Encanto Park

Fast Flight Facts

Target Species: Rosy-faced Lovebird, migrants, interesting wintering species, waterfowl

Elevation: 1100'

Habitat: City park with a variety of tall trees and a lagoon

Overall Birding Rating: 2 for general birding; 5 if you are looking for Lovebirds

Difficulty: 1 (Easy)

Birding Type: Simple Walk

Facilities: Parking, restrooms, playgrounds, amusement park

Fees/Ownership: None/City of Phoenix

Closest Town or City/How far from Phoenix: Phoenix /2 miles northwest of Phoenix

Getting there: Several parking areas best reached to the park from 15th Avenue

Overview: Encanto Park is a very well known park in the Phoenix area. It has great entertainment for children and families visiting at any time of the year, and it includes an amusement park. Other than the crowds of people this park draws, it has good potential for birding. There is a nice lagoon in the park, as well as a variety of different trees and vegetation planted throughout the park. Winter will bring waterfowl to this park, and spring and fall migrations have the potential to harbor different migrants. This park is also a great place to observe the Rosy-faced Lovebird in high numbers. These African natives have become an established exotic in the Phoenix area, and Encanto Park is one of the better places to observe them. By coming to this park early in the morning, one may have a decent birding outing before the park becomes busy later in the day.

Birding Tip: There is really no special birding tip to birding this park, but it is one of those places that is always worth checking. The variety of trees and water in the park will bring in interesting species. Birding the park in the early A.M. during the migrations will likely be productive. Encanto Park is a large park, but much of it west of 15th Avenue has golf courses. The best place to bird the area is east of 15th Avenue on the main area of the park.

Directions: If on the 1-10 Freeway, take the 7th Avenue exit (Exit 144-A if coming eastbound on I-10, Exit 144 if coming westbound on I-10) and then 7th Avenue 0.3 miles north to McDowell Road, and then take McDowell west 0.5 miles to 15th Avenue. Turn north (right) on 15th Avenue and head north for 0.7 miles to the parking area for Encanto Park on the east side of 15th Avenue. This parking area is shortly north of Encanto Boulevard. Bigger bordering roads surrounding Encanto Park would be Thomas Road on the north, 19th Avenue on the west, McDowell Road on the south, and 7th Avenue on the east. Refer to the maps page under the "pages" section on this page for maps and overviews of Encanto Park, and for the best location to find Rosy-faced Lovebirds.

Pages:

Encanto Park Maps

Encanto Park eBird Data

Scenes and Sights from Encanto Park: