File:Birds of the Papago Saguaro National Monument and the Neighboring Region, Arizona (1920) (14770579843).jpg

Identifier: birdsofpapagosag00swar (find matches)
Title: Birds of the Papago Saguaro National Monument and the Neighboring Region, Arizona
Year: 1920 (1920s)
Authors: Swarth, H.S.
Subjects:
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Contributing Library: Clemson University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation

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, and house finch. I have even found themourning dove sitting upon eggs in a gouged-out cavity in the sideof a Saguaro trunk. The elf owl, gilded flicker, and Arizona crested flycatcher may oc-casionally be found nesting in holes in trees where such occur nearthe giant cactus, but it is useless to look for them in sections of thecountry where the cactus does not also grow. So closely are thesespecies confined to the neighborhood of the giant cactus that theyappear to have been evolved in direct response to the opportunitiesafforded by this plant to these types of birds. In other words, toput it baldly, here were niches, to be filled in by a hole-dwelling owl,woodpecker, and flycatcher—opportunities not found elsewherein these desert countries, and promptly taken advantage of by typesof birds which in other sections would find suitable homes in thetimber. The sparrow hawk and purple martin utilize holes in thecactus as they would in trees or buildings. The cactus wren some- PLATE II.
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L.Sw GIANT CACTUS OR SAGUARO. PAPAGO SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. The giant cactus is a conspicuous feature of the landscape over much of southern Arizona.In the absence of trees it is used for nesting purposes by woodpeckers and other hole-dwelling birds. The fruit, seen growing at the ends of the arms, is eaten by many speciesof birds. BIRDS OF THE PAP AGO SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. 15 times builds its nest among the arms of the cactus, but it usuallyprefers a lower situation. We thus find here examples of hole-dwelling hawk, owl, wood-pecker, flycatcher, and swallow, widely different birds, alike only intheir choice of nesting sites. It is curious that the desert shouldalso contain one species belonging to a family that elsewhere breedsalmost exclusively in cavities, but which here does not follow thetraditions of the race. This is the verdin, a titmouse—dwellers inholes the world over, almost—but an accomplished architect, whoby reason of his talents finds no need of crawling in

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