The pine and fir forests of the higher Rincons are rich in bird life in summer, but only a few species remain the year around. Among the latter is the STELLER’S JAY, which includes insects in its summer diet but feeds mainly on acorns and other vegetable material in winter. The MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE is busy among the branches of the large pines and firs even when snow lies deep on the ground. PIGMY NUTHATCHES—tiny, constantly twittering insect-eaters—also remain all year.
The great horned owl, a nocturnal counterpart of the red-tailed hawk, nests in the saguaro and feeds primarily on rodents.
Steller’s jay lives year-round in the pine and fir forests of the higher Rincons.
In summer, when insects are plentiful, the mountain forests are alive with birds. The MEXICAN JUNCO, which winters at lower elevations, hides its nest in grass clumps among the firs and aspens. Hummingbirds of several species pause on vibrating wings to suck nectar from blossoms in the meadow at Manning Camp. Brightly colored summer visitors such as the HEPATIC TANAGER and the PAINTED REDSTART search for insects among the pine boughs or flash in the sunlight as they flutter across open glades in the forest. The mountaintops, too, have their predators; the COOPER’S HAWK, which nests in wooded canyons, is large enough to lift a pigeon or rabbit, but generally preys on rodents and smaller birds. The largest bird known to inhabit the Rincon Mountains is the TURKEY, which nests and raises its young among the firs and aspens. It descends in winter to the oak-pine woodlands, where it feeds on pinyon nuts, acorns, and grass seeds.
Mammals
The most frequently seen mammals in the monument are rodents and members of the hare clan. Among the latter group are two rabbits. The DESERT COTTONTAIL is common in the lower levels of the desert, and the EASTERN COTTONTAIL inhabits the mountains to 8,600 feet. Adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions, these animals augment the water they obtain from springs with moisture derived from sap. There are two species of JACKRABBITS (actually hares) in the monument. They remain at the lower levels, where they are a common sight amid the cactuses. Unlike rabbits, which are born naked, blind, and helpless, hares are born with fur, open eyes, and the ability to move about.
The Yuma (or gray-tailed) antelope ground squirrel, a chipmunk-like rodent of the desert and grassland.