Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Hawk Canyon Plants

Vegetation in the canyon is a combination of creosote bush scrub and smoke tree wash. Smoke tree and ocotillo dominate the canyon entrance and lower sections. A few desert ironwood occur in the lower canyon; desert lavender, creosote bush, catclaw and cholla cactus are typical of the central parts of the canyon bottom. Ocotillos can be seen along the upper edges of the steep canyon walls.

Resident birds include: White-throated Swift, Prairie Falcon, Costa's Hummingbird, Finch, Verdin, Phainopepla, Loggerhead Shrike, Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, and Common Raven.

From: Michael U. Evans, "Hawk Canyon," in Barbara W. Massey, Guide to Birds of the Anza Borrego Desert (Borrego Springs, CA: Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association, 1998), pp. 85-7.

Creosote Bush

Ocatillo and Cholla cactus

Ocatillo in bloom

Ocatillo flowers 

Octillo flowers

Teddy Bear Cholla

Cholla cactus

Smoke Tree

Smoke Tree

Catclaw

Catclaw

Catclaw

Mesquite

Bunchgrass