The bird fauna of the Arboretum is extensive.
Birds are important to the desert plant community.
Many desert plants rely on insects, birds, bats, rodents and other animals to pollinate their flowers and to disperse their seeds. A total of over 250 species has been recorded in the 'Birds of the Arboretum Checklist'. Gambel's Quail, Gilded Flickers, Cactus Wrens, Curve-Billed Thrushes, and Black Throated Sparrows are the abundant species, as are many other lower Sonoran birds. The extensive irrigated areas of native and exotic trees and shrubs provide food and shelter for countless winter visitors and transients. Birds of the Arboretum Checklist Desert Animals Fueled by runoff from the nearby mountains, Queen Creek cuts through the Arboretum's bottomlands.