Photo: Mark Wagner / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cactus Wren
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a member of the Troglodytidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 38.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Troglodytidae Wrens
- Genus Campylorhynchus
- Species brunneicapillus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 38.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike: brown above with heavy black-and-white spotting, a bold white eyebrow and a densely spotted breast.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are paler with duller brown to muddy-gray eyes, fewer and less distinct black chest spots and a weaker (often absent) white nape streak.
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cactus Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cactus Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) belongs to the Troglodytidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA and Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 38.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.3 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cactus Wren?
The Cactus Wren is a small bird that weighs around 38.9 g.
Where does the Cactus Wren live?
The Cactus Wren is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cactus Wren belong to?
The Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) belongs to the Troglodytidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cactus Wren eat?
The Cactus Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cactus Wren migrate?
The Cactus Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cactus Wren endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cactus Wren make?
1 real field recording of the Cactus Wren — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cactus Wren's range?
The Cactus Wren has a mapped global range of about 1.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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