Male Phainopepla

I spotted this handsome Phainopepla from my kitchen window. He posed for me for quite a while. The beautiful Phainopepla is a bird of the southwest of the United States, with its range extending down into Mexico.

The name Phainopepla is Greek for "shining cloak," which perfectly describes the lustrous black plumage of the male. Phainopepla nests in two distinct habitats: the Sonoran Desert in early spring, February to April, and cooler woodlands from May through July, What remains unknown is whether some birds actually nest and have young in both habitats in a single year.

For more information on the Phainopepla: Phainopepla Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology