Small Game Species
Arizona's small game species include cottontail rabbits, tree squirrels, upland game birds (quails, chukar, grouse, and pheasants), and migratory game birds (ducks, geese, swan, sandhill cranes, coot, gallinule, common snipe, mourning and white-winged doves, and band-tailed pigeon). One or more of these species occur in virtually all vegetation types throughout Arizona, from the highest mountains to the lowest plains; forests, wetlands, and deserts; and farmlands, cities, and wilderness.
The determining factor controlling small game numbers in Arizona is the quality and quantity of habitats, which in turn often reflects climatic variations.
An Introduction to Hunting Arizona's Small Game by Randy Babb