Back to main page 

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

back to previous photos