A field guide to bosque wildlife

[North Valley Coalition]

Thought people might enjoy this, thanks to the DAN and City employees.

Subject: A field guide to bosque wildlife

Coyotes, bobcats, porcupines, and of course, lots of birds

A field guide to bosque wildlife Coyotes, bobcats, porcupines, and of course, lots of birds The Rio Grande bosque is home to a diverse array of wildlife, but you might be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Spotting all the various species sometimes takes persistence - or with some species, a good dose of blind luck. Even regulars who know the place to the point of having favorite trails may only catch occasional glimpses of a few of the many creatures that call the area home. But it's a different story for the small team of four city employees tasked with keeping tabs on the bosque's overall health. Charged with studying and monitoring everything from vegetation to soils to animal activity, they help inform how the city manages the river forest - in coordination with the state and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District - so that it's both a good place to recreate and a healthy ecological zone. Their goals also include keeping the place - all 65 square miles of it in their patch - from catching on fire. To that end, the team recently oversaw a project to deploy hungry goats as a prevention measure (DAN, 2/11/25).  For all the time they spend there, the team has managed to encounter the full range of wildlife, and often enough, they are able to capture it on camera. For that reason, we have the following field guide to share: Osprey Ospreys are frequent visitors to the area. They are especially fond of snatching fish out of the ditch along Tingley Drive (that may well be where the one in this bird's mouth came from), and they tend to hang out on one tree in particular near the corner of Tingley and Alcalde. (More on that tree is at the very end of the guide.) Cooper's hawk Cooper’s hawks are common throughout the bosque, but don't be surprised if you see one in your neighborhood as well. The species has been turning up more often in urban areas, where bird feeders can double as buffets. City spokeswoman Emily Moore recommends placing feeders under some kind of cover, like a tree, which gives the birdies some measure of protection. She also suggests putting some flavor of anti-collision stickers or decals on windows in order to cut down on deadly crashes. Back in the bosque, the hawks can be fiercely territorial to the point of dive-bombing passing humans. This has prompted the city to post warning signs in some areas. Swainson's hawk Swainson’s hawks have a particular fondness for insects, which makes them a less common sight in the Greater Downtown stretch of the bosque. They're far more likely to be seen in places like the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge or the Candelaria Nature Preserve - both of which maintain some limited agricultural activity that helps sustain the hawks' preferred menu. "Anytime the farmers go by with their equipment, the Swainson's hawks are right behind them looking for insects that get scared up out of their usual hiding places," Moore said. Bald eagle Bald eagles can typically be found in the bosque area in the spring and fall, where they enjoy fishing the stocked ponds of Tingley Beach and the nearby ditches. The ponds, managed by the BioPark, offer a particularly appealing spread - healthy, clean fish that amount to a kind of gourmet buffet. Once they've snagged a meal, the eagles often retreat to the Albuquerque Country Club's golf course to chow down. Digestion, however, can leave them temporarily unable to fly, which doesn't go unnoticed by the crows. The smaller birds are both territorial and opportunistic, often swooping in to harass the eagles and scavenge leftovers. One other note: The classic white head and tail feathers don't come in until around age five, so you may have already seen a (younger) bald eagle without knowing it. Great Blue Herron Great blue herons are year-round residents of the bosque. "Normally, you'll see them right by the water," Moore said. This one, however, was spotted near the Marquez Trailhead at the southern end of Tingley Drive. "They'll hang out there when it's nice and hot," Moore added. The stately birds are hard to miss, with a wingspan of about five feet, though for size, that still puts them a notch below the sandhill cranes that migrate through each year. Belted kingfisher Belted kingfishers are a common winter sight in the bosque, especially around the northernmost of the ponds situated between the paved trail and the river (near, but not at, Tingley Beach). They hunt small fish, but not always successfully. Sometimes, the fish wriggle free midair and land in a different pond from the one they started out in. In the