Homes for songbirds: Protecting Lucy’s warblers in the urban desert
Lucy’s warbler — the smallest warbler in North America — is a unique desert-dwelling species that have traditionally thrived in some of the hottest and most arid environments of the southwestern United States. Stock photo
Each spring, tiny Lucy’s warblers, with their soft gray plumage and rusty crown, return to the Arizona desert, flitting through the mesquite branches in search of safe places to nest.
But as urban expansion shrinks their habitat, these birds are running out of options.
In response, ASU’s Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve is collaborating with Midwestern University to study and restore safe nesting habitats for these elusive birds.
The idea came from Jason D. Struthers, a veterinary pathologist and associate professor at Midwestern University, after visiting the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve. Inspired by a similar initiative by the Tucson Audubon Society, Struthers partnered with John Bello, assistant director of the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, to install six specially designed nest boxes around the 47-acre preserve. These triangular boxes mimic natural cavities, offering secure spots for Lucy's warblers to rest, breed, nest, incubate and raise young during the spring and early summer months.
“We have a lot of various bird species out here, but we haven’t necessarily seen a lot of warblers out here before,” Bello said. “There is a conservation concern that their habitat is going away as suburban sprawl is happening and as we're growing and developing in Phoenix. So, we wanted to make sure that these animals had a place to build their houses.”
Lucy’s warbler — the smallest warbler in North America — is a unique desert-dwelling species that have traditionally thrived in some of the hottest and most arid environments of the southwestern United States. However, over the past several decades, their populations have faced significant challenges due to water scarcity, habitat fragmentation and rapid urban expansion, making them a conservation concern.
By installing these nest boxes, and taking steps to make the preserve more attractive to Lucy’s warblers, the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve hopes to create a sanctuary for these tiny birds where research and habitat restoration can work together to support their continued presence in the region and contribute to their long-term conservation.
While most nest boxes are off the trail, visitors may still spot them during their visit, offering a chance to experience the project firsthand.
Creating a songbird sanctuary
Beyond their beautiful song, Lucy’s warblers also play an essential role in preserving the ecological balance that sustains our ecosystem, making conservation efforts like this even more crucial.
These insectivores help control pest populations and reduce damage to plants and crops by feeding on insects and other arthropods like caterpillars, moths and beetles. Their foraging also supports local plant life by aiding in pollination.
“I'd say the biggest ecological service that Lucy's Warblers provide is what we call a regulating service,” Struthers said. “You can imagine, if you lose all your Lucy's warblers, the consequences are potentially more pesky insects. What happens when there are more pesky insects? People spray poisons, and that's just another negative effect on the ecosystem.”
This initiative is in partnership with the student chapter of Audubon on Campus at Midwestern University, of which Struthers is the faculty advisor. In December 2024, they received an Audubon in Action grant to help provide habitat areas for local bird species and get the community involved.
The project will follow the Lucy warbler’s summer breeding timeline, running from March to late June, and serve as a trial run to determine which nest boxes, if any, the warblers used during the first year. These findings will lay the groundwork for gaining insights on Lucy’s warbler habits and monitoring any ecological changes over time.
Despite research conducted on migration habits and diet, not much else is known about Lucy’s warblers, and researchers are still studying their mating and lifestyle behavior. That, says Struthers, is another facet of research they’d like to accomplish with this project.
The Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve also hopes to conduct its first bird count through this project to better understand the preserve’s avifauna and how to best support them.
If you lose all your Lucy's warblers, the consequences are potentially more pesky insects.
Jason D. Struthers Veterinary pathologist and associate professor at Midwestern University
Citizen science in action
More than just research, this project is an invitation to the community to get involved. Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve and Struthers are calling on local residents to become "citizen scientists" by observing warblers and recording their sightings.
Get involved with this project
Contact Dr. Jason D. Struthers for more information on building and installing warbler nest boxes.
“This project reminds us that we need to involve the public more regularly in science,” Struthers said. “I think the scientific community would agree that conservation requires input from the general public by empowering them to be citizen scientists.”
Struthers emphasizes that anyone can take part in these initiatives, showing that scientific contributions don’t need to be confined to higher education or specialized spaces — they can happen right in our own backyards.
Community members can make a big impact on bird conservation simply by observing, documenting and creating safe spaces for nesting. By keeping an eye on local bird activity and reporting sightings to online resources, everyday citizens contribute valuable data that help scientists track population trends and environmental changes.
These collective efforts not only help protect Arizona’s approximately 550 bird species, but they also foster a deeper connection between people and the natural world around them.
For the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, this project is one of many efforts aimed at preserving Arizona’s unique desert ecosystems and its history for future generations.
“We want to ensure the preservation of the land and the space for future generations to enjoy it. The petroglyphs are the star of the show out here, but the other animals and creatures and insects and birds that all call this place home really give it that special ambience to enhance the experience for the guests,” Bello said.
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