Arizona State Bird
Cactus Wren

• Official Arizona State Bird Name: Cactus Wren
• Family: Troglodytidae, Wrens
• Scientific name: Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus (wow, that's a mouthful!)
• Length: 8.5" (22 cm), largest wren of N.A.
• Diet: Insects, small vertebrates, fruit, seeds; 15-20% fruit, berries, seeds (more than other wrens), nectar
• Voice: Song low, grating, chugging, unmusical krrr krrr krrr krrr krrr krrr krrr slightly lower at beginning but quickly up to speed, with little variation in pitch or tempo. Common call a low, hollow knocking kot or kut repeated in long series. Also a low, coarse, dry trrk trrk... or dry, clicking krrrr; deep cheg notes; series of higher, fairly harsh notes deeu deeu deeu... or raap raap raap... like a quacking duck.
• Habitat: Cactus, yucca, mesquite; arid brush hillsides & valleys, deserts.
• Displays: Pair perform display-growl greeting: males extends wings and tail and "growls"; female does same in response, then crouches and refolds wings.
• Number of broods: 2, occasionally 3
• Nest: Bulky nest tucked into protective spiny plants, especially in cholla cactus, tree yucca, also in desert shrub or tree; usually at least 2-6' off ground, up to 30'.
• Eggs: Usually 3-4 pinkish, usually marked with reddish-brown, occasionally wreathed; 0.9" (24 mm).
• Incubation period: 16 days
• Fledge: 19-23 days after hatching
• Longevity Record: 6 Years and 4 months (according to USGS Bird Banding Lab) 

The cactus wren was chosen as the Arizona state bird by the Arizona Legislature in 1931. It remained Arizona's only official wildlife representative until 1985. During March of 1985 (Wildlife Month), school children around the state cast over 120,000 votes to elect other Arizona official wildlife representatives in an Arizona Game and Fish Department sponsored election. As part of its 1986 legislative package, the Department submitted the four winning species to the Arizona State Legislature for formal adoption. Today the cactus wren is joined as the Arizona state bird by the ringtail, Arizona trout, ridgenose rattlesnake, and Arizona tree frog to represent Arizona as the official state wildlife.

Some other unique Arizona birds include the greater roadrunner, gila woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, crissal thrasher, curve-billed thrasher, pyrrhuloxia, vermillion flycatchers and blue peach-faced lovebird.

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