Arizona Bird Call

Sandhill Cranes, often found wintering in southeastern Arizona, are a conservation success story. The species has come back from the brink of extirpation in Arizona. But they also represent a challenge to farmers, especially in the Great Plains region. We'll have a report. And, ornithologists are studying the evolution of certain warbler species by sampling DNA extracted from their droppings. It is new research with great promise for breakthroughs in bird science. Bird of the episode: American Wigeon. Birding hotspot: Bear Wallow Wilderness. Friends of wildlife: Mund's Park Trail Stewards.

Part II of an article that explains the extraordinary iridescence of hummingbird feathers. Hummingbirds are the most colorful birds in the Western Hemisphere. David Allen Sibley describes notable aspects of bird movement. Bird of the episode: Yellow-rumped Warbler. Birding hotspot: the Verde River Oak Creek IBA. Friend of wildlife: Northern Arizona State Conservation Partnership.

Native plants are preferable to man-made birdfeeders. Ornithologist Michael Plagens explains why and how to make your bird feeding stations nature friendly. Part 1 of an article explaining iridescence in hummingbird feathers. Hummingbirds are the most colorful birds in the Western Hemisphere across the full spectrum of color including in the ultraviolet range. Bird of the episode: Anna's Hummingbird. Birding hotspot: Atascosa Highlands. Friend of wildlife: Arizona Land and Water Trust.

Make your favorite birding location your 'sit spot.' You can enjoy birding with very little effort by by making it part of your daily routine where you are. We'll have some thoughts on that from the Tucson Bird Alliance. And, Arizona Game and Fish Department advises birders and other outdoor recreationists to pay attention to summer wildlife including rattlesnakes that tend to move around in spring and summer. We have their advisory. Bird of the episode: Pinyon Jay. Birding hotspot: Boyce Thompson Arboretum and Queen Creek IBA. Friend of wildlife: Paradise Valley Mountain Preserve Trust.

Aerospace engineers at Princeton University have discovered that applying feather-like flaps to airplane wings has the potential to improve aircraft efficiency and maneuverability. New research suggests that the resurgence of Bald Eagles across North America may be affecting the distribution of sea ducks and other waterfowl. Bird of the episode: Ash-throated Flycatcher. Birding hotspot: Lower Colorado River/Gadsden Important Bird Area (IBA). Friend of Wildlife: White Mountains Conservancy.

Thoughts by an eminent biologist with decades of experience probing animal intelligence on whether humans are smart enough to know how smart animals are. It's a question that is gaining momentum within the scientific community, generating more questions than answers. Bird of the episode: Great Blue Heron. Birding hotspot: Blue and San Francisco Rivers IBA in eastern Arizona. Friends of wildlife: Arizona Association for Environmental Education.

A description of how ornithologists recently discovered the location of non-breeding Giant Hummingbirds, a long-time mystery dating back to Charles Darwin's discovery tour of Latin America. Darwin had a hunch, but the improbability and the relative inaccessibility of the region at the time made it impossible to verify. Bird of the episode: Phainopepla. Birding hotspot: Bill Williams/Lake Havasu Important Bird Area in western Arizona. Friend of Wildlife: Friends of Saguaro National Park.

A description of how and why Mountain Chickadees often encountered in Arizona at elevations above 5,000 feet are smarter than chickadees found in lower elevation forests and desert scrublands. Bird of the episode: White-crowned Sparrow. Birding hotspot: White Mountains region of northeastern Arizona. Friends of wildlife: Desert Foothills Land Trust in Central Arizona.

 A report on Tucson Audubon Society's ongoing 'green infrastructure' habitat restoration project. A description of how seed dispersal by birds and other wildlife is critical to range expansion of many plant species helping them fend off disease and effects of global warming. A report on the impact of rodenticides on birds and other wildlife. A report on birds' senses by bird illustrator and naturalist David Allen Sibley. Bird of the episode: Black-throated sparrow. Birding hotspot: Sedona Wetlands Preserve. Friends of wildlife: Sky Island Alliance.

An eyewitness account of a warbler (Ovenbird often spotted in Arizona) landing on the ocean off Mexico's east coast, taking what appeared to be a break from its southerly migration to wintering grounds in South America, then launching back into the air to continue its journey. This account by a distinguished scientist upends long-held beliefs in the scientific community about presumed mortality among birds that run out of energy flying over large bodies of water. Bird of the episode: the Verdin. Birding hotspot: Willcox Playa in southeastern Arizona. Friend of Wildlife: Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix.