Our Wildlife

Face of a mammal with brown head, white around eyes and on snout up in a tree

Nasua narica - White-nosed Coatimundi
© Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Perhaps you come seeking to pad your birding life list with specialties like Elegant Trogon, Blue-throated Mountain-gem, and Mexican Chickadee, or you hope to glimpse a band of White-nosed Coatis waving long tails as they disappear into vegetation, or to witness a nursing "red" among a squadron of Collared Peccories. Maybe you want to study the fantastic array of reptile, amphibian, bat or insect species found here. Whatever your reason, wildlife biodiversity is one of the top reasons to visit the Station, and both its mountain and desert basin surrounds. Below is a small selection of the vast array of species who make their home near us.

Birds

Small round quail with harlequin facial markings and spotted belly, standing in leaf litter

Cyrtonyx montezumae - Montezuma Quail
© Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Small brown owl with yellow eyes standing on branch with spines.

Micrathene whitneyi - Elf Owl
© Courtesy of A.R. Donaldson

See More of our Birds

Two birds with blue-green iridescent backs and red bellies perched on branch, one with a berry in its mouth.

Euptilotis neoxenus - Eared Quetzal, a rare and exceedingly special treat in this area
Courtesy of A.R. Donaldson

Mostly gray hummingbird with bright blue throat and black undertail with wide terminal white tip against a blurred green background

Lampornis clemenciae - Blue-throated Mountain-gem
Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Small brown owl with rufous belly, and white markings on face

Aegolius acadicus - Saw-whet Owl fledgling
© Courtesy of A.R. Donaldson

small round hummingbird with distinctinve white lines over and under eye, with relatively short bill, perched on thin branch against blurred leafy background

Basilinna leucotis - White-eared Hummingbird (fledgling)
© Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Perched bird with red belly, white undertail,black head with white arc under eye, black wings with white patches

Myioborus pictus - Painted Redstart
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Light brown thrasher with short slightly curved bill and yellow eye perched on wooden post.

Toxostoma bendirei - Bendire's Thrasher
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Green and blue hummingbird with red bill perched on small branches with blue sky behind

Cynanthus latirostris - Broad-billed Hummingbird
Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Woodpecker with brown back, brown and white barred belly, brown and white face with red crown, on log

Dryobates arizonae - Arizona Woodpecker
Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Brown phainopepla on twig showing crest on head and yellow at gape indicating a young bird.

Phainopepla nitens - Young Phainopepla
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Hummingbird with iridescent green head and throat, rufous under wings, and black and red bill, in flight against a golden orange background.

Amazilia beryllina - Berylline Hummingbird
© Courtesy of Jonathon Dowell

Male hummingbird with dark head and gorget that flares out at the bottom sides, perched on twig.

Calypte costae - Costa's Hummingbird
© Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Songbird with blue head, rump and back, brown wings with rufous bars, black face and very large seed-eating bill, perched in mesquite.

Passerina caerulea - Blue Grosbeak
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Bright yellow songbird with black back and wings, two yellow wing bars, and red forehead and throat.

Piranga ludoviciana - Western Tanager
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Mostly brown sparrow with black throat and two white facial stripes perched on a stick

Amphispiza bilineata - Black-throated Sparrow
© Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Flycatcher with olive back, gray head with small white eye ring, tiny bill,, brown wings edged in white with long primary extensions, perched on twig

Empidonax hammondii - Hammond's Flycatcher
Courtesy of Laura Paulson

light gray hawk being buzzed by a large hummingbird while sitting in a just-leafing-out tree

Buteo plagiatus - Gray Hawk (being buzzed by a Blue-throated Mountain-gem)
© Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Large gray pigeon with white collar on nape and black-tipped yellow bill, perched on top of plant against blurred gray background

Patagioenas fasciata - Band-tailed Pigeon
© Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Birding Ethics from the American Birding Association

Practice and promote respectful, enjoyable, and thoughtful birding as defined in this code

1. Respect and promote birds and their environment.

(a) Support the conservation of birds and their habitats. Engage in and promote bird-friendly practices whenever possible, such as keeping cats and other domestic animals indoors or controlled, acting to prevent window strikes, maintaining safe feeding stations, landscaping with native plants, drinking shade-grown coffee, and advocating for conservation policies. Be mindful of any negative environmental impacts of your activities, including contributing to climate change. Reduce or offset such impacts as much as you are able.

(b) Avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. Be particularly cautious around active nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display sites, and feeding sites. Limit the use of recordings and other audio methods of attracting birds, particularly in heavily birded areas, for species that are rare in the area, and for species that are threatened or endangered. Always exercise caution and restraint when photographing, recording, or otherwise approaching birds.

(c) Always minimize habitat disturbance. Consider the benefits of staying on trails, preserving snags, and similar practices.

2. Respect and promote the birding community and its individual members.

(a) Be an exemplary ethical role model by following this Code and leading by example. Always bird and report with honesty and integrity.

(b) Respect the interests, rights, and skill levels of fellow birders, as well as people participating in other outdoor activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience and be especially helpful to beginning birders.

(c) Share bird observations freely, provided such reporting would not violate other sections of this Code, as birders, ornithologists, and conservationists derive considerable benefit from publicly available bird sightings.

(d) Approach instances of perceived unethical birding behavior with sensitivity and respect; try to resolve the matter in a positive manner, keeping in mind that perspectives vary. Use the situation as an opportunity to teach by example and to introduce more people to this Code.

(e) In group birding situations, promote knowledge by everyone in the group of the practices in this Code and ensure that the group does not unduly interfere with others using the same area.

3. Respect and promote the law and the rights of others.

(a) Never enter private property without the landowner’s permission. Respect the interests of and interact positively with people living in the area where you are birding.

