PHOTO STORY: Summer Wings of ABQ

During the summer months in Albuquerque, New Mexico, many birds can be seen feeding, singing, mating, nesting and raising their young in urban areas.

Pictured in this story are woodpeckers, bushtits, migratory kingbirds, hummingbirds, doves, thrashers, hawks and a starling.

Mother doves can be seen building nests from twigs in trees and any place they find suitable. One dove pictured in this story found the electric pole to be a comfortable nesting spot. Another dove pictured chose to nest in an Ash tree.

Humming birds frequent nectar-filled flowers and hummingbird feeders, and the more shy yet loud Curve-billed thrashers often sing past sunset, coming to the feeders when other birds have gone to sleep.

Curve-billed thrashers primarily live in the desert brush outside the city, but if neighborhoods have native vegetation, these birds will move in. Thrashers are especially attracted to areas with cholla cactus, where they like to nest, according to Audubon.

Bushtits come to feeders in flocks. They have quiet, constant, high-pitch chirps, eat together and then leave together. They can also be found perching in the branches of shrub-like trees.

Hawks fly over neighborhoods taking advantage of the bird habitat and feeders, where feeding birds become easy prey.

Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06

Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88