Arizona Bird Call

Update from Arizona Fish and Game Department on recent eagle nesting surveys across the state.  A report on virtual fencing technology showing promise for controlling ranging cattle in sensitive riparian habitats. A report on the American Robin in Arizona. Bird of the episode: Black-legged Kittiwake. Birding hotspot: Tucson Mountains IBA. Friend of wildlife organization: East Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation League, Mesa. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

Southwest Audubon update on the Colorado River draw-down crisis and what is being done about it. Introduction to ornithologist and naturalist John Cassin for whom Cassin's Finch and other birds are named. Bird of the week: Bullock's Oriole. Birding hotspot: Mt. Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains southeast of Tucson. Friend of Wildlife organization: Friends of Brown Canyon Ranch near Sierra Vista, AZ. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up across Arizona.

 Northern Arizona University students team up with Northern Arizona Audubon Society on a recent birding field trip, a collaboration showing great promise for advancing the ranks of professional naturalists in Arizona. A report on the recent western bluebird nest box season by NAAS. A report on the recent monsoon rain season in the central highlands from Prescott Creeks. Desert Foothills land trust call for volunteers to help with Discovery Day, an annual event for families, always well attended. Bird of the episode: Burrowing Owl. Birding hotspot: Florida (pronounced Flor-EE-da) Canyon. Friend of wildlife agency: Upper Gila Watershed Partnership. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

Avian flu virus detected in dead pelicans at Phoenix Zoo. Deaths among wild birds including Canada Geese in the Phoenix area suggest the disease is widespread in Arizona. West Nile Virus has been killing crows across North America. Cornell's Lab of Ornithology has developed a vaccine proven effective but needs a means to administer it in the wild. Report on autumn birding at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Bird of the episode: Bronzed Cowbird. Birding hotspot: Coon Bluff in the Tonto National Forest. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Ironwood Tree Experience for young naturalists. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

Alert from Arizona Game and Fish Department regarding bird flu symptoms among wild birds that includes safety information for waterfowl hunters. Nina Mason Pulliam Audubon Center reopens following pandemic closure. Tips on how to keep pests away from hummingbird feeders. Bird of the episode: Brewer's Blackbird. Birding Hotspot: Yaki Point on the Grand Canyon south rim. Friend-of-wildlife-organization: U.S. Geological Survey field station at University of Arizona, Tucson. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.

Introduction to early American naturalist Thomas Say for whom Say's Phoebe, a well-known Arizona bird, is named. Bird of the episode: Black-throated Gray (or Grey) Warbler. Birding hotspot: Agua Fria National Monument in Central Arizona.  Friend of Wildlife organization: Northern Arizona Forest Fund. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.

An introduction to Birdcast, a new free online tool that shows nocturnal bird migration in real time. Urgent alerts regarding closings of facilities at Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam due to drought conditions. Bird of the episode: Bridled Titmouse. Birding Hotspot: Mount Ord, 50 miles northeast of the Phoenix Metro. Friend of wildlife organization: Wild Arizona. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

Southwest Audubon's Western Water News report on the effect of drought conditions on birds in the Colorado River watershed. How - and by whom - Anna's Hummingbird was named. Bird of the episode: Bonaparte's Gull. Birding hotspot: Patagonia Sonoita Creek TNC IBA. Friend of Wildlife organization: Friends of Canoa Heritage Foundation. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

AZ Governor seeks applicants for opening on Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Birders welcome. Statutory eligibility requirements apply. New app Bird Migration Explorer tracks bird migration in remarkable detail. Bio of John Stevens Henslow, mentor to Charles Darwin and for whom Henslow's Sparrow is named.  Bird of the episode: Ladder-backed Woodpecker. Birding hotspot: Lower San Pedro River IBA. Friend-of-Wildlife organization: Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists. Calendar of Bird Friendly events coming up in Arizona.

More than 100 bird species are named for people. There is a growing movement to change those names to describe the birds, not the people, many of whom were slave holders, grave robbers and supremacists.  But not all. Some were extraordinary, selfless naturalists to whom birders owe a huge debt of gratitude for their work. This episode includes my thoughts on the subject and some of their stories.  Bird of the week: Black-necked Stilt. Birding hotspot: Borderlands/Cabeza Prieta IBA in southern Arizona. Friend of wildlife organization: Arizona Trail Association. Calendar of bird friendly events in Arizona.