Upper Verde River Important Bird Area (IBA)
Summary of 2025 Survey Results
Prescott Audubon volunteers conduct several surveys along the Upper Verde River near Paulden
in order to help this beautiful riparian corridor retain its designation as an Important Bird Area.
Three surveys during spring and fall document both the usage of the area by migrating birds and
the transition from winter residents to summer residents.The Chino Valley Christmas Bird
Count in December records wintering birds.
The spring surveys showed the tapering off in numbers of wintering White-crowned Sparrows
and Yellow-rumped Warblers, both fewer than in some previous years, and Marsh Wrens. Those
early surveys also noted the arrival of Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats, along with
other summer residents such as flycatchers and Summer Tanagers.
As is often the case, volunteers this year found some surprises among the birds they had
expected to see. For many years Bell’s Vireo had been detected in only one location on one of
our four transects. In recent years, however, surveyors have been finding it on two additional
transects along the river. This year it was again discovered on one of the newer transects as well
as in its original spot. Wild Turkey tracks and feathers are often seen during surveys, but this
year the turkeys themselves made appearances on three transects. Green-tailed Towhees
seemed to be everywhere. American Goldfinches showed up this year, as they occasionally do.
Greater Roadrunner and American Barn Owl were not expected, but not surprising. During the
fall survey in 2024 one team encountered a Gila Woodpecker. This year, teams on the same
transect observed one Gila Woodpecker during each of the two spring surveys. The most
unexpected and surprising sighting of the year was a male Lark Bunting during the fall IBA.
During the summer months, trained Prescott Audubon volunteers conducted surveys for Yellow-
billed Cuckoos under permits issued to Audubon Southwest by the US Fish and Wildlife Service
and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This year the cuckoo detection numbers were
quite low across all transects.
Volunteers for the Chino Valley area Christmas Bird Count, especially those who remembered
starting the previous year’s surveys which started at 17 degrees, appreciated this year’s warmer
temperatures. Overall, fewer individual birds were observed.
In addition to the resident and migratory birds counted during our surveys, many other wildlife
species make their homes along the Verde River. During this year’s surveys, one team saw river
otters and another noticed bear tracks.
A sincere thank you goes out to all who helped with these surveys.
If you would like to join us
for a survey, contact [email protected].
The planned dates for our 2026 surveys are on the Field Trips website page.
Learn more about what we do
Prior Year (2024) Survey Results
Prescott Audubon conducts surveys along the Upper Verde River near Paulden in order to help this beautiful riparian corridor retain its designation as an Important Bird Area. Three surveys during spring and fall document usage of the area by migrating birds and the Chino Valley Christmas Bird Count in December records wintering birds.
This section of the Upper Verde River continues to evolve. Beavers are returning after a long absence. Surveyors noticed new dams this year, some in new areas and one in a location where a previous dam washed away several years ago. Cattails have expanded on all transects and more Virginia Rails and Soras are being detected. The spring IBA surveys noted the departure of wintering sparrows and Marsh Wrens and the arrivals of summer resident birds like warblers, flycatchers, and tanagers, with higher numbers in May than in April. Surprises included a Northern Waterthrush on one transect during the May survey and a Gila Woodpecker on another in September. Peregrine Falcon and White-throated Swift – not rare, but not commonly seen -- made appearances. For the second year surveyors on multiple transects detected Bell’s Vireos. This species may be expanding from its traditional area on just one transect. Several survey teams saw the resident Golden Eagle pair, but none saw any nesting activity. A few teams encountered some of the resident Wild Turkeys.
During the summer months, trained Prescott Audubon volunteers conducted surveys for Yellow-billed Cuckoos under permits issued to Audubon Southwest by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The population of cuckoos seems to be stable.
Other wildlife sightings during the year include otter, fox, beaver, skunk, a gopher snake, several deer, and even a few elk.
The survey season on the river ended with the Chino Valley Christmas Bird Count. An early flock of 30 Pinyon Jays brightened one team’s survey on this cloudy, 17-degree morning. Another team encountered a male Northern Harrier, a bird not often seen along this part of the river. Song Sparrows were more numerous than in recent years and one team found a pair of Crissal Thrashers, rarely seen in this area. Four of the teams got to see the resident Golden Eagle pair.