Tag: bird biology

Woodhouse Scrub Jay

On By Mike and Christy1 Comment

The Woodhouse Scrub Jay is found throughout the drier regions of the southwestern United States in a variety of habitats ranging from scrub oak forests to stands of pinion pines. This day we noticed a persistent rustling in a stand of scrub oak tree and we pleased to find this Woodhouse Scrub jay.

Scrub-jays of the West evolved in two very different habitats: oak woodlands and montane pinyon pine stands. Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays live mainly among pinyon pine trees. They developed relatively thin, pointed bills that are adept at getting at the pine nuts hidden between pine cone scales. California Scrub-Jays live around oak trees and have developed stouter, more hooked bills that help them hammer open acorns.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Woodhouses_Scrub-Jay/overview#

Scrub Oak and Scrub Jay a nice way to start the day.

In the Cottonwood tree

On By Mike and Christy2 Comments

An male Common Grackle looking shiny and sleek spent some time foraging around in this cottonwood tree as afternoon shifted to evening. It’s always a treat when just the right light revels the amazing coloration in their feathers. What appeared a basically black bird is reveled to have a green-purple head and iridescent purple-bronze body. And who can forget that eye.