advertisement
30 May 2022
Sitting in my office in Chandler, Arizona, in an area commonly called Ocotillo, I can sometimes glimpse the most unlikely bird I ever thought I would see. Enjoying the outdoors of Arizona and bathing in the water in the artificial pond by my office are Rosy-faced lovebirds.
advertisement
At first, I thought the birds were lost pets, which had me alarmed as a former bird owner (I used to have a pet parakeet as a kid — lived a long and full life to the age of 12). Worrying about the potential pet owners missing their birds, I dove into researching these beautiful tropical birds living their best life in Arizona.
The improbable Rosy-faced lovebird has been spreading for years throughout the Phoenix valley. It’s improbable because Arizona is the only place you’ll find them in the wild outside of their native home in Africa.
The Peach-faced Lovebird is a small parrot native to Namibia, Africa, that is popular as a caged pet bird. Like many caged birds, accidental releases in urban areas occur. However, unlike most unintentional releases, this parrot has adapted to desert habitats in Arizona rapidly.
Typically, released parrots are entirely dependent on food and water from people. Nevertheless, the Peach-faced Lovebird has managed to flourish in Arizona and continue eating, breeding, and thriving. Research suggests this is because they come from a similarly dry area in Africa and live in palm trees identical to the kind of trees they inhabit in Africa.
advertisement
Colonies most likely started by an unintentional Love Bird release from an aviary in Apache Junction in 1987 that got hit by a monsoon microburst. It destroyed the aviary and turned at least 100 love birds loose.
Sometimes these Rosey-faced cuties are mistaken for escaped pets or parakeets because of their tropical look (as I did). But, of course, these parrots would die in the wild just about anywhere else. Still, as stated earlier, it happened to be a happy accident that Phoenix is almost identical to their native Namibia.
They are all over Scottsdale, Central Phoenix, Ahwatukee, and Chandler. Technically, they are an invasive species, but they don’t seem to be killing off or affecting any of the native birds. So if you live in these areas and want to catch a sneak peek of these beautiful birds, try setting out a bowl of their favorite treat: sunflower seeds!
advertisement
The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is one of the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America and a symbol of both ecological resilience and conservation success. Once nearly extinct, this small gray wolf has become the focus of one of the most closely monitored wildlife recovery efforts in the United States. advertisement A Species on the Brink By the late 1970s, only seven Mexican gray wolves remained in captivity. Their disappearance from the wild was driven by habitat loss, hunting, and predator control programs. The survival of this subspecies depended entirely on careful intervention and breeding programs.
Tucson is taking a bold new step to support its most vulnerable residents. The city has announced plans to create its first city-sanctioned outdoor sleep area, named Star Village, aimed at providing unhoused Tucsonans with a safe place to sleep at night. advertisement A New Approach to Homelessness For many people living on Tucson’s streets, “home” is constantly shifting. Park clear-outs, law enforcement patrols, severe weather, or conflicts can force unhoused residents to move frequently. City officials hope Star Village will provide not just shelter but stability, a stepping stone toward permanent housing. “This was a really bold step,” said
Living in Arizona means accepting a fundamental truth: as one desert dweller puts it, “everything in the desert hates you.” The Sonoran Desert’s plant life seems designed to leave its mark on anyone who dares to venture too close. But what happens when these prickly cactus encounters become unavoidable, and how do you deal with the aftermath? advertisement The Reality of Arizona’s Cactus Encounters Jumping Cholla Despite its name, jumping cholla doesn’t actually jump. However, its segments are so loosely attached and the barbed spines so effective at grabbing onto anything that brushes against them, it certainly seems like an
When it comes to historical facts, Arizona is known for its Wild West days. However, Arizona holds a treasure trove of fascinating stories. Let’s dive into some of the coolest historical facts about Arizona that you may not know. advertisement 1. Phoenix Was Almost Named “Pumpkinville.” (Sort of) In the mid-1800s, when settlers first arrived in Phoenix, they found fields of pumpkins growing where the Hohokam Native tribes had once established an intricate system of canals. These canals had been built to irrigate crops, and when settlers came across them, they were impressed by the thriving agriculture in the region.
