Wildlife & Nature

The ecological transition around Reno — Sierra forest on one side, Great Basin sagebrush on the other — supports a range of wildlife that surprises people who expect only desert.

Falconry experiences are the standout here, and they are unusual: hands-on sessions with trained birds of prey in open country outside the city.

The Sierra front is raptor country generally. Red-tailed hawks and golden eagles are common sights along the foothills, and the Truckee corridor carries migratory birds through the middle of the city.

For an easy dose of it without a guide, the wetlands and river paths on the edges of town do more than the name suggests.