One of the more interesting birds that you can view in the desert is the Phainopepla. Many residents of Phoenix and the Sonoran Desert have no idea just how lucky we are to take in the beauty of this one of a kind bird species.
These birds can be hard to initially find. However once you set eyes on them and hear their call you will be able to identify them with ease. A common nickname-name for these birds is the “goth-cardinal”. This is due to the similar resemblance to that of the Northern Cardinal. However, these birds have beautiful black or gray plumage depending on the sex of the bird. They are a part of the Ptilogonatidae family of birds known as the “silky-flycatchers” The males have shiny dark black plumage while females have light gray plumage. They have a similar shape to Cardinal though. Each bird has an upright crest on the top of their head.
This bird is found in roughly 5 of the United States making it a true Southwest specialty. Their range also stretches into both Northern and Central Mexican states.
I often find these birds at the uppermost branches of desert trees in the morning or evening. They often sit perched and then fly in loops similar to a flycatcher hunting for bugs midair. The other usual place you can find these these birds hiding is tucked within the branches of desert shrubs and trees eating berries such as Elderberries, Hackberries, Juniper berries or Mistletoe berries growing within the branches of Mesquites and Palo Verde trees.
Also, visit the All About Birds link to hear the easily distinguished song which is another way to identify these birds. After you see the shimmer of their plumage in sunlight you will understand why!
A few Saturdays ago while in the memorial garden an unfamiliar shape atop of a Mesquite Tree caught my eyes. I quickly realized this was the first time I noticed a Phainopepla at our campus! I hope you get to see one of these beautiful birds soon too!
To learn more about this species view the following link for All About Birds: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Phainopepla/overview
~ Jezz Putnam