el eae elel UD COUN eb Ut Lilek Pb N 9 
CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum) 
By Anna C. Ames 
THE STATE BIRD OF ARIZONA, the Cactus Wren, is the largest and, in 
appearance, the most unwrenlike of our wrens. It is 8% inches in length 
and looks more like a small thrasher than a wren. It does not have the 
fidgety bob associated with the wren family. 
This bird is gayish-brown above, narrowly streaked with white and 
black, and below is gray or pale buff, profusely spotted with black. The 
flanks and under tail-coverts are sometimes black-barred. It has a clearly 
defined white-eye-line and much white spotting on its outer tail feathers. 
The tail, which is never carried in the tilted position so familiar in other 
wrens, is nearly as long as the decidedly rounded wings. There are wide 
individual variations in coloration. Adults have a complete postnuptial 
molt in August and September. 
The Cactus Wren is fittingly named, for the thorniest place in a cholla 
cactus furnishes its favorite nesting site, though it sometimes nests in 
mesquite or palo verde. It is best known for the abundance of its bulky, 
conspiciuous, flask-shaped nests. Over the wide desert area from Texas 
to the Pacific coast, more nests of this bird are to be found than those of 
all other forms combined. This and the bird’s vociferousness may cause its 
abundance to be overestimated. 
The Cactus Wren is one of the two Arizona birds that builds a covered 
nest. Like the Tule Wren or Winter Wren, it often builds nests that are 
not used. It is said that after the breeding season the birds may take refuge 
in these nests during rainstorms or spells of cold, windy weather. It is also 
said that each young bird, upon reaching maturity, builds its own home 
in preparation for the coming winter. 
Cactus Wrens do not migrate, but when the evenings become chilly 
they go about building or repairing winter nests which furnish night 
shelter during the cold months. These structures are tunnels eight to ten 
inches long, ending with an empty ball. They are lined with whatever is 
available, such as chicken feathers, cotton, wool from mesquite thorns, etc. 
The nests may measure up to two inches in thickness, and usually are one 
and a half feet long. 
The Cactus Wren’s retort-shaped nest of fibers and grasses, with a 
horizontal, tunnel-like hallway, usually faces toward the southwest. In 
repairing an old nest, a new entrance is sometimes made in the opposite 
end. Brooding nests vary with location and weather. They are more lightly 
constructed than the shelter nest and not so heavily lined. 
Unlike most desert birds, this wren seems to accept rather graciously 
the changes brought about by advancing civilization and occasionally builds 
its nests about homes and barns. However, it is probable that it would not 
tolerate the entire removal of native vegetation. 
The four to seven eggs are white or buffy white, sprinkled with chest- 
nut spots. “The ground color varies from ‘salmon color’ or ‘salmon-buff’ 
to seashell pink, pinkish white, or rarely, to nearly pure white. The eggs 
are among the most striking of all the desert birds, showing endless varia- 
tion in marking, color, and shade. They are the only eggs of a lively reddish 
hue to be found in the desert.” 
