and black-chinned hummingbirds can be found at nectar feeders. The Rio Grande bosque hosts species like Bell’s vireo, yellow-breasted chat, and summer tanager. Young birds from local nests join the mix.
Fall Migration
From mid-August through September, another wave of migrants heads south through Albuquerque. Warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and hummingbirds pass through the city again. Keep an eye out for less common migrants like dickcissel and varied bunting mixed in with the more expected birds.
Winter Birds
Many species that breed farther north overwinter in Albuquerque. Yellow-rumped, orange-crowned, and other warblers forage in sheltered forests and fields. The city’s many bird feeders attract finches, sparrows, juncos, and other winter visitors. Ducks and raptors are abundant.
Where to See Specific Types of Birds in Albuquerque
Here are some of the best places to find certain families and species of birds around Albuquerque:
Waterfowl
The ponds at Tingley Beach attract diverse waterfowl like geese, ducks, coots, grebes, and cormorants. The Rio Grande and its tributaries host species like mergansers, herons, sandpipers, avocets, stilts, and pipers.
Raptors
The open country of lands like Los Poblanos Fields Open Space allows you to spot hunting hawks and falcons. Migrant traps like the Cottonwood Mall draw concentrations of birds of prey like peregrine falcons and Cooper’s hawks during migration.
Hummingbirds
Hummingbird feeders can be found at many Albuquerque gardens, parks, and other sites. Hummingbird banding demonstrations at the Rio Grande Nature Center and Biopark allow you to see these tiny birds up close.
Woodpeckers
The Rio Grande Nature Center and Open Space areas like Elena Gallegos and Sandia Foothills provide access to species like ladder-backed, downy, hairy, northern flicker, and red-naped sapsucker.
Corvids
Pinyon jays can be found in mountain forests on the edge of the city. The valley hosts species like Steller’s jays, western scrub jays, common ravens, and Chihuahuan ravens.
Sparrows
Brushy fields in the valley or foothills host sparrows like black-throated, lark, and rufous-crowned. White-crowned and Harris’s sparrows winter in the area. Migration can bring waves of Lincoln’s, fox, and other sparrows through the city.
Tips for Birding in Albuquerque
Use these tips to make the most of your bird watching outings in Albuquerque:
Use Birding Hotspots as Starter Locations
Well-known birding sites like Tingley Beach and Rio Grande Nature Center are productive locations to start your explorations. Experienced birders can help point you in the right direction.
Focus on Habitat Types
Learn the best habitats and locations to find certain species and families of birds that interest you most.
Try Migration Hotspots
Urban migrant traps like the UNM campus draw tired transients down from the sky as they rest and refuel during migration. Parks and riversides also concentrate passage migrants.
Purchase a Local Birding Field Guide
A field guide tailored to the region will help you identify birds by sight and sound. The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of New Mexico is an excellent choice.
Talk to Local Birders
Join a bird walk or check in at a nature center. Experienced local birders know where to find species you might be searching for.
Try Birding by Ear
Learning songs and calls opens up new birding experiences since many birds can be heard but not seen. Apps can help build your birding by ear skills.
Pack Binoculars, Scope, and Field Guide
Having the right gear on hand allows you to fully engage with the birds you encounter.
Conclusion
Albuquerque offers diverse bird habitats ranging from high mountain forests to riparian woodlands and desert. There are abundant opportunities to discover over 300 species that make their home here or pass through on migration. With a pair of binoculars and field guide in hand, you’re ready to start exploring the city’s birding hotspots to find everything from raptors to hummingbirds and songbirds.