MapGrant County
Gila Cliff Dwellings NM & Gila National Forest
Silver City area
The Gila country of southwestern New Mexico is among North America's most underrated hummingbird destinations — vast, wild, and brimming with the same Madrean sky-island species that make southeastern Arizona famous. The Gila National Forest, at 3.3 million acres encompassing 10 distinct bird habitat zones, supports seven regularly documented hummingbird species, including the Blue-throated Mountain-gem and Rivoli's, whose North American range barely touches this corner of New Mexico. The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument provides a dramatic cultural and natural context: ancient Mogollon cliff rooms carved into crimson sandstone, surrounded by canyons alive with the trill of Broad-tailed wings and the flash of Black-chinned gorgets at every flowering shrub. Late July and August bring the full monsoon bloom — and peak hummingbird diversity.
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