So Just What is a Desert?
A desert is a dry place that receives very little rainfall. It can be a hot place, a cold place, or both. A desert can have steep mountain slopes and valleys, and colorful rock formations and plateaus (pla-toes). It can have thick cactus forests, glistening lakes, and sand dunes. Even though it is a very dry land, a desert can have a wide variety of plants and animals living there. The Sonoran Desert, where I live, is home to many interesting plants and animals.
A desert is a dry place that receives very little rainfall. It can be a hot place, a cold place, or both. A desert can have steep mountain slopes and valleys, and colorful rock formations and plateaus (pla-toes). It can have thick cactus forests, glistening lakes, and sand dunes. Even though it is a very dry land, a desert can have a wide variety of plants and animals living there. The Sonoran Desert, where I live, is home to many interesting plants and animals.
"I only went out for a walk,
and concluded to stay out until sundown,
for going out, I found,
was really going in."
--John Muir, 1913
and concluded to stay out until sundown,
for going out, I found,
was really going in."
--John Muir, 1913
The Sonoran Desert is one of four deserts in the United States of America (often referred to as the Desert Southwest). The other three are the Mohave (Mow-haw-vee), the Great Basin, and the Chihuahuan (Chee-wah-wen). I like the Sonoran because many of my favorite plants grow there. I often call this incredible desert a "Cactus Garden."
The chart to the right shows just how big the Sonoran Desert is. A large portion of it is located in the country of Mexico. The rest of the desert is in Arizona and California. I live in Southern Arizona. Can you see the state on the map? Below Arizona, is the country of Mexico. In Mexico, the Sonoran Desert sprawls all the way over to the ocean.
You can click on the map to enlarge.
My favorite of all cactuses (or cacti), is the giant saguaro (suh-WAHR-oh). These amazing cacti can grow taller than a two-story building, and live to be well over a hundred years of age. My favorite saguaro stood right in front of my home, and reminded me of a 20 foot (6m) tall cowboy who lost his all-important hat. It even had two large prickly arms!
The giant saguaros provide food and shelter for many desert animals. Animals, such as Gila (HEE-la) Woodpeckers, hollow out nesting holes near the tops of the saguaro's huge trunk-like stems and arms. The birds peck deeply into the cactus, creating just enough room to lay their eggs and raise their young. When the woodpeckers move out, one of the world's tiniest owls moves in--the Elf Owl. Other desert birds also use the nests to roost in and raise their young.
Where I live, in Tucson Arizona, there are thousands of saguaro cacti. These cactus forests are made up of many interesting cacti. The cacti can be found in several shapes and sizes. There are also a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Like cacti, most of the plants are very spiny and thorny. And like the giant saguaros, all the plants provide food and shelter for desert animals.
To learn more about the plants and animals that live in the Sonoran Desert, simply click on the desired words in the purple bar at the top of this page.
The giant saguaros provide food and shelter for many desert animals. Animals, such as Gila (HEE-la) Woodpeckers, hollow out nesting holes near the tops of the saguaro's huge trunk-like stems and arms. The birds peck deeply into the cactus, creating just enough room to lay their eggs and raise their young. When the woodpeckers move out, one of the world's tiniest owls moves in--the Elf Owl. Other desert birds also use the nests to roost in and raise their young.
Where I live, in Tucson Arizona, there are thousands of saguaro cacti. These cactus forests are made up of many interesting cacti. The cacti can be found in several shapes and sizes. There are also a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Like cacti, most of the plants are very spiny and thorny. And like the giant saguaros, all the plants provide food and shelter for desert animals.
To learn more about the plants and animals that live in the Sonoran Desert, simply click on the desired words in the purple bar at the top of this page.
Gila (HEE-la) Woodpeckers can frequently be seen on saguaro cacti. The birds help the cacti by feeding on their insect inhabitants. Some of the insects carry bacteria, which can harm the plants. Another woodpecker, called the Gilded Flicker, can also be seen on saguaros (photo below).
