| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See All Featured Events Download Annual Calendar Get Calendar Widget |
Email the link to the events on this page to yourself, or to one or several people!
Have a website? Want to show Sedona and Northern Arizona events on your website? Get our cool Calendar Widget
or you can simply
Link To Our Calendar
Subscribe to our always-updating list of featured events.
RSS News and Events
Have a website? Want to show Sedona and Northern Arizona events on your website? Get our cool Calendar Widget
or you can simply
Link To Our Calendar
Subscribe to our always-updating list of featured events.
RSS News and Events 
Nighthawks, Poorwills and Nightjars Presentation to Audubon Society
|
|
Andi Rogers, wildlife biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department in Flagstaff, will give a program on goatsuckers, birds that include Common and Lesser Nighthawks, the Common Poorwill, and the Buff-collared Nightjar, at Wednesday evening’s Northern Arizona Audubon Society meeting at the Sedona Public Library. Goatsuckers are nocturnal birds that most people hear more often than see. The goatsucker name is based on the ancient belief that these large-mouthed birds suckled on goats’ milk by night; but their presence near such animals was no doubt due to the insects hovering about them. This erroneous folk belief is perpetuated in the common name of the family of these birds. Worldwide, there are 70 species within the family Caprimulgidae (in Latin, caper means goat and mulgeo means to milk or suck). With their long, pointed wings, weak feet, and small wide gaping bills fringed with bristles, these nocturnal and crepuscular birds also have been called flying insect traps and have been nicknamed nightjars. Camouflaged by brown, gray, and black coloring they virtually disappear when perched. Not unlike most owls, their lofty and downy feathers render their flight almost noiseless. While the four goatsuckers that are found in Arizona are adapted to a wide variety of habitats, temperatures, and elevations, the Common Poorwill is the only species of bird that is known to hibernate or go into torpor. This has been documented to occur in southern and western Arizona. While this has not been observed frequently, poorwills have been found in winter, roosting in crevices in canyons in an obviously torpid state, where they remain for several months. These hibernating birds maintain a body temperature of only 95.4-97.2o F (18-19o C), compared with their normal 135-136.8o F (40-41o C). As AG&FD Habitat Specialist, Rogers works with agencies such as the Forest Service, the BLM, and the State Land Dept to provide comment and evaluations on management projects such as those pertaining to forest fuels reductions, grazing and mining issues, transportation, and urban/rural developments. Her primary responsibilities are to “act on behalf of wildlife” by providing comments as to potential impacts these projects may have on wildlife. Prior to this position, she was the California condor biologist with the Department and spent countless hours watching ravens and their brazen trickery at the Grand Canyon. First and foremost, she still considers herself a raptor biologist. Her main interests include species such as the northern goshawk, which is the species that she researched in order to obtain a Master’s degree from the University of Arizona in 2002. In addition to the northern goshawk, Rogers has spent a great deal of time working with peregrine falcon recovery. Come to this meeting at 7 p.m., to learn the natural history and behavior of these birds as well as the recent Partners in Flight effort toward their west wide monitoring. The event is free and guests are welcome. |
|
|
When: 7:00 PM Where: Sedona Public Library, Sedona Phone: 928-214-0415 Contact: Phyllis Kegley Don't keep it to yourself. Tell everyone you know! Subscribe now! Get Sedona news and events delivered right to your email. (Your privacy is protected. No spam ever, and you can unsubscribe at any time.) |
