Curve-Billed Thrasher:
![Curve-billed thrasher](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/37665912755_bd51aaa7d5_b.jpg)
This bird has a stunning orange eye.
![Curve-billed thrasher](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/26777740549_daff4b0db5_b.jpg)
The Thrasher looks lovely posing with the Catalina Mountains in the background.
![Curve-billed thrasher](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4558/26777739979_3579bd3d18_b.jpg)
Cactus Wren:
![Cactus wren](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/37837040364_2424784f02_b.jpg)
I enjoyed many encounters with cactus wrens, and they were most identifiable by their vocalizations.
![Cactus wren](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4538/37837035904_60809fb897_b.jpg)
Their markings are really beautiful.
![Cactus wren](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/37837041054_aeb5a742a2_b.jpg)
I was happy to learn the Cactus Wren is the state bird of Arizona.
![Cactus wrens](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/24681180638_cba5f65051_b.jpg)
Canyon Wren:
![Canyon wren](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/37645923405_272d40017d_b.jpg)
This was the first time I'd seen a Canyon Wren. Like the Cactus Wren, this bird drew my attention with its song.
![Canyon wren](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/26757695259_037b2d241c_b.jpg)
Hummingbirds were everywhere and they could be heard much easier than they could be seen. I found this was true for almost all of the birds I saw. Despite the sparse vegetation and bright sunlight, wildlife was surprisingly tricky to see.
![Hummingbird](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/24660012158_c1fd7a98dd_b.jpg)
Greater Roadrunner:
![Roadrunner](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4567/37816445624_002743b7b1_b.jpg)
Just as I was complaining that I hadn't seen one, a Roadrunner came walking by.
![Roadrunner](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4529/38531978851_4a05213b04_b.jpg)
To me, they look prehistoric.
![Roadrunner](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4526/38531994801_c7bb17245c_b.jpg)
The Roadrunner is a really colorful bird, especially its rainbow tail. My companion found a tail feather on one of the hiking trails. It's brown with an emerald green sheen and can be seen below with a pigeon tail feather for reference.
![Roadrunner tail feather](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/37823267355_9405f47585_b.jpg)
A birding trip would not be complete without a Red-Tailed hawk, and this one obliged by flying close overhead.
![Red-tailed hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/38532975641_a3073072d7_b.jpg)
![Red-tailed hawk](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/38532976431_acd2c2c3d4_b.jpg)
I was struck by the amount of color on this hawk and the barring pattern across the body. Below is a photo of Christo for comparison. He has a lot more white on him, while the desert hawk shows much more brown.
![Christo flies around with food](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4256/34979516840_8a829be8ab_b.jpg)
You can see more Arizona birds on my Flickr page.
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