Micah Riegner grew up exploring the ponderosa pine forests of Prescott, Arizona, and was fortunate to have parents who took him along on college field courses ranging from the coast of Mexico to the mountains of Costa Rica, where encounters with tinamous, barbets, and jacamars launched him into the birding world at a very young age.
During his time at Prescott College, he made frequent visits to Amazonian Brazil, where he guided at Cristalino Lodge and studied woodcreepers near Manaus for his Master’s project (learning Portuguese along the way). He recently moved to Monterrey, Mexico, and looks forward to spending time with Maroon-fronted Parrots.
Micah guided tours with Bret Whitney, John Coons, Dan Lane, and Tom Johnson before joining Field Guides full time in 2019. His tour schedule covers various corners of Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Suriname, and the U.S., including Alaska, Colorado, and southern Arizona.
Scroll down to see Micah's current schedule of tours.
Client comments
"A fantastic experience! This was a great trip. Really fun, terrific guides, great group of people, amazing birds and wildlife. Very interesting country to visit, and the best birds were seen well. Very well. Micah Riegner is an exceptional guide. His birding skills are extraordinary, but on top of this, his people skills, kindness, and quiet humor were quite impressive, and much appreciated. He was incredibly fun to bird with." D.H., SUCCINCT SURINAME
"This was an exceptional trip! I've been birding in SE Arizona many times, but usually without a guide. Micah Riegner was fantastic -- knowledgeable, energetic, enthusiastic, and patient. He knew the birds, could hear them from afar, and could get them within viewing range. I have had very few tours with other companies (and this was my first with Field Guides), but I would be surprised if there is a guide out there better than Micah. This was a superb trip for me and I'll recommend Field Guides (and Micah) to anyone interested in birds." G.F., ARIZONA NIGHTBIRDS & MORE
Video from Micah's tours
Enjoy a video by Micah from our 2020 "Central Mexico & Baja: Birds, Butterflies & Whales" tour — great fun!
Link to Micah's artwork:
A website showcasing some of Micah's watercolors, field sketches, and photography.
Micah's Upcoming Tours
Nov 9-18, 2025 ($4125) with Micah Riegner & Jorge Montejo-Diaz
Tour Limit: 10
A ten-day immersion in the land of the Nava's Wren, Rosita's Bunting, and Pink-headed Warbler.
Dec 1-10, 2025 ($5725) with Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 10
Wonderful introductory birding tour to South America's riches, including bellbirds, toucans, manakins, and motmots.
Jan 3-14, 2026 ($4750) with Micah Riegner & Sam Wilson
Tour Limit: 8
An itinerary highlighting rainforest wilderness areas that are home to specialty and hard-to-see birds such as beautiful and bizarre cotingas, large and small, and trumpeters.
Jan 25 - Feb 5, 2026 ($6450) with Micah Riegner & John Coons
Tour Limit: 12
Specialty birds, wintering Monarchs, and up-close whale encounters on this exciting tour!
Feb 20 - Mar 1, 2026 ($4275) with Micah Riegner & Jorge Montejo-Diaz
Tour Limit: 10
A ten-day immersion in the land of the Nava's Wren, Rosita's Bunting, and Pink-headed Warbler.
May be combined with Mexico's El Triunfo
Mar 2-8, 2026 ($4125) with Micah Riegner & Jorge Montejo-Diaz
Tour Limit: 8
A week-long tour in pristine cloud forest replete with Horned Guans, Resplendent Quetzals, Fulvous Owls and Blue-throated Motmots while based out of the El Triunfo base camp. Can be combined with our Enchanted Chiapas tour.
May be combined with Mexico: Enchanted Chiapas or Mexico: Oaxaca's Atlantic & Pacific Slopes
Apr 9-20, 2026 ($5225) with Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 14
A tour to seek out the state's spectacular prairie-chicken and grouse species.
Apr 30 - May 4, 2026 ($2225) with Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 7
A short tour focused on this area's many owl and nightjar specialties.
May 30 - Jun 15, 2026 (To be determined / 2025=$13575) with Micah Riegner & Sam Wilson
Tour Limit: 14
Our fabulous survey of the best of Alaska birding: the Pribilofs, Kenai Fjords, Nome, and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow).
Jul 29 - Aug 13, 2026 (To be determined) with Micah Riegner & Bret Whitney
Tour Limit: 10
A third itinerary in our series of fantastic wilderness tours to Brazil aboard a delightful river vessel. We'll explore little-known sites for a rich diversity of Amazonian birds, with some exciting discoveries no doubt in store.
Sep 15-24, 2026 (To be determined / 2025=$5225) with Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 7
A diverse mix of West Coast specialties, montane species, and pelagics in rugged and scenic sites.
Oct 4-14, 2026 (To be determined / 2025=$4325) with Micah Riegner & Jorge Montejo-Diaz
Tour Limit: 10
The amazing spectacle of huge numbers of migrating raptors combined with some highland birding and cultural highlights.
Oct 31 - Nov 16, 2026 - Part Two (To be determined / 2025=$7475) with Marcelo Barreiros & Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 12
The fantastic center of avian endemism in eastern Brazil, particularly well endowed with hummingbirds, cotingas, antbirds, and beautiful scenery. Part I: North of the Tropic; Part II: South of the Capricorn.
Dec 27, 2026 - Jan 2, 2027 (To be determined / 2025=$2925) with Micah Riegner
Tour Limit: 7
Exceptional winter birding on a short tour with numerous specialties and potential rarities.