Arizona State Bird

Arizona State Bird

Arizona was the 48th state to get statehood. Designing Phoenix as its capital city, Arizona also has the nickname of The Grand Canyon state due to the famous canyons. You don’t have to visit the Grand Canyon to catch a glimpse of the state bird, though. They are quite a frequent sight in their cities. Let’s learn a little more about the state bird to know when you do spot them.

What is the state bird of Arizona?

Since 1931, the Cactus Wren has been the beloved state bird of Arizona. Among the North American Wrens, these are the largest, usually about 7 to 9 inches.

These birds tend to mate for life, and there isn’t much difference in the appearance of the male and female of the species. They decide on territory and protect it throughout the year, and when predators try to destroy it, they become aggressive defenders. Yet, they do have a history of wrecking other specie’s nests, often pecking on the eggs or removing them.

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What makes the state bird of Arizona unusual?

The most unusual part of Cactus Wren is the noises they make. They have this raw voice, with an almost scratchy quality to it that when you hear it, you might think someone is wrestling with a car that’s refusing to start.

They’re also an extremely active species. They are either singing while perched on  cactus, getting into a fight with the neighbors, or running around on the ground. They also built nests that are almost as big as a football.

Cactus Wren Migration

Arizona state bird facts

Let’s learn some things about the Arizona state bird.

1. Usually, birds build nests when they need to breed and raise their chicks. That isn’t the case for Cactus Wren, though. They build several nests throughout the year, whether it is a breeding season or not. They also protect those nests fiercely from other birds.

2. Cactus Wren, which are still juvenile, start building their nests, which is a lot earlier than other bird species. They take inspiration from their parents, and it doesn’t take even 12 days before they start gathering material for their nest once they leave their parents. However, it takes 63 days for them to actually start building the nest.

3. Before they go to sleep in their nest, when the night comes, a lot of Cactus Wren take what we call a dust bath. Many other species take dust baths like them. This is because they try to get rid of any dust in their feathers and keep it clean and healthy, and free of any infection.

Final Thoughts

Cactus Wren, while quite large among the North American Wrens, are still relatively small birds. You have a chance to see them in your backyard, but you have to be on the lookout for them. If you see a bit of brown and white fluttering about amongst the greenery, that might be your signal!

Ornithology

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