Cactus Wren

From San Diego, CA to San Antonio, TX,
the Cactus Wren is at home in the southwestern deserts. Blazing hot days or freezing cold nights don't faze this
over-sized wren.

Listed as a Common Bird In Steep Decline* the Cactus Wren is a familiar feature of harsh environments.

Crisp white feathers mimic and complement the sharp white spines of the cholla cactus. At a distance the whites merge into "Nothing Special To Look At Here, Keep Moving."

Conversely, brown tones blend and conceal as light conditions change. The desert habitat is typically shades of olive and dun. Blending into those surroundings is critical to a small bird, even if one is the largest wren.

A ground-foraging, insect-eating Cactus Wren patrols the desert floor to score a meal. He checks under rocks and leaf litter for insects and arthropods. These creatures sustain him so well that he rarely ever drinks. He fulfills his daily moisture needs from the insects he eats. That's a remarkable evolutionary adaptation for this ol'desert bird.

Dangers abound in the desert and the Cactus Wren is not immune to predation from fox, coyote, bobcat, hawks and feral cats. Being able to navigate and nest in these prickly places works to its advantage.

Allan
Credits: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds
Wikipedia
*North America Breeding Bird Survey

Canyon Towhee

You have to creep like a cat to see them...the Canyon Towhees.

Not all birds are bright, brilliant and beguiling. Some species are shy, dun colored and receding. They live in the understory and they prefer it that way, too. When they do show themselves, it's a treat.

The Canyon Towhee is a larger member of the sparrow family.

Well-adapted to the sunbaked southwestern states, the Canyon Towhee thrives in a scrub and cactus environment.

Foraging for seeds around rocks and in the desert leaf litter, they pose little contrast to the desert itself...best to go unseen.

Their boldest distinguishing mark is a rust colored under tail, but that, too, remains hidden at ground level.

Their conical bill gives them away as a seedeater.

To uncover the seeds the desert floor provides, the Canyon Towhee grabs a two-footed hold of the ground litter and makes a big backwards leap.

This scraping action reveals seeds and insects hiding beneath. It's this bird's way of smartly picking up a meal.

Unfortunately, this scraping takes place undercover, mostly out of sight.

It's a foraging trait the Canyon Towhees practice well.

Luckily, Canyon Towhee population numbers have remained strong over the past fifty years, despite a human desire for desert living. Sadly, as humans encroach on the desert, they bring their cats with them...many going feral. It's the feral cats that are placing a downward pressure on many bird populations.

Unfortunately, even the secretive haunts of the Canyon Towhee won't protect them from a hunting cat.

(Click any picture to enlarge.)

Allan

Credit: 
Cornel Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds
The Sibley's Guide to Birds

Vermilion Flycatcher

Kermit the Frog’s claim that, ‘it's not easy being green’ may be true, but being vermilion presents a challenge, too.

It’s hard to hide in a red feather suit and the male Vermilion Flycatcher is spectacularly dressed in one.  His brilliance doesn’t make him self-conscious though, as he perches proudly while scanning for insects. 

He plucks insects out of the air.

The female Vermilion Flycatcher’s is a standout beauty, too, with her peachy-pink belly.  In the bird-world, filled largely with colorless females, these two make an impressive pair.

Fortunately for the nestlings, an extraordinary degree of mimicry keeps them hidden and safe.

Dressed in white-tipped charcoal feathers, they’ve evolved precisely to match the trees they were born into.

Bright orange, gaping  mouths reveal their presence, but only when a parent is near. Otherwise, they remain motionless and quiet.

Another adaptation in the bird world is the fecal sac*.  The young nestlings excrete their waste surrounded by a transparent mucus membrane.  The sacs are removed, primarily by the female, and deposited some distance away to keep the nest tidy.  An untidy nest could produce odors which could invite predators.  

There are many challenges to protecting this family of three.

(Click any picture to enlarge)

                         

Feral or free-roaming house cats are major predators on birds.  This nest was within easy reach of a tree-climbing cat.

Nestled six-feet overhead on a park tree branch, the daily duties of raising a family played out despite the commotion of baseball, bicycles and baby strollers below.

Meals arrive every 5-10 minutes.  After a parent deposits an insect treat into an open mouth, he departs quickly to avoid attracting attention to the nest. 

It’s a task made seemingly more difficult when you’re bright red.

Come sundown it’s time to sleep. 

The frustrated female shuffled the three nestlings under her breast, with anxious concern.  At times, one or another nestling was unhappy with the sleeping arrangements the mother struggled so hard to provide.  They let her know it, too.

This bedtime battle continued for a while as the sun set behind the mountains.  

All this fuss could attract unwanted attention and it was hardly appreciated by the mother.

When she had enough, she made the adult decision and put her foot down, so to speak.  She got the final word...finally.  She sat down on top of them. 

Still and quiet prevailed for the rest of the evening.    

Allan

Credits:

The Sibley Guide to Birds

Wikipedia

Link: *fecal sac

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_sac