Hummingbirds of Arizona: Allen's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird:

Size: Allen's is a small hummingbird (3.5 inches) with medium short all black straight bill.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The Allen's male can be distinguished from the Rufous by its green back and crown. The female Allen's and Rufous cannot be distinguished in the field. The R5 tail feather (rectrix) is slightly narrower in the Allen's (on both male and female). You can see this in the last photo above.

Habitat:  Moist coast and riparian forest and woodland, typically only to 1,000 feet (Arizona the obvious exception). 

Range: Allen's has a very small breeding range which was restricted from the Northern California  to Southern Oregon coast. It's range has been expanding into Southern California over the past few years.  It is occasionally found inland but not when breeding.  Allen's sometimes finds its way into the Madrean Sky Island foothills of Southern Arizona. It's winter range is also quite small being restricted to forest edges in Southern Mexico.

Seasons: In Arizona, it's found primarily in July, August, and September.  It's thought that these are migratory birds headed to their wintering location. Allen's winters in a relatively small area in south-central Mexico.

Where to Find: Allen's is rare to Arizona. The first two photos are from Ash Canyon (in the foothills of the Huachuca Mountains). Ash Canyon B&B has closed but try Ramsey Canyon. The last photo was from WOW Arizona a privately owned residence near the town of Catalina on the northside of the Catalina Mountains (again in the foothills). Allen's have also been reported in Madera Canyon and Patagonia. Keep an eye on the Audubon Society's Rare Bird Alert and the ABA's Birding News for Arizona and New Mexico.  

Comments: Allen's is typically less aggressive than the Rufous. When found in Arizona there are often Rufous around as well. This makes identifying them a little more difficult -- especially the females.

Hawks: Part XI

Zone-tailed Hawk.

With only about 300 nesting pairs in the United States, the Zone-tailed Hawk is a rare find -- except in March during the Tubac Hawk Watch. They are often found among Turkey Vultures. One possible reason is that small mammals may not recognize them among the vultures (who are harmless). And then it is too late. 

Their US range is essentially Arizona and Southwest Texas, but has been shifting north over the past two decades. The worldwide population is thought to be less than two million mostly in Mexico and Central America. 

They are typically found in in desert or mountain canyons as well as rivers with cottonwood trees. The Santa Cruz river is a good spot to look.

Zone-tailed Hawk over The Azure Gate

Zone-tailed Hawk during Tubac Hawk Watch

Zone-tailed Hawk Nesting at Pena Blanca Lake

Zone-tailed Hawk Nesting at Pena Blanca Lake

Hawks: Part X

Swainson's Hawk.

Swainson's Hawk summers in much of the Western United States, migrating to South America during the winter months.

Unlike the Cooper's and Sharp-shinned the Swainson's preference is flying over grasslands, farmlands, and ranches looking for small mammals and reptiles. It is skilled at capturing insects in flight. So as it begins to head south for the winter it follows nomadic dragonflies.  Yet it will also feed on grasshoppers and caterpillars.

Hawks: Part IX

The Sharp-shinned Hawk.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest Accipiter hawk in North America. It breeds mainly in Canada and Alaska and summers in the lower half of the United States and Mexico. 

Like many raptors, the SSH numbers declined during the DDT pesticide years. They regained population but now are being affected by climate change.

They have long tails and rounded wings that make them very agile fliers that can speed through forests to capture their usual prey -- song birds.

Although they are not as abundant as Cooper's Hawks here at The Azure Gate, we do see them on a regular basis.

Hawks: Part VIII

NOTE: A new country has joined our list of visitors to this blog. Kosovo is now the 141st country that has visited our blog since we started in 2008. It's heartwarming to know that at least one thing that we have in common with people around the world is a love of nature. Thank you Kosovo for joining us!

The Red-tailed Hawk is the most abundant and conspicuous of all the raptors. It can be found year round throughout the lower 48 states and Mexico. Some will summer in Canada and Alaska.

Both its population and range are increasing as it has become accustomed to human development. Estimates are 2.3 million worldwide.

They hunt both from perch and from flying, searching for small mammals, birds, and reptiles.

There are several variations in plumage based on region; also light and dark phases within a region.

In Nest with chicks

Young Chick fallen from nest

Dark Phase

Dark Phase

Hawks: Part VII

The Northern Goshawk is a rare hawk with a fairly large range. It can be found coast to coast in the Northern US States, the Southwest, Western Canada, and Alaska.

It's preferred habitat is forests that can provide cover as it searches for prey including grouse, rabbits, and squirrels.

The most reliable place in the Southwest to find the Northern Goshawk is Miller Canyon where it has nested for several years.

The first photo is a male very high up in a tree about 100 yards from the nest:

Here is the nest, again very high up in a tree. The nest was deep so the female was rarely seen:

The male seemed agitated by the presence of humans around the nest, so I didn't stay:

Hawks: Part VI

The Harris (or Harris's) Hawk. A quite stunning hawk of Southern Arizona and Southwest Texas. It's population has been declining, in part by humans capturing them (illegally) and using them in Falconry. Further, climate change and water usage from the Colorado River Valley have eliminated them in those areas.

Current estimates put the population at about 920,000 down 62% over the past 50 years.

Harris's Hawk is a social hawk, with a complex social order. Several years ago we would often see 4-6 at a time, traveling and eating together. We would often see them in the same tree or on the same telephone pole. They work together to capture prey as one tries to flush birds out of dense trees while others wait to pick them off. Larger prey is often shared by the group. Their diet includes small mammals, birds, and lizards.