In springtime desert birds like Cactus Wrens and Curve-billed Thrashers perch on the domed tops of forty foot Saguaros, and their calls ring like bells in the desert air. Gila Woodpeckers and Gilded Flickers cling to Saguaros’ spiny ridges, peering into cavity nests, drumming territorial calls on the cacti’s green skin, and sending messages with theirContinue reading “High Time for Saguaro”
Tag Archives: Gila Woodpecker
Desert Birds Come Courting
Spring unfolds quickly in the desert, and the season’s star actors are birds. After a winter of quiet, they appear on the scene in early February, acting out courtship dramas on stages such as Saguaro cacti and Ironwood trees. The first group I noticed were House Finches, singing and twirling together in the sky, chasingContinue reading “Desert Birds Come Courting”
Saguaro: A Southwest Character
In late July or August, after the saguaro cactus has fed and housed countless species of insects, birds and mammals, its seeds fall finally to the desert floor where they wait for monsoon rains. The season’s activity began back in February when Gila Woodpeckers and Gilded Flickers excavated holes in saguaros in preparation for nestingContinue reading “Saguaro: A Southwest Character”
Babies In Boots
This past Feburary I watched a Gila Woodpecker male, identified by the red patch on his head, creating a cavity in a saguaro. He reared back his head and used the leverage afforded by his long tail to hammer at the green skin of the cactus, breaking through the outer layer. After that, things wentContinue reading “Babies In Boots”
