Are you new to birding? Or traveling a long distance hoping to add a life bird to your list? Then your birding tour won't be complete without a custom birding trip with local expert Matt Brown.

Tired of upstate New York winters, Brown headed west to Patagonia in 1998—counting 500 species along the way. A self-taught naturalist who has been watching birds since the age of five, he is known as the area's foremost birding expert and has seen 325 species in Santa Cruz County alone. Vocalizations are Brown's specialty, and he'll take you to every hot spot, nook, and cranny to see the right birds at the right time.

Leading area tours for various organizations and festivals, Brown has acquired a wide range of local knowledge. Providing information on the area's rich natural and cultural history, while focusing on birds, he creates customized tours for individuals or groups of all experience levels. If you want to experience Southern Arizona birding at its best, add a tour with the Patagonia Birding and Butterfly Co. to your Mountain Empire visit agenda.