cactus wren

noun

1. any American wren of the genus Campylorhynchus, of arid regions, especially C. brunneicapillus, of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cactus wren¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

It adds a new touch of interest to the forbidding cactus to know that the cactus wren builds her nest between its leaves.

From Project Gutenberg