Avi Kwa Ame National Monument ~ Desert Flair in the Crisp, Cool Air

Top left: David Anderson, Top right: Alan O’Neill
Bottom image: Kim Garrison Means

DECEMBER 2024

Winter is well on its way in Avi Kwa Ame National Monument! The cooler weather and beautiful skies make it a great time to be out and about enjoying the desert scenery. While deserts have the reputation of being flat expanses, this part of the Mojave Desert is part of the basin and range, which means that we do indeed have mountains here!

Our mountainous terrain includes evergreen trees like single-leaf pinyon pine and California juniper, both of which can be seen on one of our favorite drives through the monument, Christmas Tree Pass. While many of our desert plants are going dormant for the winter, there is one particular plant that is showier than usual: desert mistletoe! Although there is some debate about whether this plant is a full parasite, or only hemi(half)-parasitic, there is no debate about who its biggest fan is: the Phainopepla! This small black bird has a striking crest (bird-talk for mohawk), red eyes, and special adaptations that make it effectively digest the berries of the desert mistletoe and then propagate its seeds. Both the desert mistletoe and the Phainopepla have a lot to teach us about survival, adaptability and dramatic desert flair.