I have been spending the winter in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Its hard to believe but I will only be here for another month before returning to Ontario.  I haven't spent a lot of time photographing -actually I've been spending more time editing older photos but I have had a few opportunities to get out with the camera.   Liberty Wildlife is a conservation and rehabilitation organization in Phoenix.    I was at one of their presentations at the McDowell Preserve so  to start out,  I am including a few of the photos I took at that outing.    I also spent one day at the Phoenix Zoo where the majority of the photos were taken.

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The great horned owl is also known as the tiger owl or the hoot owl.  it is a large owl native to the Americas.  This owl is an extremely adaptable bird and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.  The Great Horned Owl was adopted as Alberta's provincial bird on May 3, 1977 by a proven wide children's vote.  This bird lives in Alberta year round.

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The burrowing owl is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America.    These owls get their names since they nest in an underground burrow.  

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The barn owl is one of the most widely distributed species of owl and the most widespread of all birds.  One interesting fact about this bird is that its ability to located prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has ever been tested.  

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The Harris's Hawk used to be known  as the bay-winged hawk or dusky hawk.  This bird is a medium-large bird of prey that breeds from the southwestern United States to Chile, central Argentina, and Brazil.  While most raptors are solitary, only coming together for breeding and migration, Harris's hawks actually hunt in cooperative groups of two to six.

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This Bengal tiger shot was taken through the glass at the Phoenix Zoo.   The Phoenix Zoo opened in 1962 and is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States.

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The black swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia.  When on the ground, a large group of black swans is known as a "bank",  but in flight it is known as a "wedge".  

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White pelicans are large water birds that makes up the family Pelecanidae.   These birds are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped up contents before swallowing.  While swimming, these birds plunge their heads beneath the surface to check for prey.  

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The Scarlet Macaws  are always fun to photography because of  their vivid colours.  The scarlet macaw is a large red, yellow and blue South American parrot.  

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As well as standing in the water, flamingos may stamp their webbed feet in the mud to stir up food  from the bottom.

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The squirrel monkeys were so much fun to watch.  

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These monkeys have a widely varied diet thats primarily comprised of fruits and insects.  They also are known to eat flowers, buds, eggs, nuts and lizards.  

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These monkeys are covered in fur that is mostly olive or grey in color.  Their faces, ears and throat are white.

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Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys.  There are five different species of baboons.  

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Watching the lions is always fun and this male lion was a bit of a performer.   Lions sleep an average of 15-20 hours a day but fortunately, this guy was awake.  

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Captive Wildlife (20 of 20)

There were a lot of other animals at the zoo but I didn't have time to photograph them all.  I hope to get back there one more time before we head for home.