Jul 01 2023
Deep in a mature forest, long after daylight has faded from the treetops, a booming series of hoots breaks the silence. To many people, the rhythm sounds remarkably like the phrase, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” This unforgettable call belongs to the Barred Owl (Strix varia), one of the most recognizable owls …
May 31 2023
The Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) may not be one of North America’s most colorful birds, but for birdwatchers, it presents one of the continent’s classic identification challenges. Small, olive-brown, and subtly marked, it belongs to the notoriously difficult Empidonax group of flycatchers, several of which can look almost identical in the field. Fortunately, the Willow …
May 20 2023
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 18 2023
A bright orange beak can be one of the easiest field marks to notice when you are trying to identify an unfamiliar bird. Against black, white, gray, or brightly colored plumage, an orange bill can stand out from surprisingly far away. But an orange beak alone usually is not enough to identify a bird. Bill …
May 14 2023
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
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
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 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
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
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 …
