The Say's Phoebe; a species in decline

The window is closing on comfortable hiking on the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains, so if you are thinking of trying the trail to Agua Caliente Saddle, best to do this now before the heat is on. This is a steep trail, but scenic and remote, with few visitors. Chances are the only other living things you will see are wildlife, not people. The Elephant Head Bike Trail from the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains has the bonus of taking you past the old ruins of the Elephant Head Mill site. The Forest Service has added interpretive signs at the ruins, explaining the operations of this mill site and what minerals were extracted during its hey-day.View the list »
Lower elevation hikes in the Santa Rita Mountains are still doable before the arrival of hot weather. Try the Elephant Head Bike Trail either from the Madera Canyon side, or from the west access off of Mt. Hopkins road. To access the trail from Madera, use Proctor Road at the base of the canyon and follow all the way to the end. 

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The Say’s Phoebe is a winter visitor to Arizona, and one of the many flycatcher species you might see on a hike in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson.

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This is a medium sized flycatcher species, with gray to brown on the upperparts and a pale gray throat and breast. The stomach has a touch of rust color, as do the undertail coverts. Both the wings and tail are dark in color.

The Say’s Phoebe prefers insects, fluttering from branch to branch with weak wing beats. It perches hawk-like on branches to look for prey, and can hover in the air.

Since the Say’s Phoebe prefers open areas, you would most like spot this bird in the lower elevations of the Santa Rita Mountains, including the Santa Rita Experimental Range.

The population of this species is in decline, probably because of habitat loss in its nesting sites.

Reference: The Nature of Madera Canyon by Douglas W. Moore, Friends of Madera, 1999; whatbird.com

View the list
  • Lower elevation hikes in the Santa Rita Mountains are still doable before the arrival of hot weather. Try the Elephant Head Bike Trail either from the Madera Canyon side, or from the west access off of Mt. Hopkins road. To access the trail from Madera, use Proctor Road at the base of the canyon and follow all the way to the end. 
  • The Elephant Head Bike Trail from the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains has the bonus of taking you past the old ruins of the Elephant Head Mill site. The Forest Service has added interpretive signs at the ruins, explaining the operations of this mill site and what minerals were extracted during its hey-day.
  • The window is closing on comfortable hiking on the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains, so if you are thinking of trying the trail to Agua Caliente Saddle, best to do this now before the heat is on. This is a steep trail, but scenic and remote, with few visitors. Chances are the only other living things you will see are wildlife, not people. 
View the list

, Santa Rita Mountains Outdoor Recreation Examiner

Ms. Strader is 40-year resident of Southern Arizona. She began her Forest Service career as a fire fighter in the Santa Rita Mountains which was the beginning of her dedication to learning as much as she could about the mountains she used to protect. ...

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