Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx
montezumae)
This male bird was
photographed in Chiricahua National Monument in southern Arizona. We were excited to see a family of quail on the side of Lookout Mountain. Montezuma quail has a very limited
range in the USA: in parts of southern Arizona, southern New Mexico and western
Texas. This secretive quail is
declining in numbers, possibly because it is very sensitive to
overgrazing. It feeds on bulbs and
tubers growing underground, in dense grassland and scrub country at higher
elevations. Because the bulbs
provide a source of moisture, even in dry conditions, this quail is not
dependent on free water so occupies arid habitats. However, it appears to need summer rains as a cue for
breeding.
Elegant trogon (Trogon elegans)
The elegant trogon occurs in very
limited areas of southern Arizona, in canyons of oak and sycamore. This female bird was photographed in Cave
Creek, in southern Arizona. I was
very pleased to see it early one morning, as it flew towards us. Females are less easy to spot than the
male birds, which have a characteristic call. The male bird is colourful, with a bright orange-red breast
and metallic dark green head. Elegant
trogons that breed in Arizona migrate to Mexico for the winter. Although the elegant trogon has a very
limited distribution in the USA, it is relatively common in Mexico and as far
south as Costa Rica.
