Falco sparverius. The slender American Kestrel is roughly the size and shape of a Mourning Dove. American Kestrels usually snatch their victims from the ground, though some catch quarry on the wing. Kestrels occupy habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. Often seen on power lines along side of roads.
Photo courtesy of Jack Kelso. Egretta thula. In the Desert. Day Trips. Desert Map. Safety off Road. Gold in the desert. Web Links. Desert Products. About Us. Contact Us. There are a lot of different species of birds in the desert.
If you take your time and use a good pair of binoculars you'll be amazed at how many birds you'll find that frequent this desert habitat. Birds of Prey like the Osprey seen above in the center photo are fantastic birds to watch. Birds of Prey. Red Tailed Hawk. This is a large stocky majestic hawk. He has a broader, whiter chest, and more rounded wings then the Swainson Hawk and the Red Shouldered Hawk found in the desert.
They mainly feed on small rodents. Often called the Fish Hawk; hunts his food in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Brown above and white below. This one was photographed on top of a large cactus watching the water for signs of fish. Burrowing Owl. This Owl is a robin sized terrestrial owl, short-tailed and long legged. They fly silently. Yellow eyes and no ear tufts.
They eat bugs, crickets being a favorite. This owl is diurnal. They are capable of digging their own burrows, but they have been known to use abandoned pocket gopher burrows. Turkey Vulture. This is an eagle sized blackish bird. In flight, the long wings are held upwards in a wide shallow V. The head is small, bare, and reddish in color: gray in immatures. They are often mistakenly called Buzzards.. Great Blue Heron.
These large birds can be found anywhere in the desert where there is water nearby. They love to fish the rivers and small streams. You'll see them on old dead trees like here or standing on the shore or wading in the water. They eat large fish, frogs, mice, and small birds. Great Egret. The Great Egret also is a great fisherman. All white plumage. The Great Egret can be distinguished from other white Egrets by it's yellow bill and black legs and feet. Greater Roadrunner.
The Greater Roadrunner is an unmistakable bird that is often seen in the desert. Bigger than a crow and capable of flying; but they seldom do. It's also called the Chaparral Cock by the Cowboys.
They eat small snakes, lizards, mice, scorpions, and insects. Length: in Weight: Gray Hawks have a very limited range in the U. They are rather large hawks but slightly smaller than the large Red-tailed Hawk. Their favorite food is lizards and they used to be known as the Mexican Goshawk due to its appearance and range. The best time to see these hawks is in the summer time on utility poles along the road scanning the ground for prey.
They have one of the longest migration routes of any American raptor with some traveling from Southern South America all the way to Alaska to breed.
They resemble the harmless Turkey Vulture and have been known to imitate this bird in order to fool their prey. Zone-tailed Hawks are one of the least studied birds of prey in North America and are somewhat unstudied. The Ferruginous Hawk is a year-round resident in the northern half of Arizona and a winter migrant in the southern half of the state.
Along with the Rough-legged Hawk they are the only other species to have feathers all the way down to their toes. They are the largest of all North American hawks, even larger than the Red-tailed Hawk. Jesse enjoys bird watching and feeding birds in his backyard, learning about the different species, and sharing his knowledge and experiences.
They are loudest when defending their young. When parents leave the nest, the young utter a loud wailing "klee-uk," repeated several times - this is a food cry. The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and familiar member of the American Buteos large soaring hawks.
They nest in the month of March in tall trees. Like all other Buteos , they do not fly fast but soar at high altitudes using their keen eyesight to spot the slightest movement in the grass below.
It is an aggressive bird and vigorously defends its territory, especially during the winter months when hunting is difficult. The red-tailed hawk is usually found in grasslands or marsh-shrub habitats, but is a very adaptable bird, being equally at home in deserts and forests, and at varying heights above sea level.
The red-tailed hawk is a most opportunistic hunter. Where there are large numbers of pheasant, these become the food of choice in spring and summer. Like all hawks, its talons are its main weapons. The red-tailed hawk has a hoarse and rasping 2- to3-second scream that is most commonly heard while soaring. DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more.
Another desert bird that spends most of its time on land is the quail, which is plump like a pigeon and a poor flyer. Some quail species that live in desert environments include Gambel's quail and the masked bobwhite.
It can be hard to find water in the desert, but birds almost always accompany the pools. Taller birds found along shorelines are the avocet and stilt. Smaller water birds include the killdeer, grebe and duck.
Many species of duck can be found in the desert, such as the pintail, shoveler, teal, redhead, ruddy and whistling-duck. Great blue herons may also be found in the oasis of a desert, not to be confused with cranes.
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