Mr. Bancroft (1930) states that "the number of eggs laid is 2. House Wren nest cup with eggs. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female. Texas A&M University Press, College Station. Small debris is often lifted with the bill while the wren peers beneath for hidden prey. Inside are small tunnels where you can find them roosting or incubating eggs. STATUS: With the exception of possible or probable breeding in north-central Texas, there has been no major change in the breeding distribution of the Cactus Wren since the publication of Oberholser’s account in 1974. As many as six broods may be produced and the young of earlier broods sometimes help tend the young of later broods (Anderson and … Both parents feed the young who leave the nest at about 21 (range 19-23) days of age. In 13 of the 22 years the first clutches contained 3 eggs each; in the other 9 years there were 4 eggs in each first clutch. It is the state bird of Arizona, and the largest wren in the United States. Their nests are football-shaped, made of grass, and lined with feathers. As many as six broods may be produced and the young of earlier broods sometimes help tend the young of later broods (Anderson and Anderson 1973, Harrison 1978). Eggs: Evidently the San Lucas cactus wren seldom lays more than 3 eggs, and often fewer. At a time, they lay around 4-8 eggs in a single clutch, with the eggs being 1.7–2.1 cm long. Eggs. I’ve had my hat knocked off after getting too close to a Cactus Wren nest, and inexplicably another made a … Larger than a Bewick’s Wren, smaller than a Northern Mockingbird. In urban areas, the nests may contain lint, string, paper, rope, rags, and other items. Figure 1: Rea and Weaver’s (1990) proposed distribution of the subspecies of the Cactus Wren in the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. Marr, T. B. and R. J. Raitt. Both par­ents feed the young and fledg­ing oc­curs at 19-23 days. They are found from southern California through the southern tip of Nevada and southwestern Utah, southwestern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas, continuing south into northern and central Mexico as well as Baja California. Eyes closed. The nest is about 30.5 cm (12 inches) long. e-mail: kaarnold@tamu.edu. Wm. U. S. Nat. They are weak fliers, and their flight paths can seem erratic and uncoordinated. The nest is roughly the size and shape of a football, with an end opening. The house wren and marsh wren share a range, for example, but house wrens prefer wooded areas while marsh wrens are found in reedy swamps. Cactus Wrens are also fond of sweet corn and will even eat dry cornmeal from a gravity feeder (Bent 1948, Casto 1973). Their nests are football-shaped, made of grass, and lined with feathers. The cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a species of wren endemic to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. Keith A. Arnold Both male and female birds construct the first breeding nest. The Cactus Wren is a resident of the brush lands of southwestern Texas. The young leave the nest within three weeks of hatching. Cactus Wren: Two to seven pink eggs, flecked with brown, are laid in a nest made of rootlets, grass, and various stems, lined with feathers, hair and fur, and built in a rock ridge, crevice, burrow, bank, or building. Those birds that forage and nest around human habitations become accustomed to people and show little fear in their presence. Speckled and spotted with light red, reddish-brown, brown, and purplish-red, and sometimes paler gray and purple. They will destroy bird nests and eggs, including those of other Cactus Wrens. The Cactus Wren. Cactus Wrens will first breed from February to early March and continue to have more broods through June if conditions are right. The TBBA data document a nest with eggs as early as 21 March in Latilong 26098, Quad Cl and a nest with young as late as 21 June in Latilong 28099 Quad Bl.. Oberholser (1974) gives a range of egg dates from 12 March to 6 August with recently fledged young being seen as late as 11 September. Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) Thanks to its curious nature and rough, abrasive calls, the cactus wren is one of the best known birds of the Sonoran Desert. 5-6,, sometimes 4-8. Then, while the female is incubating the eggs, the male will construct a new nest that serves as a roosting nest for the adults. Description. 195 (1964 Dover Reprint). "Coastal Cactus Wren" is the name used for coastal populations of the Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus that occupy the coastal slope of southern California. The cactus wren is the largest North American wren, and is 18-23 cm (7-9 inches) long. Sept., 1960 LIFE HISTORY OF CACTUS WREN 353 An assumption that a minimum of 3 eggs was laid seems safe. SEASONAL OCCURRENCE: Cactus Wrens are permanent residents throughout their range in Texas. Foraging and Feeding $13.99. The white chin and malar stripes frame a variable black throat that extends to heavy black spotting or streaking on the breast and lighter spotting on the buff underparts. The exterior of the breeding nest is pouch-shaped with an opening at one end. 1973. Four or five buff colored eggs speckled with brown are laid at one time. Lockwood, M. W. and B. Freeman. Then, while the female is incubating the eggs, the male will construct a new nest that serves as a roosting nest for the adults. Their eggs are smooth and slightly glossy usually white, sometimes tinted creamy or pink. The back is covered in spotted or streaked brown and white patches. "Coastal Cactus Wren" is the name used for coastal populations of the Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus that occupy the coastal slope of southern California. Cactus Wrens will first breed from February to early March and continue to have more broods through June if conditions are right. The Carolina Wren is a species of American birds, spread across a large part of the US. Cactus Wren eggs and the young wrens are vulnerable to smaller predators such as Blue Jays and snakes; the adult birds are rarely preyed upon. Melissa Mayntz has been a birder and wild bird enthusiast for 30+ years. Four or five buff colored eggs speckled with brown are laid at one time. College Station TX 77843-2258 Preserving connected tracts of desert habitat will help preserve cactus wrens, and encouraging native landscaping and xeriscaping in suburban areas can also be helpful. It is usually seen singly or in pairs, but near the end of the breeding season occurs in small family groups (Oberholser 1974). 2-7 eggs: Number of Broods: 1-3 broods: Egg Length: 0.8-1.0 in (2-2.6 cm) Egg Width: 0.6-0.7 in (1.5-1.8 cm) Incubation Period: 16-17 days: Nestling Period: 17-23 days: Egg Description: Salmon pink to buff with reddish brown spots. The cactus wren’s oval-shaped eggs are a pinkish color with red or brownish specks that are often more heavily concentrated at the larger end of the egg. The female Cactus Wren leaves her eggs periodically to obtain food for herself. Wrens in New Mexico initiate egg-laying when high temperatures predict favorable conditions for the emergence of band-winged grasshoppers during the time they will be feeding their nestlings (Marr and Raitt 1983). The female Cactus Wren incubates, starting with the first egg, while the male builds a new nest in preparation for a second clutch. alternate in incubation. Speckled and spotted with light red, reddish-brown, brown, and purplish-red, and sometimes paler gray and purple. Cactus Wren: Two to seven pink eggs, flecked with brown, are laid in a nest made of rootlets, grass, and various stems, lined with feathers, hair and fur, and built in a rock ridge, crevice, burrow, bank, or building. They will destroy bird nests and eggs, including those of other Cactus Wrens. Of the many sets examined I found but one that contained 3 eggs… Visiting nature centers with feeding stations in desert regions can also lead to great cactus wren sightings and photo opportunities as the birds return to the same spot repeatedly. Three to six eggs are laid and hatch in about two weeks. Open ground is ignored during periods of greatest heat stress, with the species preferring to forage on shady ground or in the lower branches of midstory vegetation at these times (Ricklefs and Hainsworth 1968).