INTRODUCTION: Hello! Let's learn about the Cactus Wren! The Cactus Wren is the state bird of Arizona. It lives in the Sonoran Desert. It builds its nest in a cactus. It likes to eat insects and spiders. Its colors are brown and white. It has a curved beak. It reproduces by laying eggs. It barks to scare away predators. I am the state bird of Arizona. I live in the Sonoran Desert. I build my nest in a cactus. I like to eat insects and spiders. My colors are brown and white. I have a curved beak. I reproduce by laying eggs. I bark to scare away predators. WHERE DO I LIVE? My habitat is in the Southwestern deserts of North America. I can be found in backyards as well as in desert areas. WHAT DO I EAT? I am a forager. I like to eat insects and spiders. I eat some kinds of fruit, too. I rarely eat reptiles and amphibians.  HOW DO I LOOK? I am the largest North American wren. I have a curved beak. My back is brown with white streaks. My tail and wings are brown and are barred with black. I have a very long, white stripe above each of my eyes along the sides of my head.  HOW DO I REPRODUCE? I lay pink eggs with small reddish brown spots. I keep my eggs safe in a nest that I build in a cholla or a saguaro cactus. My nest is dome-shaped and made out of grass. I line my nest with feathers. FUN FACT ABOUT ME?
If a predator is threatening my nest, I will attack and ‘bark’ at it until it leaves. I can be mean sometimes, knocking the eggs of other bird species out of their nests. ACTIVITIES:
Kindergarten: Print, then color the Cactus Wren Coloring Sheet from the attachments section below. You will need a brown crayon and a black crayon. You may color the cactus in the picture however you wish. 1st Grade: Print, then color and label the Cactus Wren Coloring Sheet from the attachments section below. You will need a brown crayon and a black crayon. You may color the cactus in the picture however you wish. Label these parts: beak, eye, head, chest, wing, tail, legs. 2nd/3rd Grade: Print, then complete the Cactus Wren Word Search from the attachments section below. Find the solution in the attachments section below. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ME BELOW All About Birds This is a website containing basic information about the birds of the world, including their sounds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cactus_Wren/id About.com Phoenix This is a website with current information about the Phoenix area. http://phoenix.about.com/od/deasertcreatures/qt/cactuswren.htm |
