The Coati (co-AH-tee) is a relative of the raccoon with a long nose, masked face, and a striped tail. Coatis are curious and energetic, just like kids!
Coati Club News, April 2016
We have been seeing a lot of birds in our recent programs here at the Desert Museum and at Sweetwater Wetlands. Tucson is home to a variety of birds. Some live here all year, and some are just winter visitors.
Do you have favorite foods? Birds do too. Some eat insects, fish, or other animals. Others sip nectar or eat fruit. Many are seed-eaters.
Each bird has a special beak adapted to the kind of food it eats. Just as a hummingbird cannot gobble up mice, a hawk could not possibly sip nectar from a flower! Some birds, like hawks, have beaks that are best for tearing meat. Hummingbird beaks are long and thin, enabling them to probe flowers for nectar. Others, like cardinals, have strong cone-shaped beaks for cracking seeds. Woodpeckers have beaks that are sharp and pointed, adapted to picking up insects and boring into tree trunks or fruit. Try our bird beak crossword puzzle to see what foods common Tucson area birds eat.
Spring is a wonderful time to watch birds, and setting up a feeding station lets you do so at home as wild birds come to eat. You can hang a feeder from a tree, or mount it on a pole. Be sure to place the feeding station in a place where you can see. Once the birds get used to coming, they will visit regularly, and you can watch them.
Here’s an easy way to make a feeder by recycling a plastic jug. (You may need to ask an adult for help.)
Now hang it from a tree and watch the birds come to feed! The seed-eaters, such as sparrows, quail, finches, and cardinals, will eat birdseed sold at pet stores, feed stores, bird stores, or grocery markets. You can also create your own mix! Offer a variety of foods at your station. More birdfeeder recipes.
How many birds can you identify at your feeding station? Check out Tucson Audubon Society and the Tree of Life Web Project listing for more information on common Tucson birds.
Down: 1. Cactus wren, 2. Quail, 3. Vulture, 5. Eagle, 9. Hawk, 10. Dove
Across: 4. Cardinal, 6. Roadrunner, 7. Owl, 8. Woodpecker, 9. Hummingbird
Photo credits: Woodpecker, Hummingbird, Hawk © Rhonda Spencer; Cardinal © Sam Wilson