Backyard birds in Tempe, Arizona
Which birds visit Tempe yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Tempe's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 33.415°, -111.909°
- Population
- 175,826
- June 21 daylight
- 14 h 22 min
- December 21 daylight
- 9 h 56 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 5:58 AM / 5:17 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- about the same time as the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- USDA 4b–10b
Nesting timing in Tempe
The state guides give nesting windows for Arizona as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 33.3°N). Tempe is at 33.4°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts about the same time as the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Tempe goes from 9 h 56 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 14 h 22 min in June, a 4 h 26 min swing.
- Northern Cardinal — state window March–August
- Eastern Bluebird — state window March–August; box hole 1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)
- Purple Martin — state window April–July; box hole 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in)
- Hairy Woodpecker — state window March–June; box hole 1 1/2 in round
- White-breasted Nuthatch — state window March–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- House Wren — state window April–August; box hole 1 to 1 1/8 in round
- House Finch — state window March–August
- Mourning Dove — state window February–September
- American Robin — state window March–July
- Dark-eyed Junco — state window April–July
Birds you can expect in Tempe
Year-round residents (65)
Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatchs, House Wrens, House Finchs, Mourning Doves, American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Northern Flickers, Red-breasted Nuthatchs, Brown Creepers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, Northern Mockingbirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers, House Sparrows, European Starlings, Steller's Jays, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, Mountain Chickadees, Bushtits, Juniper Titmice, Pygmy Nuthatchs, Anna's Hummingbirds, Costa's Hummingbirds, Lesser Goldfinchs, Cassin's Finchs, Spotted Towhees, Canyon Towhees, Gambel's Quail, Western Bluebirds, Mountain Bluebirds, Say's Phoebes, Black Phoebes, Gila Woodpeckers, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed Thrashers, Verdins, Pyrrhuloxias, Bewick's Wrens, Eurasian Collared-Doves, Inca Doves, American Crows, Common Ravens, Cooper's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Great Horned Owls, American Kestrels, Wild Turkeys, Mallards, Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfishers, Eastern Meadowlarks, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Hooded Orioles, Phainopeplas, Black-throated Sparrows, Pinyon Jays, Western Screech-Owls, Band-tailed Pigeons
Summer breeders (15)
Purple Martins, Indigo Buntings, Gray Catbirds, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Violet-green Swallows, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings, Bullock's Orioles, White-winged Doves, Gray Catbirds, Western Tanagers, Lark Sparrows
Winter visitors (10)
American Goldfinchs, Cedar Waxwings, White-crowned Sparrows, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrushs, Red Crossbills, Green-tailed Towhees, Hooded Mergansers
Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.
When to watch: dawn chorus in Tempe
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Tempe, sunrise is around 5:58 AM in mid-April, 5:17 AM at the June solstice and 7:27 AM in late December (local time, America/Phoenix). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Tempe yards
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Nearby cities in Arizona
- Mesa — 5 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
- Scottsdale — 7 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
- Ahwatukee Foothills — 7 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
- Chandler — 8 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
- Phoenix — 10 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
- Fountain Hills — 18 mi away, nesting about the same time as Tempe
Frequently asked
What birds live in Tempe all year?
Year-round residents across Arizona include Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren. All of them visit backyard feeders in Tempe.
When do birds start nesting in Tempe?
Tempe sits at a different latitude from Arizona's population centre, so nesting runs about the same time as the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Tempe?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Tempe, sunrise is around 5:58 AM in mid-April and 5:17 AM in late June.
Sources
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Arizona
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- GeoNames gazetteer (city coordinates & population)
- NOAA Solar Calculator methodology
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.