Birding in Arizona

This tiny owl is only 5" full grown, and isn't uncommon in the Arizona desert, according to this Fact Sheet. I'll be looking for their nests in trees or cacti about 15-30 feet off the ground. They are mainly insectivores, feeding on moths, crickets, beetles and scorpions.

elf owlet in saguaro cactus

I've only ever seen an Indigo bunting once - and that was in Sian Ka'an Biosphere along the Mayan Riviera. Such a pretty blue bird! Varied and Lazuli buntings are more likely to be seen in the Grand Canyon than their brilliant Indigo cousins.

Lazuli Bunting

The most famous bird in the Sonoran desert is a member of the cuckoo family. This voracious predator feasts on lizards, small snakes and small birds. Cartoon-like behaviour includes ruffling the feathers on the crown of its head and running up to 15 mph on the ground. It rarely flies.

roadrunner

.... Here's another bird with strange headgear. Young quail are called cheepers, squealers and chics. and often make a light lunch for roadrunners.

California Quail

In some parts of their range (e.g., California), acorn woodpeckers create granaries or "acorn trees" by drilling holes in dead trees, dead branches, telephone poles, and wooden buildings. The woodpeckers then collect acorns and find a hole that is just the right size for the acorn. As acorns dry out, they are moved to smaller holes and granary maintenance requires a significant amount of the bird's time.(Wikipedia)

acorn woodpecker

acorn woodpecker granary

Other birds I may see in the Grand Canyon and around Sedona:

white-throated swift

spotted towhee

Gila woodpecker

canyon wren

Thanks to the Birdwatching Lady  for helping me compile my list:

ARIZONA GRAND CANYON

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK OFF HWY 64 ARIZONA

Stand at the edge of the canyon and watch the rare and beautiful California Condors fly overhead.  Birds you will also see: Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, California Quail, Rock Dove, Band-tailed Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-dove, Greater Roadrunner, Blue Jays,Chickdees, finches, warblers, Nuthatches, hummingbirds, acorn woodpeckers, flycatchers, songbirds, sparrows, tanagers, blackbirds, buntings,swifts, swallows.

ARIZONA SEDONA

OAK CREEK CANYON & MIA'S PLACE WILDLIFE HABITAT  OFF HWY 89A SEDONA, AZ

Birds you will see: Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, California Quail, Rock Dove, Band-tailed Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-dove, Greater Roadrunner, Blue Jays,Chickdees, finches, warblers, Nuthatches, hummingbirds, acorn woodpeckers, flycatchers, songbirds, sparrows, tanagers, blackbirds, buntings,swifts, swallows.