(b) Familiarize yourself with and follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing activities at your birding location. In particular, be aware of regulations related to birds, such as disturbance of protected nesting areas or sensitive habitats, and the use of audio or food lures.

Birding should be fun and help build a better future for birds, for birders, and for all people

Birds and birding opportunities are shared resources that should be open and accessible to all

Birders should always give back more than they take

Signature Birds of Arizona's Sky Islands

Download a printable version with additional habitat information and art by Narca Moore, courtesy of Naturalist Journeys and SWRS.

Signature Birds of Arizona Sky Islands

Main Occurrence is in Pine Oak Woodland & Sycamore Canyons

Montezuma Quail
Mexican Whip-poor-will
Rivoli’s Hummingbird
Blue-throated Mountain-gem
Broad-billed Hummingbird
White-eared Hummingbird
Berylline Hummingbird
Zone-tailed Hawk
Whiskered Screech-Owl
Elf Owl
Elegant Trogon
Arizona Woodpecker
Greater Pewee
Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Mexican Jay
Mexican Chickadee
Bridled Titmouse
Olive Warbler
Yellow-eyed Junco
Red-faced Warbler
Painted Redstart

Main Occurrence is in Drier and Lower Elevation Habitats

Mexican Duck
Lucifer Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Thick-billed Kingbird
Rose-throated Becard
Rufous-winged Sparrow
Five-striped Sparrow

Grasslands, Scrub, and Associated Riparian and Aquatic Habitats

Common Black-Hawk
Gray Hawk
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Botteri's Sparrow
Varied Bunting

VERY RARE and HIGHLY UNEXPECTED, but POSSIBLE:

Plain-capped Starthroat
Eared (Trogon) Quetzal
Blue Mockingbird
Crescent-chested Warbler
Yellow Grosbeak

WATCH FOR THESE Widely-recognized Subspecies:

Northern Goshawk (Apache)
Brown Creeper (Mexican)
House Wren (Brown-throated)

Reptiles and Amphibians

close up of slender olive green snake head and upper body against black background

Senticolis triaspis - Green Rat Snake
© Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Close up of head of bulky, black lizard with pink splotches with tongue sticking out

Heloderma suspectum - Gila Monster
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

See More of our Reptiles and Amphibians

dark and light banded snake coiled around horn of saddle

Crotalus molossus - Black-tailed Rattlesnake
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

Brown turtle with rounded shell, green head, brown spots on gravel

Terrapene ornata - Ornate Box Turtle
© Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Round bodied lizard with brown spots and patches with horns on head, against a white background

Phrynosoma cornutum - Texas Horned Lizard
© Courtesy of R. Wyatt Mendez

Close-up of head and upper body of red, black and white striped snake

Lampropeltis zonata - Mountain King Snake
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

Red, black and white snake consuming a smaller pinkish brown snake

Micruroides euryxanthus - Arizona Coral Snake eating Tantilla planiceps - Western Black-Headed Snake
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

speckled and banded black, red and white snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei - Longnose Snake
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

Close up of head and speckled body of coiled snake

Trimorphodon biscutatus - Lyre Snake
© Courtesy of Raymond A. Mendez

Close up head and upper body of light and dark brown snake with light undersides

Pituophis catenifer - Gopher Snake
© Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Light tan frog with bumpy skin camouflaged on a rock wall

Hyla arenicolor - Canyon Tree Frog
© Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Light brown lizard with longitudinal lighter stripes on log

Sceloporus virgatus - Striped Plateau Lizard
© Courtesy of Laura Paulson

Mammals

Brown furry mammal with white markings and a long nose in a tree

Nasua narica - White-nosed Coati
© Courtesy of Steve Wolfe

Finely spotted wild cat with short tail standing on tree stump.

Invertebrates

Praying Mantis with wings spread and front legs held up in a defensive posture

Blue butterfly with darker forewing and lighter hindwing with white spots on yellow flowers

See More of our Invertebrates

Hairy black spider with red rump against white background

Green beetle with black lines on body on a leaf

Close-up of arachnid with light pink legs and head, dark body, large black jaws and small black eyes.

black bee with iridescent gold on red and yellow leaves

view inside ant colony including a row of repletes with their abdomens swollen with nectar

Large brown vinegaroon with black markings, long antenne and tail

Large tailed black butterfly with a yellow row of spots and a blue and orange spot, on the edge of hind wings

Close up of two iridescent green-black beetles mating

large moth almost covering a human hand which is holding it, mostly brown with pink hind wing linings

Pachysphinx occidentalis - Western Poplar Sphinx Moth
Courtesy of Caitlin Smith

Black and brown spider against a white background

2 katydids copulating on a lichen-covered branch

Different views of life stages of a red and yellow caterpillar with white hairs next to a fingertip for size comparison

Black spider with red marks hanging from a slender web against a blue sky

Dark brown butterly with a wide, golden- yellow band across the median portion of the forewing and a small white patch near the forewing apex.

Autochton cellus - Golden-banded Skipper
Courteys of Steve Wolfe

Two-tailed yellow butterfly with black marks on forewing and blue spots on hind wing, perching on thin green leaves.

Tailed butterfly that is primarily orange on elongated green leaves

Anaea aidea - Tropical Leafwing
Courtesy of Carol Comeau

Dark brown butterfly with distinctive eye spots and orange bars on gravel substrate

Junonia nigrosuffusa - Dark Buckeye
Courtesy of Laura Paulson

bright blue beetle with black dots, head and legs on fingertip

Cypherotylus californicus - Pleasing Fungus Beetle
Courtesy of Laura Paulson