the giant cactus are called monardella in arizona.
the giant cactus are called monardella in arizona.
what are the giant cactus called in arizona?
monardella
the cactus wren primarily eats insects, including ants, beetles, grasshoppers, termites, and wasps. the cactus wren will also take seeds, fruits, nectar, and even small reptiles. foraging begins late in the morning and is versatile; the cactus wren will search under leaves and ground litter and overturn objects in search of insects, as well as feeding in the foliage and branches of larger vegetation. some individuals have even learned to take insects caught in vehicle radiator grills. increasing temperatures cause a shift in foraging behavior to shady and cooler micro-climates, and activity slows during hot afternoon temperatures. this is partly to conserve water and keep cool during hot days, but also because their insect prey is more sluggish and thus easier to catch in cool temperatures. almost all water is obtained from food, and free-standing water is rarely used even when found. the cactus wren can survive as a true xerophile, existing without any free water. eating cactus fruits is an important source of water, and individuals have even been seen drinking cactus sap from wounds inflicted by gila woodpeckers. cactus wrens also sip nectar from saguaro blossoms and eat insects trapped within, serving as pollinators in the process.
cactus wren
syrian woodpecker









































the syrian woodpecker ("dendrocopos syriacus") is a member of the woodpecker family, the picidae.









































section::::taxonomy.









































the syrian woodpecker was first described as "picus syriacus" by wilhelm hemprich and christian gottfried ehrenberg in 1833, from a specimen collected on mount lebanon.









































section::::distribution and habitat.
syrian woodpecker