Passport For Permanent Resident

Passport For Permanent Resident

Passport For Permanent Resident

Posted on: February 14, 2012 - 9:41 am
by Admin

Found in only five of the United States, Verdins are tiny, chickadee-like birds that are inquisitive and friendly, and the only species in the Penduline Tit family found in the Western Hemisphere.

The Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps)

The Verdin is a member of the Remizidae family, or Penduline Tits, more common to Africa and Eurasia. It is the only species in the genus Auriparus, and the single species in the family found in the New World. Verdins are found throughout Baja California and most of mainland Mexico, where it is known as the Baloncillo. In the United States, its range is limited to the southern deserts of five states, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

They are most common in the Sonora Desert, between 1,000 and 4,000 feet in elevation, preferring thorny scrub and willows within riparian areas, as well as desert-landscaped suburban areas like Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Verdins are permanent, non-migratory residents, just four inches in length. While juveniles are drab gray with a distinguishing pinkish/yellow lower mandible (bill), adult Verdins are easily identifiable by their bright yellow head, face and throat. Less readily seen, but another clear mark of identification is the rufous/red epaulet that graces each shoulder. At four inches or less, Verdins are one of the smallest passerines (perching songbirds) in North America.