BIRDWATCHING
The Fountain Hills area is a great place for bird watching due to its diverse habitats. There’s Fountain Lake; the surrounding deserts, golf courses and we are located near two rivers, the Salt and the Verde. This part of the Sonoran Desert is home to many year-round species, of course, but we also have numerous migratory, seasonal visitors. The birds follow the nice weather just as people do!
Starting at the center of town, the Fountain Lake, you can see all types of water birds. The numbers and types change depending upon the season. Including, but not limited to: American Widgeons, Blue Herons, Buffleheads, Coots, Eared Grebes, Greater Scaups, Greater Yellowlegs, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-necked Ducks and Ruddy Ducks. The Fountain Lake has had, on two occasions, visiting Pelicans that were apparently "blown off course"!
The park surrounding Fountain Lake and our numerous golf courses are also great bird habitats. The grassy expanses attract: Say’s Phoebes, Great-tailed Grackles, Killdeer, and several types of flycatchers. The surrounding Sonoran Desert habitat is home to lots of different types of birds. You can find these by just driving (slowly!) through our town or hiking some of the local trails.
Another great place to see these birds is McDowell Mountain Park, located just four miles north of town off of Rio Verde Drive. Some of the birds you will undoubtedly see are: Cactus Wrens (our state bird), American Kestrels, Gila Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Curve-billed Thrashers, Mourning Doves, White-winded Doves (summer only), Flickers, Gambel’s Quail (visit us in the spring to see families with up to twenty tiny babies following Mom), Hooded Orioles, White-crowned Sparrows (winter only), Abert’s Towhees, Phainopeplas (winter only) Mockingbirds and Verdins. More elusive are our Roadrunners. Hard to see, but, if you are lucky, it’s a great treat!
Of course, the southwest is known for its abundant numbers of hummingbirds. While we don’t have nearly the variety found in Southern Arizona, we certainly have our share! Anna’s and Costa’s are the more prevalent and are year round residents. During the summer, you can spot Black-chinned, and Rufous.
Soaring overhead, you will see Ravens (there are no crows in Arizona), Turkey Vultures (did you know they can smell carrion up to a mile away?) and Harris Hawks. While there are several types of Hawks, the Harris is the easiest to identify. They have a broad white band at the base of their tails and they usually fly and hunt in "families" of three.