Cactus Wren Bird

Facts about Cactus Wren birds. "Scientific name for Cactus Wren bird is Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus". Cactus Wren bird is a variety of wren bird that belongs to the genus Campylorhynchus of the Troglodytidae family. The Cactus Wren birds are native to the southwestern parts of the United States and their existence ranges from southwards to the central part of Mexico. Cactus Wren is a bird of dry regions, and it is frequently found around mesquite, yucca, or saguaro. These birds usually construct their nests in cactus plants, occasionally, in a gap in a saguaro, at times where their nest will be secluded by the thorny cactus needles of a cholla or by the leaves of a yucca. Cactus Wren is the state bird of the Arizona State.

Features of Cactus Wren bird

Cactus Wren bird is the biggest wren variety of bird in North America, with a body length, ranging from 7 1/8 inches to 9 1/8 inches (18 cm to 23 cm). Not like the small size wrens, the Cactus Wren bird variety can be easily seen. The Cactus Wren bird has the loud tone feature of wrens. The cactus wren bird is much less shy than the majority of other wrens in its family. The wren has a brown color head, and dotted tail feathers make it effortless to recognize. Similar to the majority birds in their genus, the Cactus Wren birds have somewhat an elongated, slightly curved bill. There is a slight sexual dimorphism in these birds.

The Cactus Wren bird is featured by a dark crown with a distinct white line over the eye, white color throat, gray-brown back striped with black and white, and a white to buff stomach and sides, thickly dotted at the breast. The feathers of the wings and tail are more often than not black in color, with white barring and their legs are dark in color. Juvenile Cactus Wren birds look like adults, but they have lighter, fewer upper body spots and a smaller tail.

The food searching of the Cactus Wren bird is quite interesting. The bird will look for food under leaves and land litter and overturn things looking for insects, in addition to nourishing in the foliage and branches of bigger vegetation. Escalating temperatures result in a shift in foraging behavior of the Cactus Wren birds to sheltered and cooler micro types of weather, and their activity becomes sluggish during the hot day temperatures. Approximately all the required water for the Cactus Wren bird is obtained from the food they consume, and rarely, freestanding water is exploited by them even when found.

Diet of Cactus Wren bird

Mostly, the Cactus Wren bird feeds on insects, as well as beetles, ants, wasps and grasshoppers. These birds rarely feed on fruits, seeds, frogs and small reptiles. Foraging in the Cactus Wren birds commences late during the morning and is adaptable.

Behavior of Cactus Wren bird

The Cactus Wren bird variety forms enduring pair relationships and the pairs protect a territory where they exist throughout the year. In inhabited regions, the Cactus Wren birds are notorious for engaging in mischief. Being inquisitive birds, it is common for the Cactus Wren birds to be seen, flying about out-of-place in vehicles where the vehicle owner has left the window open or they may even penetrate homes with an open window or door find themselves trapped.

Reproduction of Cactus Wren bird

Breeding in Cactus Wren birds commences during late February or early March and continues until June. Clutches are made up of 4 to 5 buff colored eggs, spotted with brown color. The female wren protects the primary clutch for about 16 days, starting with the first laid egg, whereas the male Cactus Wren bird constructs secondary nests and protects the territory. Both male and female Cactus Wren birds nourish the young and fledging takes place between 19 and 23 days. Subsequent to fledging, juvenile wrens continue to live in the territory of their parents for about one month, inactive in roosting nests.

The average lifespan of the Cactus Wren bird is 6 years 3 months.