RAVEN’S NEST NATURE SANCTUARY

BIODIVERSITY IN THE HEART OF THE SKY ISLANDS

Set in the incomparable Sky Islands of southeast Arizona, Raven’s Nest is our private, 42-acre Nature Sanctuary – situated near the quaint town of Patagonia and a 4-minute drive from Patagonia Lake State Park. Raven’s Nest is strategically located by over 9,500 acres of pristine wilderness in Sonoita Creek State Natural Area. Our preserve encompasses dense Mesquite and Acacia woodlands, rolling hills covered in iconic Ocotillos and native grasslands, secluded canyons cut by arroyos, and uplands boasting sweeping views of the Patagonia Mountains and other Sky Island ranges. These habitats host an exceptional array of flora, fauna, and fungi and hence an overall high level of biodiversity in our preserve. With approximately 6 miles of groomed Nature Trails to enjoy at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary, you will soon discover its myriad of species in the heart of the renowned Sky Islands!

The Sky Islands of Arizona are truly a natural wonderland, filled with surprisingly diverse landscapes and a profusion of flora, fauna., and fungi. Towering and dramatic mountain ranges loom like forested “islands” – each with a distinct complement of biota – isolated from each other by intervening “seas” of largely unwooded deserts and grasslands. The Madrean Archipelago, as the region is also called, is the most diverse temperate Sky Island complex in the world.

ARIZONA’S SKY ISLANDS

Six different biological provinces converge in this region: Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, Sonoran Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Great Plains, and Neo-tropics. One of only 20 such Sky Island complexes on Earth, our Madrean Archipelago – named after the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico – harbors a truly stunning array of species, some unique to this area of the world. Here is where the temperate Rocky Mountains suffuse with the subtropical Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico, and where the Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert to the east intermingle their ecological influences with those of the Sonoran Desert to the west. This rare convergence of temperate and tropical biomes, when combined with our relatively low latitude and ample elevational changes in the mountains, provides a one-of-a-kind arrangement in the natural world.

Located in the heart of the Madrean Archipelago, the Patagonia Mountains and Sonoita Creek are world-class biodiversity hotspots supporting a myriad of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and a dazzling array of native plants. Some highlights of our world-renowned biodiversity include:

Over 500 species of Birds – many more typical of Mexico and the tropics, including:
18 species of Hummingbird
12 species of Owl
~23 species of Hawks and Vultures
13 species of Woodpecker
~30 Flycatcher species
7 Vireos
8 Corvids
8 species of Wren (all of Europe has only 1!)
3 species of Gnatcatcher
9 species of Mimic Thrushes
~10 Thrushes
~33 species of Warblers
~35 species of Sparrows & Towhees – the most in the world!
More than 1,000 species of native Bees, making it the pollinator capital of the U.S.
20 Amphibian species
Over 2000 species of Plants
108 Mammal species – more than any comparable area in North America and including species more characteristic of the Neotropics such as White-nosed Coati and Mexican Long-tongued Bat
The greatest diversity of Reptiles in North America, including:
- 32 species of Lizards
- 45 species of Snake

Further, many of our local species are found in few or no other places in the U.S. White-nosed Coati, Collared Peccary, Elegant Trogon, Gray Hawk, Sonoran Desert Toad, and Desert Tortoise are but a few of the unique wildlife species you may encounter while exploring the Sky Islands. While you’re unlikely to see them, the area has also made international news of late with multiple Jaguar and Ocelot sightings nearby. These tropical cats remind you that a trip here is essentially an exploration of northern Mexico – minus all of the hassle associated with international travel. The diverse local habitats you may choose to explore include the Sonoran Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, lush Grasslands, swamp-like Cienagas, Chaparral, Madrean Evergreen Woodland, Pine Forest, and even Spruce-Fir Forest reminiscent of Canada. Truly there is something for everyone here in the Madrean Archipelago!

All of this and more in an area with a bewildering choice of wild areas to explore – National Parks and Monuments, Wilderness Areas, State Parks, State Natural Areas, National Forests, Nature Conservancy Preserves, and BLM Conservation Areas included. In addition to time spent at one or both of our Sky Islands Nature Sanctuaries – Raven’s Nest and Raven’s Mountain – you may greatly enjoy venturing into one or more of the nearby wild areas.