The American Southwest provides guests unparalleled access to a myriad of landscapes and habitat sorts. It is feasible to journey from low desert to tundra in a single day, and to expertise the spectrum of temperatures and climate circumstances anticipated with important elevation adjustments. From blistering sizzling low desert to snow-speckled mountain meadow, the Southwest has all of it—in addition to birdlife as various because the terrain. Approximately 750 hen species name the area home for at the very least a part of the 12 months and appeal to hen fans from everywhere in the world.
Audubon Southwest proudly stewards hen conservation work in Arizona and New Mexico and plenty of of our outreach efforts emanate from three various conservation facilities: The Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch within the Chihuahuan desert grassland (SE AZ), The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center within the Sonoran desert (Phoenix AZ), and the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Pinyon-Juniper woodlands (Santa Fe, NM). Each middle promotes nationally endorsed hen conservation methods together with planting native crops, defending water for folks and wildlife, and the wholistic administration of public forests/open lands.
We have a number of the most fascinating birds within the southwest, however which one might be topped Audubon Southwest’s Bird of the Year? Review our candidates and choose your favourite! Vote here.
Burrowing Owl: A fan favourite! The solely raptor on the earth that lives and nests underground, Burrowing Owls are tiny, weighing about the identical as a stick of butter. They are day-active, reside in teams, and like open landscapes—traits that make them simpler to look at than different owls. They don’t dig their very own burrows, however as an alternative depend on animals like prairie dogs to assemble burrows for his or her use. The mixture of city sprawl and elimination of burrowing rodents leaves many owls homeless, particularly within the Phoenix valley. Audubon Southwest is teamed up with the Cave Creek primarily based raptor middle Wild At Heart to translocate displaced owls to secure websites on Bureau of Land Management properties. Volunteers are wanted to assist with the method of building synthetic burrows for the birds and aiding with the discharge course of. Learn extra about Burrowing Owls and alternatives to assist them right here.
Loggerhead Shrike: An underdog many don’t find out about, Loggerhead Shrikes are putting in look, with a black masks over the eyes to chop glare like a soccer participant. Also generally known as the “Butcher Bird,” this insectivore’s declare to fame is its experience at catching prey and impaling them on sharp sticks or barbed wire. In open grasslands or adjoining to agriculture, it isn’t unusual to see shrubs or fences adorned with quite a lot of bugs, lizards, even small mice. Common however declining throughout the southwest, these birds depend on wholesome populations of bugs and supply a pure type of pest management. If you’re lucky sufficient to have Loggerhead Shrikes in your neighborhood, you may assist them by planting native crops that appeal to native bugs, and encourage others in your neighborhood to additionally plant mindfully. For extra data on what to plant in your space, try Audubon’s Plants for Birds.
Pinyon Jay: Cobalt blue and gregarious, this hen relies on wholesome Pinyon-Juniper woodlands for survival. Birds gather and cache (bury underground) piñon seeds and might keep in mind over 90% of the cache websites! Forgotten seeds grow to be future piñon pine bushes, so Pinyon Jays present a precious tree-planting service. Drought and habitat conversion are altering this lovely hen’s habitat in undesirable methods resulting in drastic inhabitants declines, and this hen was not too long ago petitioned for itemizing as a US Fish and Wildlife designated threatened/endangered species. Audubon Southwest, together with native companions and the Great Basin Bird Observatory, leads a neighborhood science effort mobilizing folks to simply report Pinyon Jay sightings on their sensible telephones. These knowledge assist scientists decide present occupancy developments. Join the trouble and be taught extra right here.
