The Dusky Flycatcher

A fairly easy hike for bird watching is the popular Nature Trail in Madera Canyon of the Santa Rita Mountains. This trail crosses the Madera Creek, eventually leading you to the Wrightson Picnic Area (formerly known as Upper and Lower Round-up). You can return to the parking area via the trail, or simply walk down the road.Another less used trail in the Santa Rita Mountains is the hike to the Carrie Nation Mine. This is a very short jaunt, and branches off the trail to the Vault Mine. Taking along the book The Hiker’s Guide to the Santa Rita Mountains by Betty Leavengood and Mike Liebert as a guide for both location and historical tidbits is a great way to turn a hike into an experience.View the list »
If you are looking for a trail less traveled in the Santa Rita Mountains, and are up to a steep climb, try the Vault Mine Trail, aka the Very Steep Trail. This is the steepest trail in the Santa Ritas, with an elevation gain of over 2300 feet. But that’s not what makes it the steepest – it’s the fact that the gain takes place in a very short distance, with a 25% slope. 

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The Dusky Flycatcher is one of the many flycatcher species you will see in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. Not to be confused with the Dusky-capped flycatcher, however, which is a different species.

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This small flycatcher has olive to olive gray on the upper body with white or yellowish underneath. The eye ring is faint and often indistinguishable. The black beak has a touch of orange on the underside. The legs and feet are also black.

The Dusky Flycatcher breeds in the mountains of Central Arizona south, and in the Santa Rita Mountains would be found in higher elevations as they prefer tall trees.

If you were to see a group of these, you could say any one of these nouns and be correct. A grouping is called either a “outfield”, “swatting”, “zipper” or “zapper”.

Reference: The Nature of Madera Canyon by Douglas W. Moore, Friends of Madera, 1999; whatbird.com

View the list
  • If you are looking for a trail less traveled in the Santa Rita Mountains, and are up to a steep climb, try the Vault Mine Trail, aka the Very Steep Trail. This is the steepest trail in the Santa Ritas, with an elevation gain of over 2300 feet. But that’s not what makes it the steepest – it’s the fact that the gain takes place in a very short distance, with a 25% slope. 
  • Another less used trail in the Santa Rita Mountains is the hike to the Carrie Nation Mine. This is a very short jaunt, and branches off the trail to the Vault Mine. Taking along the book The Hiker’s Guide to the Santa Rita Mountains by Betty Leavengood and Mike Liebert as a guide for both location and historical tidbits is a great way to turn a hike into an experience.
  • A fairly easy hike for bird watching is the popular Nature Trail in Madera Canyon of the Santa Rita Mountains. This trail crosses the Madera Creek, eventually leading you to the Wrightson Picnic Area (formerly known as Upper and Lower Round-up). You can return to the parking area via the trail, or simply walk down the road.
View the list

, Santa Rita Mountains Outdoor Recreation Examiner

Ms. Strader is 40-year resident of Southern Arizona. She began her Forest Service career as a fire fighter in the Santa Rita Mountains which was the beginning of her dedication to learning as much as she could about the mountains she used to protect. ...

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