A Flock of Phainopepla

Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) is a gorgeous desert bird often seen alone or in a pair at the top of a tree jealously guarded because of an ample food supply in the form of mistletoe berries. It eats other berries as well and occasionally will catch an insect like the flycatcher that it is. The males are glossy black with red eyes and the females are gray. They both have a ragged crest and white wing patches obvious in flight. Here is a rare sight of a flock hanging out at the top of a mesquite tree. Juicy red hackberries were nearby but I didn’t notice any mistletoe yet.