PVCC Puma Press: November 2004

Arizona is a state rich in resident wildlife; however, it is phenomenal during the fall and winter. We've all heard that animals move south for the winter, but did you realize that Arizona is the "south" many animals use as winter harbor?

Right now thousands of animals are on the move toward Arizona or they have just arrived. Kestrel Falcons arrived in early October and can be heard in the mornings and evenings throughout the Phoenix area. Canadian geese flocks can be seen in December. Migratory hawks will join our Phoenix resident populations in the next 6-8 weeks and can be seen sitting atop phone polls and in large trees. Deer will soon move from Utah to the Kebab Plateau in Northern Arizona and our resident elk will move from their summer grounds to lower elevations.

During the fall, the Grand Canyon not only provides a bounty of beauty and fall color, but also a festival of raptor activity as eagles, hawks, falcons, ospreys and harriers arrive between the months of August and November. There are also many animals that migrate through Arizona on their ways to other destinations. The Swanson’s hawk often passes through Arizona en route from California to South America.

So, exactly why are these animals doing this—what exactly does it mean to migrate? Animals migrate, or relocate and usually return to their point of origin seasonally. Some animals are nomadic, meaning that they do not necessarily return to a point of origin.

As the climate in summer areas turns to fall and winter, food sources decrease, especially plant and insect resources; therefore, survival for many animals depends on movement.

Many of these animals, such as deer and elk, travel up to several hundred miles, which is a relatively small migratory pattern compared to other patterns. Birds travel thousands of miles for summer and winter migration.

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Some animals migrate to breeding grounds and others for climate alone
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Some animals migrate to breeding grounds and others for climate alone. Salmon migrate into freshwater streams to spawn, lay eggs and die. Some animals migrate not because their food sources decrease, but because their physiological needs change. An example of this is in again, the Swanson’s hawk. In its breeding and summer home of Sacramento, California, this large hawk eats small grassland mammals; however, it migrates to South America to feed on rich supplies of insects, specifically grasshoppers. In this case, California did not lose its small rodent population, but the needs of the hawk changed.

Another reason to migrate is sheer temperature—either extreme heat or cold.

There are many questions involving the mechanisms of migration. How animals return to a nest thousands of miles from a point of origin is still a mystery. Navigation hypotheses include the utilization of the sun, moon, stars and magnetic energy. Other hypotheses are that animals follow land patterns and even odors. One widely accepted hypothesis is that animals use more than one mechanism to migrate—it is thought that they use many.

If you are fortunate enough to find the time this year to spend some quality time outdoors in our beautiful state, keep in mind that you may see many animals on the move. Some may be here to stay a while, some are just passing through. If you really want to know more about our winter visitors, pick up a couple of field guides from a local or online bookstore. A highly recommended set is called the Peterson Field Guides.

You can also check out sounds and video clips of migratory animals online by doing a general search. Becoming familiar with the sites and sounds of resident and migratory wildlife not only gives you a newfound knowledge of your environment, it really makes living and traveling in Arizona all the more fascinating and beautiful. Next time you see a big hawk perched on a telephone pole, just remember it may have traveled great distances to be there.

Welcome home Arizona’s wildlife. Watch for them on the roads, try not to use poisons in or around your home, and never harass or attempt to touch a wild animal.

Fun Migration Facts:

• The Arctic Tern (a bird) migrates about 22,000 miles per year, which is equivalent to flying the circumference of the world. This is more than any other animal on Earth. It summers in the Arctic Circle, and migrates to Antarctica in the winter.

• The Monarch Butterfly migrates 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico, more than any other butterfly.

• The gray whales travel over 12,000 miles each year, the longest of any underwater species known.

• Arizona is the hummingbird capitol of the world. We have more species of hummingbirds coming and going seasonally than any other region.

• Female sea turtles migrate to the exact beach they hatched on to lay their own eggs.