Cactus Wren

The Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a species of wren endemic to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. Its common name derives from their frequenting desert cactus plants such as the saguaro and cholla, building nests, roosting, and seeking protection from predators among them. It builds its large, spherical nests out of plant material and lines them with feathers. Instead of migrating, they create and protect the boundaries around their nests, where they spend the entire year.

It is the biggest wren in the United States and the official bird of Arizona. Its brown feathers are marked with black and white dots. It has a recognizable white eyebrow that extends all the way down to the nape of the neck. While the underparts are cinnamon-buff in hue, the chest is white. The two sexes look alike. Both the tail and the flight feathers have black-and-white barred patterns. Their song has been compared by some ornithologists to the sound of a car engine that won't start because it is a harsh, scratchy chirrup. The birds' diet, which consists primarily of insects but also contains some plant debris, allows them to meet their water needs because they have successfully adapted to their native desert environment.