The Verdin

                                

                             The Verdin
                                                   Auriparus flaviceps


One of my favorite little desert birds is the Verdin. A bright, friendly little bird that just seems to enjoy being photographed. The live almost exclusively in and around desert area, scrub brush and cactus. They are insect and fruit eaters, even being seen at an occasional hummingbird feeder.

While I am not sure this is the case else where, but every nest I have observed has been located in a Choya Cactus. The nest is not a traditional nest like you might see a Robin or song birds build with an open top. This nest is built in a big ball with an opening from below, or at an angle form the side. Combined with the cactus location, this certainly helps with protection from any predator. The shot below is taken from the ground, up!!

The picture below is of the little guy that hung around my store, and the Hummingbird feeder! Obviously we have some non-cactus type foliage.