Birds and blooms have a special connection that goes beyond just aesthetics. Explore the science behind this relationship and how you can create a bird-friendly garden in your backyard.
Category: Bird Habitats
Nov 08 2023
How Do Birds Build Nests? Nest Types, Materials & Construction
A tiny hummingbird gathers spider silk. A robin presses mud and grass into a sturdy cup. A woodpecker chisels a cavity into a tree, while an eagle carries branches large enough to look more like firewood than nesting material. Bird nests come in an extraordinary variety of shapes and sizes, but they serve the same …
May 20 2023
Mexican Jay: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Behavior
A flash of soft blue moves through an oak tree, followed by a nasal call from somewhere deeper in the woodland. A moment later, another blue bird appears—and then another. If you are birdwatching in the mountains of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, western Texas, or Mexico, you may have encountered a flock of Mexican …
May 14 2023
Mexican Spotted Owl: Habitat, Diet, Behavior & Conservation
Quiet, elusive, and beautifully patterned, the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) is one of the most distinctive birds of prey in the American Southwest. It spends much of the daylight hidden within shaded forests or steep canyon country, emerging after sunset to hunt rodents and other small animals. The Mexican spotted owl is not …
May 14 2023
Elegant Trogon: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Behavior
Brilliant green feathers, a fiery red belly, a long patterned tail, and a habit of sitting almost perfectly still among the branches make the Elegant Trogon (Trogon elegans) one of Central America’s most memorable forest birds. Despite its spectacular coloring, the Elegant Trogon can be surprisingly difficult to spot. It often spends long stretches quietly …
May 14 2023
Arizona Woodpecker: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Behavior
The Arizona Woodpecker is one of the most distinctive woodpeckers in the United States. Instead of the bold black-and-white back seen on many familiar North American woodpeckers, this southwestern species wears warm brown upperparts, a large white cheek patch, and heavily spotted underparts. Its limited U.S. range makes an Arizona Woodpecker sighting especially memorable. In …
May 14 2023
Ptarmigan: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Adaptations
Ptarmigan are among the most remarkable birds of the far north and high mountains. These compact members of the grouse family survive in environments where winter can bring deep snow, bitter winds, scarce food, and months of freezing temperatures. Their most famous adaptation is their seasonally changing plumage. Many ptarmigan are mottled brown, gray, and …
May 14 2023
Great Horned Owl: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Adaptations
Few birds capture the mystery of the night quite like the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). With its piercing yellow eyes, prominent feather tufts, deep hooting voice, and powerful build, this remarkable bird of prey is one of the most recognizable owls in the Americas. Great Horned Owls are also extraordinarily adaptable. They live in …
May 14 2023
Gambel’s Quail: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Behavior
With its jaunty topknot, rounded body, and habit of scurrying through desert brush, the Gambel’s Quail is one of the most recognizable birds of the American Southwest. These charismatic ground birds are especially associated with the Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahuan deserts, where groups of quail move between mesquite thickets, cactus-covered slopes, dry washes, and suburban …
May 14 2023
Cactus Wren: Identification, Habitat, Diet & Behavior
Few birds are as closely associated with the deserts of the American Southwest as the Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus). Large for a wren, boldly patterned, and anything but shy, this desert songbird can often be seen perched conspicuously on a cholla cactus, mesquite branch, or other elevated lookout. Its scratchy, mechanical song is one of …
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