How do cactus wren survive in the desert

Occasionally, it will take seeds and fruits. Foraging begins late in the morning and is versatile; the cactus wren will search under leaves and ground litter and overturn objects in search of insects, as well as feeding in the foliage and branches of larger vegetation.

Increasing temperatures cause a shift in foraging behavior to shady and cooler microclimates, and activity slows during hot afternoon temperatures. Almost all water is obtained from food, and free standing water is rarely used even when found Udvardy ; Ricklefs ; McCarthey The Cactus Wren disperses potentially important semi-arid rangeland plants through the material used in building nests; viable seeds can be spread over long distances in this manner Milton et al.

The Cactus Wren is common throughout its range and is not considered threatened or endangered though it is protected, along with all songbirds, by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Their native habitat is not considered threatened and the Cactus Wren also does well in urban areas planted with native species. There are no immediate management needs McCarthey The cactus wren has been the state bird of Arizona since ; its presence and song are considered characteristic of southwestern deserts.

The genus Campylorhynchus is derived from Greek words meaning curved beak. The specific epithet is Latin; brunneus means brown, and capillus means hair, denoting the brown cap and back Anderson ; McCarthey This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

Vegetation is typically sparse, though spectacular blooms may occur following rain. Deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate. In dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. This is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants. In dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil.

Salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a now extinct synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities.

Convergent in birds. Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons or periodic condition changes.

Anderson, A. The Cactus Wren. Anderson, E. The Wren. London: Collins. Cactus wrens mate from late February to March. Cactus wrens can have as many as three broods every season. Females find a nesting place in a large cactus or thick shrub, tree or thicket. Males help build the nests.

The nest is made with grass and straw and lined with feathers. The nest is large and shaped like a football.

It represents a tropical group of large, sociable wrens, with eight species in Mexico and a few more farther south. Cactus Wrens are common in our desert southwest. They are usually seen in pairs or family parties, strutting on the ground or hopping in the brush, often posturing with spread wings and tails as they call to each other.

Their bulky nests are conspicuous in cholla cactus and desert trees; after the breeding season, the wrens may sleep in these at night. Photo gallery. Feeding Behavior Forages on the ground and in low trees, probing in bark crevices and among leaf litter on ground. Eggs , sometimes Young Both parents feed nestlings. Diet Mostly insects, some fruits and seeds. Nesting May mate for life, pairs remaining together all year on permanent territory.

Climate threats facing the Cactus Wren Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. More News. Arizona Legislature Wraps up with Wins for Birds, Water, and Public Lands Western Water News New budget includes funding for invasive plant removal, wastewater infrastructure, and water department staff.

Explore Similar Birds. The Bird Guide Adopt a Bird. Bewick's Wren Latin: Thryomanes bewickii. Canyon Wren Latin: Catherpes mexicanus.

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Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. Animal Fact Sheet: Cactus Wren. Identifying Features The Cactus wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus has a white eye stripe just behind each eye extending to just before its upper back.

Adaptations While the female is incubating on clutch of eggs, the male wren builds another nest. Habitat They are found in deserts and arid foothills that have cactus, mesquite, yucca and other types of desert scrub.

Range The cactus wren can be found in Arizona, southern California, southern Nevada, western Texas, southwest Utah, and north-central Mexico.