Gambel's quail are year-round occupants of both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments in Arizona/NPS

Cooper's and red-tailed hawks. Great blue herons, woodpeckers, and maybe even a hummingbird. Those are among the feathered species you might spot this fall and winter during a bird walk at either Montezuma Castle or Tuzigoot national monuments.

Beginning in October and continuing through April, Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot will be hosting bird walks. On the first and third Saturdays of each month, walks will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Montezuma Castle. Each walk will begin at the Montezuma Well picnic area. 

On the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, walks will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Tuzigoot National Monument. Tavasci Marsh at Tuzigoot has been named an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. Each walk will begin at the Tuzigoot Visitor Center parking lot. No bird walks will be scheduled for November 25 nor December 23 due to the holidays.

Participants are encouraged to bring water, binoculars, a hat, and to wear comfortable shoes for walking. The trails can be steep, rocky and uneven.

To prepare yourself for what you might see, you can find the monuments' birding lists here and here.