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The Zone-tailed Ranch, Mohave County, Arizona | |||||
Birds of the Zone-tailed Ranch | |||||
The Zone-tail Ranch is a 320 acre (half of a section; one mile long and half a mile wide) piece of beautiful desert near the crest of the Aquarius Mountains, Arizona, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. It is located east of Kingman (east of US-93) and south of I-40. The land is rocky canyon country with cliffs, seasonal streams, and perennial springs. The Zone-tail Ranch is just above the level of the cliffs where the land starts to flatten out, and includes one major mountain top and one major canyon. Vegetation is dominated by juniper with some pinyon, oak, cactus, yucca, and a diverse collection of shrubs and annual plants. It is transitional between the pinyon-juniper highland and the Sonoran Desert lowlands. Perennial vegetation probably covers no more than 20% of the ground. On our first visit to the property, we saw Zone-tailed Hawks. Zone-tails look and fly like Turkey Vultures, and ground squirrels don't hide when they fly over because vultures are no threat - but by then it is too late. Over the years we have looked at a lot of Turkey Vultures hoping to see Zone-tails, so it was exciting to finally see them. We have birded for years, and every time we visit the ranch, we record the birds we see. The following is the list of species that should occur in the area, and those that have a date are species we have seen there since August 1995. Season of occurrence is defined merely as Summer (S), Winter (W), and Resident (R), those who should breed on the ranch are marked with an asterisk (*). |
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Order Family Common Name Season Date -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Falconiformes Cathartidae Vulture, Turkey S 1995 Accipitridae Eagle, Golden R 1996 Eagle, Bald W Harrier, Northern W Hawk, Sharp-shinned W 1996 Hawk, Cooper's R 1996 Hawk, Red-tailed R 1996 Hawk, Rough-legged W Hawk, Ferruginous R Black-Hawk, Common S* Hawk, Zone-tailed S 1995 Falconidae Kestrel, American R 1997 Merlin W 1997 Falcon, Prairie R 1997 Falcon, Peregrine R Galliformes Phasianidae Quail, Gambel's R 1995 Columbiformes Columbidae Dove, Rock R Dove, Mourning R 1996 Dove, White-winged S Ground-Dove, Common R Cuculiformes Cuculidae Cuckoo, Yellow-billed S Roadrunner, Greater R 1997 Strigiformes Tytonidae Barn-Owl, Common R 1997 Strigidae Owl, Short-eared W Owl, Long-eared R* Owl, Great Horned R 1995 Screech-Owl, Western R Owl, Flammulated S Owl, Elf S* Pygmy-Owl, Northern R Owl, Northern Saw-whet W Owl, Burrowing S Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgidae Poorwill, Common S 1995 Nighthawk, Lesser S 1997 Apodiformes Apodidae Swift, White-throated S 1996 Trochilidae Hummingbird, Black-chinned S Hummingbird, Costa's S 1996 Hummingbird, Broad-tailed S 1996 Hummingbird, Rufous S 1997 Coraciiformes Alcedinidae Kingfisher, Belted W Piciformes Picidae Woodpecker, Gila R Flicker, Guilded R Flicker, Northern R 1997 Woodpecker, Acorn R Woodpecker, Lewis' W Sapsucker, Williamson's W Sapsucker, Red-naped S 1997 Woodpecker, Hairy R Woodpecker, Ladder-backed R 1996 Passeriformes Tyrannidae Kingbird, Western S Kingbird, Cassin's S 1996 Flycatcher, Brown-crested S* Flycatcher, Ash-throated S 1997 Wood-Pewee, Western S Phoebe, Black R 1997 Phoebe, Say's S Flycatcher, Vermillion S 1997 Flycatcher, Gray S Flycatcher, Cordilleran (Western) S* Alaudidae Lark, Horned R Hirundinidae Swallow, Violet-green S 1997 Martin, Purple S Swallow, No Rough-winged S 1997 Swallow, Cliff S 1996 Corvidae Scrub-Jay, Western R 1995 Jay, Pinyon R 1995 Jay, Steller's R Crow, American R Raven, Common R 1995 Paridae Titmouse, Juniper R 1996 Chickadee, Mountain R 1996 Remizidae Verdin R Aegithalidae Bushtit R 1996 Certhiidae Creeper, Brown R Sittidae Nuthatch, White-breasted R 1996 Nuthatch, Red-breasted W Nuthatch, Pygmy R Troglodytidae Wren, House R Wren, Winter W Wren, Bewick's R 1997 Wren, Marsh W Wren, Canyon R Wren, Rock R 1995 Wren, Cactus R 1996 Muscicapidae Kinglet, Golden-crowned W Kinglet, Ruby-crowned S 1996 Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray S 1995 Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed R 1996 Bluebird, Western W 1996 Bluebird, Mountain W 1997 Solitaire, Townsend's R 1996 Thrush, Hermit W Robin, American W 1997 Laniidae Shrike, Loggerhead R 1997 Mimidae Mockingbird, Northern R 1997 Thrasher, Sage W 1997 Thrasher, Curve-billed R Thrasher, Bendire's S Thrasher, Crissal R 1995 Motacillidae Pipit, American W Bombycillidae Waxwing, Cedar W Ptilogonatidae Phainopepla R 1997 Sturnidae Starling, European R Vireonidae Vireo, Bell's S 1997 Vireo, Gray S Vireo, Cassin's (Solitary) S 1997 Vireo, Plumbous (Solitary) S Vireo, Warbling S Emberizidae Warbler, Virginia's S* Warbler, Yellow-rumped S 1996 Warbler, Black-throated Gray S Warbler, Grace's S* Warbler, Yellow S 1997 Warbler, MacGillivray's S Warbler, Olive S 1996 Warbler, Lucy's S 1997 Warbler, Orange-crowned S 1997 Yellowthroat, Common S Chat, Yellow-breasted S Redstart, Painted S Warbler, Red-faced S Grosbeak, Black-headed S Grosbeak, Blue S Bunting, Indigo S Bunting, Lazuli S Towhee, Green-tailed S Towhee, Spotted (Rufous-sided) R 1996 Towhee, Canyon (Brown) R 1996 Towhee, Abert's R Sparrow, Vesper W Sparrow, Savannah W Sparrow, Song R Sparrow, Lark S Sparrow, Black-throated R 1996 Sparrow, Sage W 1996 Sparrow, Rufous-crowned R 1997 Sparrow, Chipping S 1997 Sparrow, Brewer's W 1997 Sparrow, Black-chinned W 1997 Junco, Dark-eyed W 1996 Sparrow, White-throated W 1996 Sparrow, White-crowned W 1996 Sparrow, Fox W Longspur, Chestnut-collared W* Meadowlark, Western R Blackbird, Yellow-headed W Blackbird, Red-winged R Blackbird, Brewer's W Cowbird, Brown-headed R 1997 Cowbird, Bronzed S* Grackle, Great-tailed S Oriole, Scott's S 1997 Oriole, Northern S Oriole, Hooded S 1996 Tanager, Western S 1996 Tanager, Summer S 1997 Tanager, Hepatic S* 1996 Passeridae Sparrow, House R Fringillidae Siskin, Pine W Goldfinch, American W Goldfinch, Lesser R Goldfinch, Lawrence's W Crossbill, Red R Finch, Cassin's W 1997 Finch, House R 1996 Grosbeak, Evening R |
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Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. ; Last updated 031126 |
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