Auriparus flaviceps

One of my favorite birds of the Chihuahuan Desert is the Verdin. This is one of several that we encountered in west Texas earlier this month. While looking for information about the Cactus Wren I came across a reference that indicated that Cactus Wrens are known to destroy the nests of Verdins. I found this particularly interesting because this photo was taken just after an interaction between the Verdin and a Cactus Wren that was carrying nesting material. It would seem that these two species compete for limited resources and that the Cactus Wrens were indeed attempting to breed in November.

www.texastargetbirds.com

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