Ramsey Canyon – Arizona, USA

About

Ramsey Canyon is a wildlife preserve located in Sierra Vista, Arizona, and is known as the hummingbird capital of the United States. While this may not be commonly known, this wildlife preserve area attracts visitors mainly because of the wildlife. The area is home to black bears, the rare ridged-nosed rattlesnake, bats, trogons, hummingbirds, and even the Chiricahua leopard frog. There are over 170 species of birds in the canyon and forest surrounding it, with at least fourteen of them being hummingbirds. The abundance of birds and animals make it an excellent place for nature photography. So many plant and animal species thrive here because of habitat diversity – the mountains abruptly come out of dry grasslands and they create “sky islands” that can house many diverse habitats. A stream and high canyon walls create a moist and cool environment that is friendly to wildlife. It is home to trees and different species of cacti as well. The Nature Conservancy works with Arizona to keep this area a place where rare species are protected. In this area, visitors can also stay at the Ramsey Canyon Inn, which has been around for 30 years and allows for close access to viewing wildlife and nature photography. Down the road is brown Canyon Ranch, which has a spring-fed pond that attracts many different birds. Owen traveled to Ramsey Canyon in August and September of 2006. There he has photographed Anna’s Hummingbird, the Black-headed Grosbeak, the Blue-throated Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and a few others.