Cactus wrens are the largest North American wren, getting up to 9 inches long, and range from southern California, to northern Mexico, from western Texas to southern Nevada and into Utah. While sometimes they will use an empty hole in a saguaro for a nest, generally they build unusual nests of grass, straw, and whatever other materials they can find and line them with feathers. These nests are unusual because they are completely enclosed with only a side entrance to protect the babies from predators. They like to build these nests in prickly environments like a cactus for protection and support. Generally they will build multiple nests. They will use one for roosting, another for their young, and others simply as decoys. Then they will have up to three broods of up to six babies a season. They generally mate for life.
The cactus wren is well suited for the desert environment. It eats bugs like beetles, wasps, grasshoppers, and ants, some plant foods like fruits and seeds, and sometimes small lizards or frogs. Most of their water needs are met in the food they eat.Cactus wrens are camouflaged for their environment, but still highly visible. It’s very difficult to tell a male from a female, as their colorations are nearly identical. One of their distinctions from other birds is the white and black stripes over their eyes. They are very curious birds – in fact, quite brave. Other birds take flight at the first sign of danger, but they will stay around if there is food to be had. They will explore anything new in their territory. Leave a window open on your car, and their likely to hop inside to take a look.
These birds are quite territorial and will defend their nests with violence. They have been known to attack predators, using the defenses of their nesting environments (cactus) to impale the invaders. They may also attack nests of other birds in the area and seem to enjoy harassing dogs or cats in their territory.They’re very noisy birds with a large “vocabulary”. They have a distinctive call – their best known sound is heard in soundtracks for movies set in desert locations – but also seem to have a variety of noises they use to communicate with one another.
(Oh, about the title. Cactus wrens are of the Troglodytidae family. In the field of birds, “troglodyte” refers to any number of small wrens.)
Cactus wrens are interesting and unusual. They are complex and designed for their environment. And they cry, with their existence, for a Designer, seeming to thumb their noses at the bizarre notion that this “just happened by chance”.
(Note: I took all the pictures in this post.)
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