A sampling of 4k footage collected in the American Southwest Sonoran Desert, primarily in Arizona. Individual clips can be found at HDNatureFootage.net (contact us if you need help).

The Sonoran Desert is arguably one of the world’s prettiest and most scenic deserts thanks in large part to the majestic and iconic saguaro cactus. These large cacti with their spreading arms can grow up to 40′ tall and live for over one hundred years. They are an important part of the entire desert ecosystem. Their spring flowers attract bats, bees, and many other pollinators. Their summer fruit are important food for white-winged doves, javelina, and many other desert fauna. And their rigid stems provide cavity nests for many birds such as the gila woodpecker. In addition to the saguaro the Sonoran desert has many other species of cacti such as fish-hook barrel and cholla cacti.

Although dry for much of the year the Sonoran Desert receives summer monsoons which replenish the parched soils and briefly fills the streams and rivers. Plants make the most of the downpours; for example, the saguaro cactus stores water in its massive trunk. Other plant species such as the ocotillo leaf out and flower before returning to their usual appear of a dead thorny stick.