If you would like to learn more about Gila Woodpeckers and other desert birds, just click on "Desert Birds" above, or onto the picture to your right.
Don't forget to read "Desert Poetry," which includes poems about birds.
A Very Spiny Plant!
A cactus is a succulent plant, which means it holds a lot of moisture inside it. Instead of leaves, many cacti are covered with very sharp spines. The spines protect the cactus from hungry animals. They also provide shade for the plants, since many grow in very sunny places, such as deserts. Notice the long sharp spines on the cholla (CHOY-uh) cactus to the right.
Some cacti are sooo prickly, I could not help but write a funny poem about them. The poem is called "Teddy Bear Cactuses." If you would like to read that poem, click on Desert Poetry here, or in the purple box towards the top of the page.
You can learn more about cactuses
(or cacti) by clicking on the photo (cholla cactus) to your right, or in
the purple bar above.
Sonoran Desert cacti grow in all shapes and sizes. The plants provide food and protective shelter for many desert animals. Cactus Wren prefer to build their nests in the protection of very spiny cacti, such as the cholla (CHOY-uh) cactus above. The old saguaro nests of woodpeckers provide ideal hives for bees. I found the hive of bees, in the right photo, inside a huge fallen saguaro. Can you see the bees around the entrance? To see the fallen cactus, click onto the right photo, or on "Desert Cacti" above.
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Have you ever seen the inside of a saguaro (suh-WAHR-oh) cactus? Long woody rods make up this saguaro skeleton. To think... the cactus once looked similar to the saguaro at the top of this page. Each of its many arms (branches) reached high into the sky.... Desert birds still perch on its high and lofty limbs. Not far from the saguaro skeleton... new arms are growing from the center of a saguaro trunk (above right photo). These will be the very first arms (branches) for this tall cactus. To learn more about these desert giants, click "Desert Cacti" above, or onto the photos above.
Where the saguaro cacti grow, it rains in both the summer and the winter. Since there are two seasons of rainfall, cacti, both big and small, are plentiful. Desert animals are drawn to pools of water left by the long-awaited rains. The pools become temporary homes for some animals, such as spadefoots, which need a damp environment to lay their eggs. The summer rains can quickly turn the dry ground into a sea of green, adding even more color to the land's natural beauty.
Lively Desert Nights
Desert animals, such as owls, coyotes, and bats, are mostly active at night. The night is when the desert comes to life, and when many animals search for food and mates. Animals, such as owls, hunt for other animals, like rodents and insects. Animals, such as bats and moths, feed on the nectar and fruits from night-blooming plants.
To learn more about these interesting animals, click on one of the titles in the purple bar at the top of this page.
Desert animals, such as owls, coyotes, and bats, are mostly active at night. The night is when the desert comes to life, and when many animals search for food and mates. Animals, such as owls, hunt for other animals, like rodents and insects. Animals, such as bats and moths, feed on the nectar and fruits from night-blooming plants.
To learn more about these interesting animals, click on one of the titles in the purple bar at the top of this page.
"My garden is a prickly place,
where lots of cactuses grow...
a place where animals live,
and where I love to stroll...
It's not like some gardens,
which need a shovel and hoe,
but my garden, like all gardens,
needs someone to love it so.
And when a spiny cactus
gives me a "prickly" hello,
I say... 'cactus garden,
you'll still always be
the most wondrous place I know!'"
--from the book, "Cactus Garden" by Carolyn French
where lots of cactuses grow...
a place where animals live,
and where I love to stroll...
It's not like some gardens,
which need a shovel and hoe,
but my garden, like all gardens,
needs someone to love it so.
And when a spiny cactus
gives me a "prickly" hello,
I say... 'cactus garden,
you'll still always be
the most wondrous place I know!'"
--from the book, "Cactus Garden" by Carolyn French
Always remember to treat the desert with care. By doing so, you will help ensure that both
people and animals will have a chance to enjoy its beautiful scenery for many years to come.
people and animals will have a chance to enjoy its beautiful scenery for many years to come.
Thanks for visiting! & have a wonderful day!