On September 9, the Rio Salado Audubon Center of South Phoenix celebrated the installation and opening of new exhibits.
Despite the thermometer reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 90 people arrived to celebrate the opening at the Rio Salado Audubon Center. According to the center’s website, the new exhibits focus on “giving visitors a sense of place, providing an overview of Audubon, our work in the Southwest and to invite local engagement.”
The Audubon Society’s mission is “to protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.”
The Rio Salado Audubon Center
The Rio Salado Audubon Center is a 600-acre park along the Salt River corridor and is home to more than 200 species of birds and wildlife. The work that takes place there ranges from educational to conservation projects.
The Rio Salado Audubon Center hosts school field trips and organizes and runs trash cleanups, including along the river.
The center also has a community center that hosts events and has proved to be popular for weddings.
Conservation in Action
One of the projects the Audubon Society of Arizona has taken on involves Lucy’s Warbler. Lucy’s Warbler is a small bird inhabiting mesquite bosques and riparian washes in the Desert Southwest. The male of the species is described as having a “perky call” as he hops from branch to branch while his mate sits quietly nearby.
Conservation efforts in the past mostly ignored the species because the bird was thought to limit its range to the wild desert and didn’t need special help. When people began to notice Lucy’s Warbler in their yards, the Tucson chapter of the Audubon Society designed nesting boxes to meet the needs of the species.
The nesting boxes are hung in mesquite trees several feet off the ground near a water source. By providing a safe place for the warblers to nest and lay eggs, the boxes provide the species with a means for survival near human development. The Rio Salado Audubon Center mounted the nesting boxes in their park, and they have been successful.
Pattern Energy is proud to be a sponsor of the Rio Salado Audubon Center and the important work they do.
For information about visiting the Rio Salado Audubon Center and to learn about their events, visit their website.