Laura Erickson's For the Birds

The beautiful and colorful bird of the Mexican mountains reaches the United States only in the high elevation forests of Arizona and New Mexico. Despite his brilliant red face, the male seems to believe his white rump patch is his most desirable feature, keeping it oriented to the female whenever he moves around her trying to interest her in mating. It nests on the ground, constructing its cup of bark, dead leaves or pine needles lined with grass and hair,.in a small hole beneath a log or plant.