warmer months, kingfishers head north to breed, spending their summers in the northern U.S. and Canada. "They like it cool," Moore said. Porcupine The biggest misconception about porcupines is that they can launch their quills as a defense (or offense) mechanism. Actually, the quills grow directly out of their skin and only detach when touched by would-be predators or overly curious dogs. (It's a painful experience on both sides of the equation.) Porcupines are prey animals by nature and generally quite docile. They spend much of their time in trees, where they nibble on leaves or the inner layers of tree bark, then often as not, turn in for a nap. "No one's going to come and get them up there," Moore said. "Once they're done with one tree, they'll climb down and meander around until they find the next one." One way to spot one nearby is to keep an eye on the trail - porcupine poop looks like round chocolate balls. "If they’re fresh, look up," Moore said. Beaver Beavers are the engineers of the bosque, often damming sections of the ponds between the paved trail and the river. Their efforts can sometimes cause trouble - city staff occasionally have to dismantle dams or install devices known as "beaver deceivers" to keep trails from flooding. While they can be rough on young trees in particular, beavers play an important ecological role: By slowing down water, they increase the soil's water-holding capacity by a factor of 10, Moore said. Though mostly nocturnal, they sometimes make their presence known to early morning joggers with loud tail slaps on the water - behavior meant to warn you to keep your distance. The one pictured above was photographed last week at the San Antonio Oxbow - a big north of I-40, but they also like to hang out in the ponds southwest of Tingley Beach. Bobcat Last summer, a report of a mountain lion sighting in the bosque prompted city staff to set up trail cameras to investigate. What they found instead were bobcats, which are about one-third the size of a mountain lion and rarely seen in person. They tend to keep to themselves and prefer meals of squirrels, mice, and rabbits, though staff have also found evidence that they've eaten house cats. That is another reason, Moore said, to keep your dogs on a leash while in the bosque. Racoon This raccoon was spotted napping near the river viewing platform by Tingley Beach - a quiet moment for a creature better known for its scavenging. Often dubbed "trash pandas" for their opportunistic habits, raccoons will eat just about anything, but they have a particular fondness for eggs. "Nesting season is their high season," Moore said. Coyote There are hundreds of coyotes living in the bosque, though they generally prefer to steer clear of people. They travel in packs and are especially playful as pups. Visitors - and people who live in nearby neighborhoods - stand a good chance of hearing their distinctive howls, especially in the early morning or late at night. That eerie chorus is actually a form of pack coordination - a way for the animals to triangulate each other's positions while they're out hunting and spread across the landscape. Duck Ducks have a clever trick when it comes to mealtime. By swimming in a tight circle, they create a small vortex beneath the water's surface. That swirling motion pulls up insects, larvae, and even small fish, making for an easy meal once the buffet rises into reach. The bosque is home to many varieties of ducks, including mallards, teals, shovelers, wood ducks, and mergansers. Great horned owl This great horned owl pair was photographed near the northern interior pond in the bosque. Larger than Cooper's hawks, the owls have been known to go after them when prey is scarce, though they typically stick to mice, snakes, and other small animals. The owl's soft, downy feathers help to drastically cut down on the sound made when flying, a major advantage when on the hunt. Bonus: The raptor tree Known to bosque managers as the "raptor tree," this dead tree near the corner of Tingley and Alcalde is a reliable spot to see birds of prey. The appeal is simple: It offers a high perch, unobstructed by leaves, to view all the tasty snacks that might be wandering about the surrounding area. "They have a clear view of anything moving," Moore said. Downtown Albuquerque News covers Downtown, Old Town, and surrounding neighborhoods. We publish on weekdays except for federal holidays. If someone forwarded DAN to you, please consider subscribing. Click here to subscribe, contact us, submit a letter to the editor, or learn more about what we do. If you ever run into technical trouble receiving DAN, click here. Copyright © 2025 Downtown Albuquerque News, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. 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Peggy Norton, President

North Valley Coalition