Have you found a Cactus Wren nest?

If you're a first-time visitor to our Chihuahuan Desert, you will likely be delighted by your first sighting of a cactus wren nest.  We recently spotted this one on private land in Presidio County, south of Marfa, on Cibolo Creek Ranch, but really, you can find them almost anywhere in the Texas Mountain Trail region.

Here's a link to more information about the Cactus Wren.

It is the largest wren found in the U.S., and is less shy than  other species.  It is able to survive without freestanding water, so it is a perfect species for our desert ecosystem.

Did you listen to the distinctive sound of this species at the link above?

The cactus wren feeds primarily on insects, including grasshoppers (they are in abundance these days), ants, beetles and wasps.  They nest in cactus plants, where they can be protected by the prickly spines.  Have you found the nest yet? Once you see one, you'll recognize them anywhere!