The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutOfficial City of Palm Desert Bird CITY OF PALM DESER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Selection of an Official City of Palm Desert Bird SUBMITTED BY: Stephen Y. Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager DATE: April 24, 2003 CONTENTS: (1) Designation of City Tree Staff Report (2) Resolution No. 74-108 (City Flower Adoption) Recommendation By minute motion, select an official bird for the City of Palm Desert. Background The City Council recently directed staff to recommend an official City of Palm Desert bird for their consideration. Please note that the City Council previously took action to designate an official City flower (Verbena) and City tree (Desert Willow). Staff has compiled a list of applicable birds for the Council to contemplate: Cactus Wren (Campvlorhynchus brunneicapillus) The largest North American wren, the Cactus Wren has a distinctive white stripe over each eye and a longer-than-usual tail, which it does not normal) cock u . Cactus Wrens fre u nt areaswith y p q e t thorny shrubs, cacti, and trees, foraging mostly on the ground around vegetation for ; �` insects and occasionally lizards/small frogs. The Cactus Wren is a very active, curious, and adaptable bird, which is abundantly found in the ;,a ,- Coachella Valley. J Red Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - The Red-tailed Hawk ranges throughout North America to the central Alaska and northern Canada, and south as far as the mountains of Panama. Although not truly migratory, they do adjust seasonally to t-elt:14 �,,";'',i r areas of the most abundant prey. In winter, many of the northern birds move south. The adult Red-tailed Hawk is easily identified for the - • broad/rounded tail shows a rich and russet red, hence the name. The •r <e _-,.' ; Red-tailed Hawk is a protected (not endangered) bird abundantly found _ in the Coachella Valley and some say it is the coyote of the aviary world. G:ICityMgr\Stephen AryaniWord DatalAgenda ReportslCity Bird Repod.doc Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) These tiny desert birds, rarely seen drinking and smaller than some hummingbirds, are thought to obtain moisture from insects, seeds, and berries. A Verdin's nest is a globular mass of thorny twigs lined with eathers or soft grass. The thorny protection around most nests probably discourages predators and the insulation protects against the intense heat. The small clutch size may be an adaptation to assure sufficient food in an area of climatic extremes. Black-Chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) i Hummingbirds are the world's smallest birds, ranging from 2'/4 inches to 5 ��tinches, with brilliant shimmering colors. They can fly up, down, sideways, / I ,t , and backwards. Like many small animals, some hummingbirds die during .,j their first year, but can live three or four more years. Spring and fall are ��''� the best time to see these frequent flyers. Hummingbirds tend to be territorial and can be very aggressive around feeding territories, courtship territories, and nesting sites. After mating with the female, males, uncharacteristically for birds, play no more role, leaving nest-building, incubation, and feeding of the young up to the female Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) As the most abundant dove in the United States, the Mourning Dove is , ' ' common in rural areas, city parks, and suburban feeders. The distinguishing -.. call of the mourning dove (cooah, coo, coo, coo) tells us these birds are II ' present even when hidden. In warm climates, these doves produce up to six 4 broods per year, the most of any native bird. Mourning Doves feed their %; i nestlings "pigeon milk," which is an extremely nutritious food with more protein and fat than is found in either cow or human milk. cilir,s. ,�' Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) fl Golden Eagles are large birds of prey found in the West and across Canada and Alaska. Golden Eagles are birds of open .y y•" _w country, not forests, from desert grasslands to above - `"-- timberline. They build large stick nests in trees or cliff walls where they have plenty of room to maneuver. Although rare, Golden Eagles can frequent the Coachella Valley, except for the warmer summer months. Submitted By: Approval: l__- V. Stephen Y, Aryln Carlos L. O a Assistant to the City Manage City Manager G:ICityMgr\Stephen Aryan\Word DatalAgenda ReportslCity Bird Report doc Staff Report Designate Official City Tree June 28, 2001 Page 2 of 2 Therefore, it is staffs recommendation that the Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) be named the official tree for the City of Palm Desert. Submitted By: s ph S. Gaugush, R.E. Director of Public Works/City Engineer Approval: M r Develo ent Services y anager JSG:SK/sd * Mayor Pro-Tempore Spiegel moved to, by Minute Motion, approve the IT'Y COUNCIL TION: Mourning Dove as the official City �ppROVED ✓ 'F DENIED of Palm Desert bird. Motion was RECEIVED OTHER seconded by Councilman Kelly and carried by 4-1 vote, with CouncilmanMEETING DATE Crites voting NO. AYES: r LS5)11( ley 4)tP1, L rSIm NOES: O J ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ) VERIFIED BY: ) y� Original on File th,City Clerk's Office G:IPubWorkslStaff ReportslDesignate Desert Willow as Official City Tree.doc . . - \ CITY OF PALM DESERT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Designate the Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) to be the Official City Tree for the City of Palm Desert DATE: June 28, 2001 CONTENTS: Form Recommendation: By minute motion, designate the Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) to be the official tree for the City of Palm Desert. Background: The California State Department of Forestry is currently in the process of developing a list of "Official City Trees" throughout California, and have requested we provide them with the name of the City of Palm Desert's official City Tree. On June 19, 2001, this item was brought before the Landscape Beautification Committee for discussion and recommendation. The Committee agreed it would be best to maintain consistency and suggest that the Desert Willow be named the official City Tree, as this is the tree the City's golf course is named after. CITY COUNCIL ASTION: APPROVED ►l DENIED RECEIVED OTHER MEETING, DATE. AYES: (.' PAA G � tic za t_C v NOES: /1A LIAO ABSENT: 'i�r� n�,,, ) ABSTAIN: . - VERIFIED BY: Original on File with C y erk's Office G.IPubWorkstStafl ReportslDesignate Desert Willow as Official City Tree.doc RESOLUTION NO. 74-108 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A CITY FLOWER. WHEREAS, suggestions and recommendations have heretofore been submitted to the City of Palm Desert, California, for adoption of an official City Flower for said city, and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, deems it appropriate to select an official flower for the City of Palm Desert, California. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS : That the City of Palm Desert, California, adopts as the official City Flower of the City of Palm Desert, California, a verbena . PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED, this 5th day of i December , 1974 , by the following vote: AYES: Aston; Benson; Brush; McPherson; Clark NOES: None i , ABSENT: None i \, .1 HENRY B. CLA , ayor ATTEST: Ale Adjile*4 L e City Clerk City of Palm Desert, California . :