Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition

By Jacob Croft Western Screech Owl Megascops Kennicotti Status: Least Concerned Size: 7.5-9.8 inches Habitat: Woodlands The Western Screech Owl, looking much like the Eastern Screech Owl, is found in the western US and Mexico. They live here in El Paso, but are not commonly seen. Watch for them in the evenings or early mornings. They are nocturnalContinue reading "Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: Western Screech Owl"

Natural entrance to Carlsbad Caverns, home to a maternity colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. By Rick LoBello, Board Member Prior to moving to El Paso my friends used to call me Batman because of my job at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.   From 1992 to 2000 I lived in government housing a stone’s throw away fromContinue reading "Free tailing it up to Carlsbad"

By Stephen Hummel, Board Member Fireflies are not an insect species commonly associated with the desert. They are typically found in humid, dark, wooded environments typically found in the eastern half of the United States and elsewhere. Relatively few fireflies can be found in the dry conditions of the western United States. One exception isContinue reading "Sky Island Fireflies"

By Rick LoBello, Board Member Spring is in the air and here in El Paso one of our most vocal resident birds is busy preparing for the breeding season. If you don’t see them when you wake up in the morning you can certainly hear them and this beautiful bird has a very distinctive song.Continue reading "Meet your neighbors: who cooks for who?"

The Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park. Photo by Gary Nored, Wikimedia Creative Commons The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens are teaming up to host a third Chihuahuan Desert Conference in El Paso on November 15-17, 2023. To learn more about the meeting visit the conference website at http://chihuahuandesertconference.org. Continue reading "Call for Abstracts for Oral Presentations and Posters at the 2023 Chihuahuan Desert Conference"

The coyote is the largest and most common apex predator in El Paso. Well known across North America from Canada to Central America, if you haven’t seen one yet don’t be surprised when you do. Their numbers in our city appear to be increasing as they move into neighborhoods looking for what we all wantContinue reading "Coyotes are El Paso’s most common apex predator"

By Rick LoBello, Board Member Like in many cities, different species of wildlife have adapted to living in El Paso. Birds and squirrels are probably the most obvious.   Did you know that the most commonly seen squirrel in El Paso is the rock squirrel? Other squirrel species include antelope ground squirrels and spotted ground squirrels.Continue reading "Meet your neighbors: Rock Squirrels"

By Rick LoBello, Board Member The long-tailed weasel is one of the rarest predators living here in the Chihuahuan Desert. As a result of their nocturnal lifestyle very few people have ever seen one, but they are out there hunting for rodents and other small prey including shrews, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, woodrats, cotton rats,Continue reading "The long-tailed weasel: El Paso’s rarely seen fearless predator of the night"

By Rick LoBello, Board Member Most seed eating birds with thick bills are easy to watch and identify.  Here in El Paso one of the most commonly seen little seed eating birds is the House Finch.  If you have a bird feeder at home you may have noticed how some have reddish heads, necks andContinue reading "Meet your neighbors: House Finch"

By Rick LoBello, Board member California condors used to live within an area of Texas we now call Big Bend National Park.   Bones have been found in a cave at Mule Ear’s peak.  Who is to say that these giant birds once lived all across the Chihuahuan Desert on both sides of the border.   ThisContinue reading "Who will champion the return of the condor to Texas?"