Phoenix homeowners love to see the cool native and migratory birds that visit their backyard pond! You may not be aware of just how important these man-made backyard riparian areas are.
Arizona’s Riparian Areas Are Crucial
Groundwater is critical to Arizona’s rivers, streams, and springs, and help support wildlife habitats. Arizona is the most biologically diverse State without a coastline and is third only to California and Texas in the number of different species that reside within or migrate across its borders. Groundwater is what allows Arizona’s rivers to flow in between precipitation events, and sometimes even through periods of extended drought.
Rivers and the riverside (riparian) habitats they support are crucial to people, birds, fish, and other wildlife. Source: National Audubon Society. Learn more about this subject.
Unfortunately, we are polluting our groundwater with fertilizers & chemicals and obliterating the riparian areas at an alarming rate in the name of progress. We’re not advocating that we stop all development and progress, but everyone should be made aware of the impact that this has on the world around us.
Arizona’s Cool Birds That Need Water
Here are just a few cool birds that call Arizona at least a part-time home.
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a federally threatened songbird, sometimes called the “rain crow” because their distinctive “kwop” call is often heard just before summer rains. Cuckoos winter in Central and South America, nesting in Arizona from mid-summer to early fall.
Habitat:The Western populations of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo occur in a fraction of its former range. The decline in breeding populations is linked to the loss of over 90% of the cottonwood and willow forests that once lined the banks of western rivers. In Arizona today, these birds find habitat on the Verde, San Pedro, Agua Fria, Bill Williams, and upper Gila Rivers.
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. The Southwestern subspecies of the Willow Flycatcher is an endangered songbird that nests in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This small flycatcher winters in the rainforests of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
Habitat:Their preferred habitat along perennial streams and rivers, with a dense understory of willow in a forest of willow and cottonwood trees, has declined dramatically over the last century due to drought, water diversions, and groundwater pumping. The bird will nest in stands of invasive salt cedar trees in the absence of native trees if there is water. Designated critical habitat for this flycatcher stretches along the San Pedro, Big Sandy, and Verde Rivers, to name a few.
Yellow Warbler. Arguably Arizona’s brightest warbler, this tiny songbird is also one of our most widely distributed warblers—they can be spotted from Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in the southeast to the Hualapai Mountains in the northwest and beyond. Their “sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet” song fills the air in early spring and summer. They winter in Central and South America, migrating earlier than most other warblers in both spring and fall.
Habitat:Yellow Warblers are one of the most common birds in streamside cottonwood-willow forests of the Southwest. They also nest in higher elevation streams where there are sycamore, ash, and willow trees—they avoid stands of invasive tamarisk.
Summer Tanager. The bright red color of the male flying in the high canopy is hard to miss. The melodic voice and loud “chuck” call are clues that this bird is present. A neotropical migrant, Summer Tanagers migrate as far as South America each winter. All year long they specialize in catching bees and wasps on the wing, somehow avoiding being stung by their catches.
Habitat:Summer Tanagers frequent streamside cottonwood and willow groves in the lower elevations of the southwestern United States, such as along Cienega or Oak Creek. They also frequent adjacent mesquite bosques. The highest densities of this bird are where trees are tall and mature.
And that’s just a few. We can’t forget about our more common native bird species like the Cactus Wren, our State bird. And there are many, many more. And there is a whole slew of beautiful migratory birds that pass through our great State, requiring a respite during their journey. Where will they rest and replenish in the future?
But things are not all doom and gloom!
But What Can I Do About It?
Here’s the good news. You CAN do something to help. AND you might even get to see some of these cool birds right in your own backyard if you create an urban wildlife habitat in your yard. Instead of smothering the Earth in concrete and asphalt, you could:
- User permeable pavers for driveways and sitting areas, or decomposed granite to allow rainwater to percolate into the ground rather than shedding it off into the sewer system.
- Use native and desert-adapted plant, which the native and migratory birds need for food sources and nesting material.
- Include an organically-kept water feature: a pond or a recirculating waterfall and/or stream in your landscape. Swimming pools and spas don’t count because they are chemically-kept sterile water, typically with no ingress or egress options for birds and wildlife.
- Keep your cats inside. This is a controversial topic, we know. As much as we love cats, they are predators that have an adverse effect on bird populations.
Serving Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, Arizona (AZ) & Surrounding Areas
To Learn More About Urban Wildlife Habitats: https://pondgnome.com/wildlife-habitats-phoenix-az/
