Bald Eagles are an important and strong symbol for both Native Americans and the United States as a whole. They are protected by federal laws and SRPMIC Tribal ordinances (SRO-359-2010).

SRPMIC recognizes that bald eagles and their habitat are deeply intertwined with the O’Odham and Piipaash traditional beliefs regarding cultural origins, cultural history, and the nature of the world. As such, bald eagles and their habitat are considered scared and vital to the continuation of the way of life for both the O’Odham and Piipaash people. Bald eagles are indigenous to the Community. The species are to be managed and protected, whenever possible, and to improve their habitat to enhance their numbers within the carrying capacity of Community habitat.

Bald Eagle Management Program

The Community’s Bald Eagle Management Program (BEMP) collaborates with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program to protect the bald eagle population and its habitat within Tribal boundaries. The dedicated Nestwatch Program employees are referred to as “nestwatchers” and they observe the eagles from dawn to dusk. They collect important data about the eagles’ behavior, provide eagle education to the public when needed, and notify rescuers of life-threatening situations for the birds.

For more information please click on the following Link

SRPMIC Junior Nestwatch Program

SRPMIC operates a Junior Nestwatch Program as an opportunity for Community members between the ages of 16-21 to learn more about eagles and train to become a Nestwatcher. Any Community members interested in the Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program or Junior Nestwatch Programs should call the EPNR Hotline at (480) 362-7500 or contact us via e-mail at EPNR@srpmic-nsn.gov.

Wildlife Factoid: The rattles on the tail of a western diamondback rattlesnake are made from keratin, which is the same stuff that that makes up your hair and fingernails. Ideal temperatures for snakes are between 65℉ and 90℉. If it’s too cold, they’re sluggish (slow and sleepy), and if it’s too warm, they overheat.

Bird of the month!

Red-tailed hawks

This bird is one of the most common roadside birds across North America. Often seen perched (sitting) atop power poles and on trees, hawking (hunting) for prey.

Keep an eye out for these common birds you might see around your house:

Mourning Dove

Mourning doves can be found year-round within the Community, often in groups on the ground, on power lines and in trees. They are one of the most common backyard birds across the United States.

Other birds you might see that could be mistaken for mourning doves:

Inca dove
Common ground dove
Eurasian collared-dove
White-winged dove

Gila woodpecker

This common desert woodpecker can be found year-round within the Community and is seen regularly in areas with saguaros and scattered trees.

Other birds you might see and mistake for the Gila woodpecker:

Gilded flicker
Northern flicker

Every year during peak nesting season (Feb 1st – Sept 20th), numerous bird species search for nesting locations. Some species nest on the ground, some low in trees, and some at the very top of old trees. Often some of them will nest in your backyard. Just something to keep in mind when it’s time to trim your trees and plants. Try to avoid trimming branches with nests or knocking other branches into them.
Nest Tree Trimming[PDF]

Birds are banded for a number of reasons. First and foremost, birds are banded to make them identifiable individuals; think of it as giving the bird a name. Having individually identifiable birds allows researchers, conservationists, birders, and hobbyists to learn and track the bird’s migration, its age and life span, family lines, habitat preferences, ranges (how far it will travel within its home territory), and even common behaviors. Bird banding is also a great education tool.

There are different types of identifiers used in bird banding. USGS leg bands are metal bands, each with a unique 8-9 digit number, placed on the ankle of a bird. These bands are not made to be read from afar. Auxiliary markers are used by researchers to be able to identify a bird at a distance by reading the marker(s) through scopes, binoculars or with the naked eye.

Auxiliary markers can have letters, numbers, and combinations of colors and can occur on different parts of the birds. To read auxiliary bands, it’s important to note the location of the band on the bird, color of the band(s), and if present, the color of the lettering, and the letters/numbers on the band.

Common auxiliary markers include:

Neck bands, commonly used on geese or swans.

Leg bands, commonly used on birds of prey (eagles, hawks, falcons, etc) among others.

Leg flags, often on shorebirds or wading birds.

Wing markers, often used on vultures, condors, hawks, etc.

Colored leg bands; the exact placement of the bands, colors of the bands, and location of the metal band are all important in identifying color banded birds, often used for songbirds.

Within the Community, bald eagles are banded with a USGS band and an auxiliary marker to monitor the population, the successes of the nests, and their preferred habitats.

If you’ve read the bands on a banded bird, help researchers out by reporting it here.

To let us know you’ve read the bands on a banded bird, especially a bald eagle, or found a banded carcass, please email us at EPNR@srpmic-nsn.gov.

A major part of human life is often urbanization and expansion. But, responsible urbanization is done in a way that ensures the wildlife of the area will still have habitat and can still thrive.

Any construction project requires an assessment of the project area to ensure the wildlife populations in the area will not be negatively affected by the planned project; this includes a site visit to look for threatened and/or endangered wildlife, species of cultural significance, habitat that these species might use, birds and their nests, and/or species of conservation concern. When these species are found, monitoring may be required to ensure that the construction activities are not disturbing the wildlife substantially. Commonly, disturbing wildlife during sensitive periods of the life cycle can lead to failure of nests, stress of the adults, stress of the young, and death.

For migratory bird species, take is defined as “to pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect” by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Take of migratory birds species without a permit is illegal. Often, state laws control the take of mammalian (mammals) and herpetological (reptiles and amphibians) species. As Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s wildlife population are protected under the Community’s Code of Ordinances under Chapter’s 12 and 18. The goal of the compliance program is protecting tribal wildlife species and ensuring they will be around for generations to come.

To find out what federally threatened or endangered species occur in Arizona, click here.

Noxious weeds are plants that have been designated as plants that are harmful to farming operations, horticulture, natural habitats and/or ecosystems, humans or livestock.

Most of the time noxious weeds have been introduced into the environment for one reason or another (e.g. ornamentals, misguided erosion control, etc), making them also qualify as invasive species. Sometimes, however, they are native species, but have lost their natural control measures (e.g. herbivores). Typically, these plants grow aggressively, rapidly overtaking an area, multiply quickly, making them hard to control, and/or can cause adverse effects through contact or ingestion.

Noxious weeds have been designated by the US federal government. If you would like to see the list of US designated noxious weeds, click here.

The state of Arizona has a list of designated noxious weeds as well: here.

The goal of the CWMP is to map areas within the Community where noxious weed species occur and/or are spreading and attempt to remove them or control their spread.

Have you observed an animal you couldn’t identify? Did you get a picture? Can you give us a location? Fill out the form below and we’ll look into it.

Education and outreach is a large part of wildlife management. Understanding why bees sting, when you might see snakes, or how birds use the environment, can help us cohabitate with all of Earth’s inhabitants.

If you are an SRPMIC Community member, with an SRPMIC organization or Department, a Tribal entity, environmental agency, or environmental outreach group, and would like to schedule a wildlife walk, discussion, or presentation, please submit the outreach request form below. For more information, please email Victoria.Olmstead@srpmic-nsn.gov.