Information for Arizona birders including summaries of research and analysis related to bird conservation and protection. Introductions to common Arizona birds, Arizona birding hotspots, governmental and non-profit agencies charged with bird conservation.
Podcast host Mike Ameigh is a retired professor/academic administrator with the the State University of New York. He holds a PhD in Public Communication from the Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University.
Report on a movement to reconsider rules - or lack of them - regarding extraction of water from Arizona aquifers as wells in some parts of the state run dry. A report on the surprising presence of fireflies in Arizona. Bird of the episode: American Goldfinch. Birding hotspot: Joshua Tree Important Bird Area (IBA) in the Mojave Desert in western Arizona. Friend of wildlife: Wild at Heart in Cave Creek.
A report on Swinhoe's White-eye, a small Asian songbird that has become established in parts of California and may be headed for Arizona and other parts of North America as well. Bird of the episode: the Neotropic Cormorant. Birding hotspot: Alamo Lake State Park. Friend of wildlife: Animal Defense League of Arizona.
A report on the domestication of the American Turkey whose origins date back nearly 1,000 years in the four-corners region of the Southwest where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah come together. Indigenous people known as Anisazi are known to have domesticated birds. They predated the Aztecs who are often credited with domesticating the turkey. Bird of the episode: Arizona Woodpecker. Birding hotspot: Watson and Willow Lake IBA, Prescott. Friends of wildlife: Center for Nature and Place at ...
A perspective on how smartphone bird detection software may diminish the birding experience for some birders. A report by Arizona Game and Fish Department on the lack of Chronic Wasting Disease on the Arizona deer population. The disease is known to be an issue throughout the Southwest, but not here in Arizona. Bird of the episode: Black-headed Grosbeak. Birding hotspot: Mogollon Rim Snowmelt Draw. Friend of wildlife: Central Arizona Chapter for Conservation Biology.
A report on research indicating that the growing proliferation of hummingbird feeders may be causing evolutionary changes in the length and size of the Anna's Hummingbird bill, perhaps that of other species as well. Bird of the episode: Lark Sparrow. Birding hotspot: San Rafael Grasslands in southern Arizona. Friends of wildlife: Patagonia Area Resource Alliance.
A report by AXIOS/Phoenix on birds that appear to be disappearing from Arizona, among them the official Arizona State bird, the Cactus Wren. News about habitat restoration activity in southeastern Arizona. An update on Northern Arizona Audubon's new MOTUS bird detection station near Flagstaff. Bird of the episode: American Coot. Birding hotspot: Sabino Canyon Tanque Verde ecosystem. Friends of wildlife: Arizona Master Naturalists Development Program.
Research evidence is mounting that hearing bird songs in the wild as well as touching and smelling, even tasting many plants in their natural states is good for human health. A report on Audubon Southwest's recent water resource tour for Arizona local, state and federal policymakers. Bird of the episode: American Avocet. Birding hotspot: Lower Salt and Gila River ecosystem IBA. Friend of wildlife: Western Field Ornithologists.
Tips and tricks to get the most from your experiences for those new to birding. News from Arizona Game and Fish Department regarding wildlife conservation and welfare. David Allen Sibley on Chickadees. Bird of the episode: Black Phoebe. Birding hotspot: Quigley State Wildlife Management Area. Friend of Wildlife: the Urban Bird Foundation.
New research findings on migratory habits of the Desert Purple Martin, a rare breeder in the deserts of southeastern Arizona, from Jennie McFarland, Bird Conservation Biologist at Tucson Bird Alliance. Bird of the episode: Western Osprey. Birding hotspot: Mittry Lake Wildlife Management Area. Friends of wildlife: Friends of the Santa Cruz River.
A description of how some birds migrate from breeding grounds in extreme North America to wintering grounds in New Zealand and other southern Pacific Ocean regions in one-hop flights of thousands of miles. Some consume their own body organs to fuel those flights, a remarkable evolutionary adaptation. Bird of the episode: Acorn Woodpecker. Birding hotspot: Cave Creek Canyon IBA in estreme eastern Arizona. Friend of wildlife: Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection.
A list of detections of songbirds on our patio on April 28, 2025. Many are migrants passing through while others are regular residents of the Sonoran Desert and broader Southwestern region of the United States. Kenn Kaufman describes how birds keep themselves clean throughout the year. Bird of the episode: Western Bluebird. Birding hotspot: Yaki Point on the Grand Canyon South Rim. Friend of Wildlife: Superstition Area Land Trust.
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 W...
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 Thomps...
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 Wetland...
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....
An account of how an owl nest was saved following an invasion by a swarm of bees. A nature photographer and a beekeeper teamed up to move owl eggs from the nest to a quickly constructed nest box that was then mounted nearby. The female owl quickly took up residence and raised newly hatched owlettes to fledging. A report on Arizona Trail association's 'Seeds of Stewardship' initiative that introduces youth to nature. Bird of the episode: White-winged Dove. Birding hotspot: Marble Canyon/Vermilion...
An update on research that describes how birds learn to communicate with one another through imitation and practice. A report on how bird losses affect the ability of some plant species to expand their ranges leaving them vulnerable to disease and ecological changes that can lead to extinction. Bird of the episode: Gambel's Quail. Birding hotspot: Huachuca Mountains Important Bird Area (IBA). Friends of wildlife: the Sonoran Institute.
A perspective on the extraordinary conservation movement involving social, cultural, industrial and political alliances that let to the establishment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Bird of the episode: Abert's Towhee. Birding hotspot: Imperial National Wildlife Refuge IBA. Friend of wildlife: Hall Lab at Arizona State University.
A report on work underway to mitigate wildfire danger along roadways in Patagonia. A description of 'dust bathing,' a desert bird behavior among quail and other species that appears to help maintain good feather structure and control ectoparasites. A report on a field trip to Oak Flat campground by Maricopa Audubon Society. Bird of the episode: Ruddy Ground Dove. Birding hotspot: Anderson Mesa southeast of Flagstaff. Friend of wildlife: Southwest Audubon.
A report on new research indicating songbirds communicate across species during overnight migration. These findings are challenging long held beliefs about bird communication in general. A report on how and why the City of Tucson is using goats to control wetland plant growth in recharge basins at Sweetwater Wetlands. An introduction to Wilson's Warbler, a tiny songbird common to Arizona riparian areas Spring through Fall. Bird of the episode: Red-tailed Hawk. Birding hotspot: Lower Oak Creek IB...
A review of the Kenn Kaufman book 'The Birds Audubon Missed' by Tom Gatz. New research on effects of fireworks on birds. Bird of the episode: Curve-billed Thrasher. Birding hotspot: Arivaca Lake south of Tucson. Friend of wildlife: Grand Canyon Trust.
An extensive report of bird detections captured by the Haikubox located on my patio in the North Valley of the Phoenix metro. Bird of the episode: Vaux's Swift. Birding hotspot of the episode: Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge and Important Bird Area (IBA) on the lower Colorado River near Yuma. Friends of wildlife: Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council.
A look at how birds raise their young from egg laying to hatching to fledging. An overview of the unique behavior of corvids (jays) and why they are such an attraction among birders. Bird of the episode: the Upland Sandpiper. Birding Hotspot: Gilbert Riparian Water Ranch, Gilbert, in the heart of the Phoenix Metro. Friends of Wildlife: Friends of Saguaro National Park.
Information about restrictions on activity near Bald Eagle nest sites across Arizona as a new breeding cycle begins. California Condor recently released into the wilds of northern Arizona returns to the site where the egg from which she hatched was retrieved and incubated by biologists following the death of her mother from Avian flu. Incredibly, she had a brief encounter with her father as the two shared a meal. Bird of the episode: Western Grebe. Birding hotspot: Apache Creek Wilderness. Frien...
