Birding On The Road: Cactus Wren

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Birding On The Road: Cactus Wren: The "Cactus Wren" is noisy and found in the desert.  Also may be in dry brush-land and suburbs. They mate for life. They do hav...

Cactus Wren

The "Cactus Wren" is noisy and found in the desert.  Also may be in dry brush-land and suburbs.
They mate for life. They do have a greeting display, perching upright with wings and tail partly spread, giving out a very harsh call

They make nest  their in a football shape. in cactus and spiny shrubs, made of cholla cactus and desert trees.  They sleep at times in their nest , after the young leave.
They eat mostly insects some fruit and berries.   They eat more plant food then the other wrens.

Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal

Black-Tailed Gnatcaher at Parker

 The Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher is a insect-eater is at home in the desert.  They live in pairs all years.  They use a variety calls too stay in touch.

 They feed on a wide variety of small insects.  They also eat small berries at times. They look for their food in shrubs and low trees.  They feed more among leaves in the summer and fall

Cowbirds often lay eggs in of this species, where the Gnatcatchers wind up raising only cowbirds.
Their nest are made out of plant fibers, grass, weeds, strips of bark, spider webs, feathers and animal hair. Both parents feed their young.

Enjoy.  KItfoxgal

White-Winged Dove

The White-Winged Dove is a large southwestern dove.  They are common in the summer in the desert, towns and bushy country.

Most of White-Winged goes to the tropics in winter. They are common in Florida year round.
They have big white wing patches and white tips on outer tail feathers.
Their voice is a rich cooing sound.
Enjoy Kitfoxgal    

Curve-Billed Thrasher

The Curve-Billed Thrasher landed on the top of our motorhome at  the fairgrounds in Sonoita, singing DesertDale a love song as he was washing his hands.

The Curve-Billed Thrasher is the most familiar in the southwestern deserts.    They live in the Sonoran desert, dry brushy county mainly in the lowlands.  They feed on a variety of insects and their larvae.    They forages mostly on the ground, using their its heavy curved bill to dig in the soil.
The male defends its territory by singing.
The female 3 eggs.  both parents incubate the eggs, 12 to 15 days.  Both parents feed the young.

Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal

Black Phobee

 The Black Phoebe they may be found of creeks and ponds in the southwest.   They maybe found at or near shady streams, wall canyons, farm yards, towns or near water.  Rarely found far from water.

They feed almost only on insects.  They occasionally eat small fish.  They usually lay 4 eggs but sometime my be 3-6.  The young are fed be the parents. They leave their nest in 2-3 weeks.
They usually have 2 broods a year.

DesertDale took these photos by Parker.
Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal

American White Pelican

 These photos are of the "American White Pelican" taken at Masons WMA in Nevada. They have a huge wingspread of 8 to 9 1/2 ft.

 They are white, with black primaries and a yellow-bill.   They do not plunge from the air like the brown pelicans do.
 

 They scoops up their fish while swimming, often working in groups.  Flocks fly in lines.Their necks are long, tail short.  Legs short.

They nest in colonies on islands.  They can be found in large lakes.

Enjoy life.  It can be short.  Kitfoxgal

Roadrunner

 This "Roadrunner" was taken at the West Wetlands in Yuma by DesrtDale.

The Roadrunner are a large cuckoos, with long legs and a very long tail.

The Greater Roadrunner spend most of their lives on the ground looking for eats.  Like lizards, small mammals and .birds.

They are fast and hide very quick the the brush.  They are found in the southwest desert..  

DesertDale and I were at the West Wetland in Yuma when this bird show up running across the path.  

They are neat to watch.

Enjoy..  I had this ready to post last week but forgot to.  Oh will I guess "Old Age" got to me.  In this department.

Vedin At Yuma

The Verdin is a small  bird.   They are easy recognized by their loud rapid whistle.

They are very common in the Sonoran Desert.  DesertDale shot these photos in the Sonoran Desert, as that is where we were camped at.  They also like the mesquite bosques in lower elevation, like around Yuma.  You may have the pleasure of seen them in the urban areas

They are found in the s.w.U.S. and w. Mexico.

Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal