Cactus Wren - Ross Feldner

This “giant” wren lives in the deserts of the southwestern United States and is well adapted to its environment. It can survive without any free water. Eating cactus fruits is an important source of water along with a diet of insects and certain plants. Cactus Wrens serve as pollinators, sipping nectar from saguaro blossoms and eating insects trapped within.

The Cactus Wren is not much of a flyer and usually forages on the ground, turning over leaves and other objects in search of food. As temperatures rise, they will go to shaded areas to conserve water and continue looking for insects which are more sluggish and easier to catch in cooler environments.

The Cactus Wren has proved adaptable and has learned to coexist with humans effectively, using human materials and structures for nesting — even learning to take insects from vehicle radiator grilles!

They build multiple nests with the first nest of a season being an existing one that has been renovated. Subsequent nests are usually built from scratch. While the female lays a clutch in one nest, the male will start to build a second. When the first brood fledges, the female will assist in building the next nest.