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Birds of Coldwater Farm BIRDS OF COLDWATER FARM GARRY ROGERS Birds of Coldwater Farm Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona Birds Observed During the First Two Decades of the Twenty-First Century By Garry Rogers __________ 2 | Birds of Coldwater Farm Publisher: Coldwater Press, Prescott, AZ. Copyright © 2019 Garry Rogers, Humboldt, Arizona Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data Names: Rogers, Garry F, author. Title: Birds of Coldwater Farm Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona : birds observed dur- ing the first two decades of the twenty-first century / by Garry Rogers. Description: Includes bibliographical references and index. | Humboldt, AZ: Garry Rogers, 2020. Identifiers: ISBN 9798628755679 Subjects: LCSH Birds--Arizona--Dewey-Humboldt--Identification. | Birds--Ari- zona--Dewey-Humboldt--Pictorial works. | Bird watching--Arizona. | BISAC NA- TURE / Animals / Birds Classification: LCC QL684.A6 R64 2020 | DDC 598/.09791--dc23 Cover photograph: Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) The songs of other passerines and songbirds may be more musical, but the flights and calls of this superb aerial hunter are a constant contribution to the delight of Coldwater Farm. From perches around the house and over the ponds, Black Phoebes fly sorties that end with audible snaps as their bills close on their targets. And this includes those other superb aerial predators, the Dragonflies. Black Phoebes tolerate people and often hunt over human-made water fea- tures. They prefer life by open water, but a well-watered lawn will do. Their numbers have risen as people in the American Southwest and Mexico have mined and spread groundwater over their lawns and crops. Male and female Black Phoebes have similar plumage. In spring, males scout for nest sites and females build or remodel the nest, a cup of earth and straw. One to six eggs hatch in about two weeks. Phoebes form mo- nogamous unions to raise their chicks and teach them to hunt. Once the nest is empty, pairs remain in loose contact through the winter (Wolf 1997). Birds of Coldwater Farm | 3 Dedication For Felipe Guerrero whose suggestions and knowledge of birds made this book far better than it could have been otherwise. Fig. 1.1 The Agua Fria River runs through Coldwater Farm in the center of Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona. The river seeps below a dry surface over most of its journey to the Gila River west of Phoenix, but as the water passes through the Farm, a subterranean basalt flow forces it above ground creating a perennial stream. Native Cottonwood and Willow dominate the banks and form a closed- canopy forest on a floodplain at the confluence of the River and three tributaries. 4 | Birds of Coldwater Farm Acknowledgements Assembly of the book was possible because of data organization, help, and encouragement by Sabra Tonn of the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). Help also came from other staff of AZGFD, members of the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, and the Highlands Center for Natural His- tory. Filipe Guerrero confirmed uncertain sightings and showed me twelve new species to add to the list. Two of the species he found are the Yellow- billed Cuckoo and the Willow Flycatcher, both protected by the U. S. Endan- gered Species Act. Ryan Crouse spotted the yellow-shafted Northern Flicker. Carl Tomoff made visits to the Farm and added three species to the list. Birds of Coldwater Farm | 5 Table of Contents DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ 4 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 11 COLDWATER FARM WILDLIFE HABITATS .............................................................................. 11 BIRD CONSERVATION ....................................................................................................... 12 HUMAN DESTRUCTION OF NATURE .................................................................................... 13 BIRD PROTECTION ........................................................................................................... 14 EXTINCTIONS AT COLDWATER FARM ................................................................................... 14 2. CONSERVATION STATUS SYMBOLS ........................................................................ 14 AZGFD CONSERVATION STATUS SYMBOLS .......................................................................... 15 AZGFD BREEDING STATUS SYMBOLS ................................................................................. 17 ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA) NATIONAL STATUS SYMBOLS ............................................... 17 SYMBOLS FOR SEASONAL PRESENCE AT COLDWATER FARM ..................................................... 17 Abundance ............................................................................................................ 17 Seasonal Presence ................................................................................................. 17 IDENTIFICATION ........................................................................................................ 18 PHOTOGRAPHS AND PAINTINGS ............................................................................... 18 3. BIRDS OF COLDWATER FARM ................................................................................ 19 3.1 ANATIDAE--DUCKS AND WATERFOWL FAMILY .................................................... 19 WOOD DUCK (AIX SPONSA) .............................................................................................. 19 NORTHERN SHOVELER (SPATULA CLYPEATA) ......................................................................... 20 GADWALL (MARECA STREPERA) ........................................................................................ 21 AMERICAN WIGEON (MARECA AMERICANA) ........................................................................ 22 MALLARD (ANAS PLATYRHYNCHOS) .................................................................................... 23 NORTHERN PINTAIL (ANAS ACUTA) .................................................................................... 24 CANVASBACK (AYTHYA VALISINERIA) ................................................................................... 25 REDHEAD (AYTHYA AMERICANA) ........................................................................................ 26 RING-NECKED DUCK (AYTHYA COLLARIS) ............................................................................. 27 BUFFLEHEAD (BUCEPHALA ALBEOLA) .................................................................................. 28 HOODED MERGANSER (LOPHODYTES CUCULLATUS) ............................................................... 29 COMMON MERGANSER (MERGUS MERGANSER) ................................................................... 30 RUDDY DUCK (OXYURA JAMAICENSIS) ................................................................................. 31 3.2 ODONTOPHORIDAE--NEW WORLD QUAIL ........................................................... 32 GAMBEL'S QUAIL (CALLIPEPLA GAMBELII) ............................................................................ 32 3.3 PHASIANIDAE--PHEASANTS, GROUSE, AND ALLIES .............................................. 33 RING-NECKED PHEASANT (PHASIANUS COLCHICUS)................................................................ 33 6 | Birds of Coldwater Farm 3.4 COLUMBIDAE--PIGEONS AND DOVES .................................................................. 34 ROCK PIGEON (COLUMBA LIVIA)......................................................................................... 34 EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE (STREPTOPELIA DECAOCTO) ......................................................... 35 INCA DOVE (COLUMBINA INCA) .......................................................................................... 36 WHITE-WINGED DOVE (ZENAIDA ASIATICA) .......................................................................... 37 MOURNING DOVE (ZENAIDA MACROURA)............................................................................ 38 3.5 CUCULIDAE--CUCKOOS ........................................................................................ 39 GREATER ROADRUNNER (GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS) .......................................................... 39 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (COCCYZUS AMERICANUS) ............................................................... 40 3.6 CAPRIMULGIDAE--NIGHTJARS AND ALLIES .......................................................... 41 COMMON NIGHTHAWK (CHORDEILES MINOR) ...................................................................... 41 3.7 TROCHILIDAE--HUMMINGBIRDS .......................................................................... 42 BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (ARCHILOCHUS ALEXANDRI) .................................................. 42 ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (CALYPTE ANNA) ............................................................................ 43 BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (SELASPHORUS PLATYCERCUS) ................................................. 44 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (SELASPHORUS RUFUS) ................................................................... 45 3.8 RALLIDAE--RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS ........................................................ 46 VIRGINIA RAIL (RALLUS LIMICOLA) ...................................................................................... 46 SORA (PORZANA CAROLINA).............................................................................................
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