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New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment with good reason. Between its beautiful Chihuahuan Desert, the lovely forested wildernesses of the Sandia and Sangre de Cristo Mountain ranges, its rugged, petroglyph-filled, rose-colored deserts, and its expansive native grasslands, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring settings. On this birding tour, based in the cool high desert of central New Mexico, we will visit many of these breathtaking habitats. A couple of the main avian targets will be the wintering Rosy-Finch fiesta (four varieties in one location!) in the Sandias, as well as the huge spectacle of Sandhill Cranes and Snow and Ross's Geese wintering around Bosque Del Apache. In addition to these two headliners, we will be seeking high-desert residents such as Cactus Wren and Crissal Thrasher, mountain west breeders like Green-tailed Towhee, Williamson's Sapsucker, Pinyon Jay, and Juniper Titmouse, birds with a more southwestern feel like Phainopepla and Pyrrhuloxia, and some of the denizens of the western grasslands and prairies, like Ferruginous Hawk, Prairie Falcon, and multiple species of Longspurs.

While we will attempt to see all bird species encountered, we will make a concerted effort to see the local specialties of New Mexico at this season. Some of these are quite common and conspicuous, while others may take more time or may be the purpose of a visit to a particular locale.

We'll also have a chance to enjoy a glimpse into the rich art scene and cultural history of Santa Fe, with a few hours spent exploring the quaint and fascinating downtown of New Mexico's capital city.

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment
"I've done several tours with Field Guides. They have always been first rate. New Mexico was appealing, and I'd done a previous tour with guide Sam Wilson, which was great. This was an excellent tour experience! Congenial fellow birders, beautiful territory, and Sam made the trip productive and fun. Examples of a couple of *great* experiences: Snow Geese erupting at Bosque del Apache at dawn; rosy finches descending on feeders at Sandia crest. The tour manager and your office in general has always been extremely helpful, timely, professional... A pleasure to work with and folks in whom I have complete trust." D.B., NEW MEXICO tour participant