Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.3–5.9 in
11–15 cm - Wingspan
- 7.5 in
19 cm - Weight
- 0.3–0.6 oz
9–18 g
Other Names
- Railleur, Troglodyte des canons (French)
- Saltapared risquero, Saltapared barraquero (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The vertebral column of the Canyon Wren is attached higher on the skull than it is on most birds. This modification, along with a slightly flattened skull, allows a foraging Canyon Wren to thrust its bill forward into tight crevices without bumping its head.
- The Canyon Wren can climb up, down, and across rocks. A low center of gravity, large feet, and sharp claws aid in such locomotion.
- The Canyon Wren is not known to drink water. It probably gets all the water it needs from its insect prey. It has been seen foraging along the sides of desert springs, but not drinking.
Habitat
Mountains
Cliffs, canyons, rocky outcrops, and boulder piles.
Food
Insects
Spiders and insects.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–7 eggs
- Egg Description
- White, with small, faint reddish-brown dots.
- Condition at Hatching
- Entirely featherless, pink, with eyes closed.
Nest Description
A cup made of twigs and other coarse material, lined with lichens, soft plant material, wool, webs, or feathers. In caverns, crevices, or attached to rock face, protected from above by ledge or shelf.
Nest Placement
Cliff
Behavior
Ground Forager
Gleans spiders and insects from rock surfaces, often from tight crevices.
Conservation
Least Concern
Not well monitored. May be declining in some areas.
Credits
- Jones, S. L., and J. Scott Dieni. 1995. Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus). In The Birds of North America, No. 197 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.