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Gila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentCliff Dwellings
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Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Birds
Male rufous hummingbird hovering near a branch.

NPS Photo by Barry Nielsen

Unidentified female or juvenile hummingbird.

The great ecological diversity of the Gila National Forest provides for a remarkably varied bird fauna; 166 species are known to breed in the Gila, 114 others are more or less regular non-breeders, and 57 species are considered to be casual (recorded 3-5 times) or accidental (recorded once or twice). To obtain a checklist of local birds call the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Visitor Center at (505) 536-9461 and ask for a copy of the brochure "Birds of the Gila National Forest: A Checklist" or click on the link below.

 

 
Cliff Dwelling Vigas  

Did You Know?
The stone axes made it challenging for the Mogollon to cut down trees for vigas (roof beams) in the Gila Cliff Dwellings. So, before chopping the tree trunks, they would burn a small fire around the base of the trunk to weaken it so their axes could cut it down more easily.

Last Updated: August 30, 2007 at 13:42 EST