Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is typically thought of as a major roost site for Sandhill Crane, and it offers excellent viewing of other waterfowl and wetland bird species.

Activities:
  • Wildlife Viewing
Location:
Southeast

Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is located in southeastern Arizona. Besides major numbers of sandhill cranes, during wet years numerous waterfowl can be found in and around this wildlife area. There is a seasonal closure on hunting during the crane hunt, which typically falls in November-early December. AZGFD currently manages Whitewater Draw for waterfowl, cranes, and other wetland associated birds.

Whitewater Draw wildlife area frequently asked questions.

View the live Sandhill Crane cam

Information

Location

WWDWA is located in McNeal, AZ. From Tucson, take I-10 East towards El Paso; merge onto AZ-80 East towards Tombstone/Douglas; turn left onto Davis Rd; turn right onto Coffman Rd. and continue approximately 2.5 miles to the entrance, on the right.

Plants

WWDWA consists of wetland with riparian and grassland habitats.

Birds

Common birds in the area include sandhill cranes, blue-winged, green-winged, cinnamon teals, northern shovelers, northern pintails, scaled and Gambel’s quail, western, eared, pied-billed and Clark’s grebes, great blue heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced Ibis, red-tailed, Swainson’s, Cooper’s and Harris’ hawks, northern harrier, sora, many kinds of shorebirds, mourning and white-winged doves, greater roadrunner, barn, long-eared, burrowing and great horned owls, vermilion flycatcher, loggerhead shrike, Bendire’s, curve-billed and crissal thrashers, many kinds of sparrows, red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds.

Mammals

Common mammals in the area include mule deer, javelina, coyotes, bobcats, desert cottontails and black-tailed jackrabbits.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Common amphibians and reptiles in the area include plains leopard frogs, Mohave and western diamondback rattlesnakes, western coachwhips, gophersnakes, kingsnakes, western hog-nosed snakes, and Texas horned lizards.

Management

Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is managed by AZGFD.

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