I'V' Birds

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I.V. Birds
By Saul Diaz
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• This tiny bird has thin white edges along its
  narrow black tail. In summer, the male has a
  black forehead and can be mistaken for the
  similar Black-Capped Gnatcatcher which is more
  commonly seen in nearby Arizona.

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• Very common in other areas of Southern
  California, this visitor to the Imperial Valley
  enjoys our warm winter temperatures and early
  spring, but leaves when it gets too hot.

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• Nearly extinct in California since the damming of
  the Colorado River, it has been re-introduced to
  its former lower Colorado River range east of the
  Imperial Valley.

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• Imperial Valley visitor during its migration and
  casual winter resident.

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• Similar in size to the Peregrine Falcon, it is
  also larger than the more commonly seen resident
  American Kestrel which it resembles.

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• Mourning Doves and the smaller Common Ground
  Doves are found year-round in any area of the
  Imperial Valley - including urban backyards.

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• One of the many migrating winter warblers who
  pass through the Imperial Valley on their way to
  Mexico. These woodland warblers use the riparian
  corridors formed by both the New River and Alamo
  River locally. They frequent the non-native
  Tamarisk and "salt cedar" trees which are
  considered harmful to native plant species.

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• Also called a "goatsucker" or "nightjar" - the
  Nighthawk spends the day resting on a perch or
  nesting on the ground during the late afternoon
  it begins to swoop like a slow swallow while
  catching flying insects with its wide mouth. Well
  camouflaged when on the ground, look for them on
  the fence rails of the horse corral by the IVC
  campus warehouse.

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• There are three color forms of Northern Flicker,
  two of which can be found in the Imperial Valley.

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• Similar to the resident Mourning Dove, which is
  seen year-round, the "whitewing" spends the
  winter months south of the border then returns to
  the Imperial Valley during late spring to early
  fall.

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• Inca Doves and the Common Ground-Dove can be
  found year-round in both rural and urban areas of
  the Imperial Valley.

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• Look for this striking ebony bird with red eyes
  when the Desert Mistletoe berries ripen on local
  Mesquite trees along the New River and desert
  areas in the Imperial Valley.

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• NO LOCAL IMAGE YET
• Four Thrasher species can be found in the eastern
  desert wash areas of Imperial Valley away from
  our irrigated farm fields (Bendire's also seen in
  Anza Borrego desert to our west

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• Similar in appearance and habits to the more
  commonly seen Northern Flicker (which has red
  cheeks) look for a red cap and lighter, striped
  back on this bird. 

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• A year-round resident of the Imperial Valley.
  Look for them along the edges of farmlands where
  Quail bush, Arrow weed and Mesquite shrubs grow.

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• There are so many species of Sparrows and they
  all look so similar that it takes a very
  dedicated birder to try and identify or study
  them all.

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• When fields of hay have been cut (all year-round
  in our area) some small nesting animals such as
  rabbits or pheasants may be killed by the mowers,
  which provide a meal for these common scavengers.
  

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• A year-round resident that scavenges the highways
  and farm fields of the Imperial Valley. Look for
  them along Interstate 8 and other roadways.

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• A small, yellow patch under the tail helps
  identify this small, olive-green, pale-breasted
  visitor to the Imperial Valley.

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• Small songbird that migrates through the Imperial
  Valley to spend its winter in the tropics.
  Breeding range includes higher elevations of San
  Diego County.

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The End