Author Archives: Roger

Bird #258 — Gambel’s Quail

Posted on March 31, 1984 by Roger

callipepla (from lophotos, crested, and ortyx, quail) gambelil (given by Thomas Nuttallin in 1843 in honor of his protege, William Gambel, an early field collector of birds in Southwest California) Saturday, March 31, 1984 — 10:20 am Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, … Continue reading →

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Bird #257 — Gila Woodpecker

Posted on March 31, 1984 by Roger

melanerpes (from melanos, black, and herpes, a creeper) uropygialis (from oura, tail, and pyge, rump) Saturday, March 31, 1984 — 10:00 am Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona I found this Gila Woodpecker perched on the side of a large saguaro cactus, … Continue reading →

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Bird #256 — Cactus Wren

Posted on March 31, 1984 by Roger

campylorhynchus (curved beak) brunneicapillus (from brunneus, brown and capillus, hair) Saturday, March 31, 1984 — 9:45 am Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona The Cactus Wren was singing from a perch on top of an ocotillo stalk.  Its song sounded rather like … Continue reading →

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Bird #255 — Curve-billed Thrasher

Posted on March 31, 1984 by Roger

toxostoma (from toxon, bow, and stema, bill) curvirostre (from curvus, curved, and rostrum, beak) Saturday, March 31, 1984 — 9:45 am Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona Almost as soon as we walked through the gate into the zoo/park, I spotted a … Continue reading →

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Bird #254 — Canyon Towhee

Posted on March 31, 1984 by Roger

pipilo (to chirp) fuscus (dusky) Saturday, March 31, 1984 — 9:30 am Tucson Mountain Park, Arizona As I was following a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher down a dry wash through a scrubby saguaro forest, I spotted a Canyon Towhee foraging on the … Continue reading →

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