The Desert Museum was founded in 1952. It features plants and animals native to the Sonoran Desert. It is consistently one of the top things to see in Tucson and for good reason. There is so much to see no matter what time of the year it is. Michael has been visiting it and frequently a member since the early 80s.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is located on 98 acres with 2 miles of walking paths. There are art galleries, museums, botanical gardens, a zoo, aquariums, natural landscaping a restaurant and cafes.
Butterfly gardens were everywhere.
Even though it was winter, and the desert was not yet in bloom, there were still quite of few flowers.
Hummingbird Aviary, Desert Museum
When the cactus are not in bloom, the hummingbird aviary is our favorite attraction. Unfortunately, they had lost over 4 hummingbirds during the last couple of years. Because of COVID and state restrictions in collecting new specimens, they haven’t been able to add new hummers.
But it is still a treat to see the Costa’s, Allen’s, and Broad-billed hummingbirds.
Raptor Free Flight
It is amazing we had never been to this show. It is a great opportunity to see raptors up close in the wild. The photo opportunities were amazing. Next visit it would be nice to get them in flight with less of a telephoto lens.
Chihuahuan Raven. They are found in southern Arizona into Central America. Known for being an exceptionally intelligent bird.
Great Horned Owl. Found throughout the United States. The don’t build their own nests, rather use old raven or hawk nests.
Harris’s Hawk. Their range is southern Arizona to South America. They tend to hunt in groups.
Crested Caracara. They are found from southern Arizona into South America. We’ve seen them in southern Texas. Primary a opportunistic raptor.
Reptile Hall
It is always nice to see snakes up close.
Desert Loop Trail
A peaceful walk that goes past the javelinas, which are usually basking in the sun. Known as a collared peccary, they look similar to a wild boar. An adult can weight 44-88 pounds.
A female coyote watching from a rock.
Prairie Dogs.
A Lewis woodpecker. Not usually seen in the desert. It is normally found in woodland areas.
Michael’s favorite is the cafe. Their outdoor patio was quiet and covered in a pergola. A cup of coffee each morning watching the wildlife was a nice way to start each day. There were usually birds and lizards. Occasionally a docent would walk by with a bird with an interesting story.
