Harpers Corner Trail Stop 11

Northern Flickers can be seen climbing along tree limbs.

NPS Photo/Molly Swindle

Quick Facts

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

By now you may have spotted some of the local wildlife. The higher elevations of Harpers Corner are home to a variety of birds, some of which can be found fairly easily and others that are a bit more inconspicuous. Look for dark black ravens that are at home in the canyon country you see before you. Typically traveling in pairs, they are generalist species and are able to survive in almost all the environments found in the monument, from high forests to low dry deserts. Other birds you may encounter along the trail include the melodious Mountain Chickadee, the vibrant blue Scrub Jay, the mischievous Black-billed Magpie, and the boisterous Dark Eyed Junco.

If you glance behind you into the trees, you might see a bird that is uniquely adapted to this environment. In high forests across the west, the black and gray Clark’s Nutcracker can be seen flashing from tree to tree. They have a specially designed beak that allows them to pry open pinecones and remove their seeds; underneath their tongue they have a unique pouch that allows them to store the seeds so they can cache them for later use. In preparation for winter, they will hide seeds all around the forest. Even the smartest birds don’t remember exactly where they left all of them and over the years many will grow to become new trees.