Cactus Wren: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Songbirds of the Americas · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. Its rasping jar-jar-jar call carries up to 300 m. Bird experts at Cornell said it sounds like a car engine that refuses to start.
2. It can live without drinking at all. Nearly all the water it needs comes from its food, and cactus fruits are a key source.
3. Its rugby-ball nest sits among cactus spines. A tunnel about 15 cm long leads inside, often turned to catch cooling breezes.
4. Some cactus wrens have learned a city trick: picking insects off the radiator grilles of cars.
5. Partners stay together for life and greet each other with a little ceremony, spreading their wings and tails and calling harshly.

The quiz

1. What did Cornell bird experts compare the cactus wren's call to?

• A creaking door
• A car that won't start (correct)
• A ringing telephone
• A dripping tap

They said its harsh call reminds them of a car engine failing to start.

2. Where does the cactus wren get almost all of its water?

• From desert streams
• From morning dew on rocks
• From its food (correct)
• From rain stored in its nest

It can live without free water, getting almost all of it from its diet, such as cactus fruits.

3. How is the entrance to a cactus wren's nest often placed?

• Turned to catch cooling winds (correct)
• Hidden underground
• Facing straight up at the sky
• Sealed with mud during the day

The tube-shaped entrance is often oriented to benefit from cooling prevailing winds.

4. Where have some cactus wrens learned to find insects?

• Inside beehives
• In swimming pools
• Under car tyres
• In the radiator grilles of vehicles (correct)

Some individuals take insects caught in vehicle radiator grilles.

5. What do cactus wren partners do when they greet each other?

• They rub beaks together
• They spread their wings and tails and call (correct)
• They bring each other a pebble
• They fly in a circle without a sound

Pairs have a greeting ceremony with spread wings and tails and a harsh call.

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