Gila woodpeckers in Arizona

Inspector Gila was busy this morning, negotiating the barrel cactus in front of my desk. The male woodpeckers sport what looks like a red lipstick streak on their heads. Their voices, clearly heard, even when competing with traffic noise, sound like squeak toys having a party.
Learn about our relationship and the amazing engineering of these birds at https://news.azpm.org/…/122294-the-art-of-paying-attention…/

photo: Beth Surdut

Some creatures negotiate the thorniness of life better than others.

 

photo: Beth Surdut

Gila Woodpecker claims a cactus fruit. Pencil and pen on paper-- drawing by Beth Surdut