Wildlife Seen at the Birky House
(called the No-Petting Zoo because when you visit us you should not try to pet the "dogs", or the "cats", or the "pigs" ... and don't hug the trees!)
List updated Dec. 2, 2013
MAMMALS
REPTILES
AMPHIBIANS
ARTHROPODS OF NOTE
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BIRDS
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Wile E Coyote looking for the roadrunner (sorry, all our roadrunner pictures are blurred). |
Desert cottontails, aka coyote chow, drinking at the birdbath. |
Bob jumping on the wall for a dove ... missed it. |
Our first bobcat, Bob, sleeping after eating six doves and part of a road-killed deer. In the winter of 2002-3 we had at least six different bobcats in the yard: three solo adults and one adult who brought her nearly-mature kittens on several occasions. All but one were observed lying beneath the wall until a dove lands on top of the wall facing the other direction, whereupon the bobcat leaps up to take the dove from behind. Other great sightings include (1) in December 2004, a female and two nearly-grown cubs play king-of-the-tree for over 30 minutes, taking turns climbing to the highest branches while the other two tred to knock it off, following by napping all day; (2) in February 2005, a male walking along the wall, stopping to spray on it, then calling to a female who was following with interest (we predict more babies later this year). |
Bill with a four-foot bullsnake. |
Babe, pregnant again. Javelinas are new-world distant relatives of true pigs. |
Mule Deer in the backyard. |
Bushy-tailed woodrat in live trap, about to be deported for the crime of nesting in our attic. |
Tucson banded gecko. |
Baby Western Diamondback Rattlesnake on the back porch, next to a cement block, looking for the missing woodrat. |
Cactus Longhorn beetle. |
Cactus Longhorn beetle on the back of Bill's hand. |
Black widow. |
Black witch moth, an occasional visitor from Mexico with a six-inch wingspan. |
Wind scorpion, not poisonous but reportedly can give an unpleasant bite with their large jaws. |
Jackrabbit at our birdbaths. |
Paloverde Beetle |
Tarantula |
Baby tarantula |
Tarantula in burrow |
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