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Home/Species/ Canyon Wren

Catherpes mexicanus

(Swainson, 1829)

Canyon Wren

G5Secure Found in 133 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105578
Element CodeABPBG04010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyTroglodytidae
GenusCatherpes
Other Common Names
canyon wren (EN) Chivirín Barranqueño (ES) Troglodyte des canyons (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-07
Change Date1996-12-03
Range Extent Comments
Resident from south-central British Columbia to western South Dakota, south through all western states (east to Texas) to southern Baja California, Oaxaca in the Mexican highlands, central Chiapas, and western Veracruz.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Cliffs, steep-sided canyons, rocky outcrops and boulder piles, usually in arid regions (Tropical and Subtropical zones) (AOU 1983). Also sometimes found in towns, around houses and barns, on old stone buildings. Nests on canyon walls; may also nest around human-built structures.

Ecology

In British Columbia, severe winters result in catastrophic population declines and occasional temporary extirpation (Cannings, 1992 COSEWIC report).

Reproduction

Female incubates 5-6, sometimes 4-8 eggs; during this period she is fed by the male.
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS4Yes
Navajo NationS4Yes
South DakotaS3Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
New MexicoS5B,S5NYes
OregonS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS4Yes
IdahoS5Yes
NevadaS3Yes
TexasS5BYes
WyomingS4Yes
MontanaS4Yes
ColoradoS5Yes
Roadless Areas (133)
Arizona (18)
AreaForestAcres
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Horse MesaTonto National Forest9,146
Lime CreekTonto National Forest42,568
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Santa TeresaCoronado National Forest8,929
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (57)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Bald RockPlumas National Forest4,675
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Callahan FlowModoc National Forest6,618
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
DiableLos Padres National Forest19,597
DomeStanislaus National Forest11,085
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
EagleStanislaus National Forest16,116
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
Garcia MountainLos Padres National Forest7,850
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
JuncalLos Padres National Forest12,289
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
La PanzaLos Padres National Forest4,954
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Machesna MountainLos Padres National Forest12,271
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
MonarchSierra National Forest697
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
NightStanislaus National Forest3,173
NordhoffLos Padres National Forest12,031
North MountainStanislaus National Forest7,856
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Raywood Flat BSan Bernardino National Forest11,373
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Sheep MountainAngeles National Forest21,098
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
Trumbull PeakStanislaus National Forest6,164
WaterhouseStanislaus National Forest4,394
West ForkAngeles National Forest1,169
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
Montana (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cherry PeakLolo National Forest37,862
Patricks Knob - North CutoffLolo National Forest16,970
SapphireBitterroot National Forest43,303
Silver KingBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest64,289
Stony MountainBitterroot National Forest44,057
Teepee - Spring CreekLolo National Forest13,902
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pearl PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest71,405
New Mexico (15)
AreaForestAcres
Alamo CanyonSanta Fe National Forest8,639
Apache Kid ContiguousCibola National Forest67,542
Candian RiverCibola National Forest7,149
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
San JoseCibola National Forest16,950
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
Oregon (10)
AreaForestAcres
BuckhornWallowa-Whitman National Forest17,180
Cook RidgeWallowa-Whitman National Forest19,617
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
HomesteadWallowa-Whitman National Forest5,817
Imnaha FaceWallowa-Whitman National Forest29,575
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Lord Flat Somers PointWallowa-Whitman National Forest67,738
Mountain SheepWallowa-Whitman National Forest19,457
Sheep DivideWallowa-Whitman National Forest16,201
Snake RiverWallowa-Whitman National Forest31,229
Utah (23)
AreaForestAcres
418014Uinta National Forest9,683
418016Uinta National Forest35,240
418024Uinta National Forest51,699
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
Capital ReefDixie National Forest763
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
FishhookDixie National Forest12,959
HancockDixie National Forest9,809
Joe LottFishlake National Forest19,826
Lewis PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest11,616
Lone Peak ContiguousWasatch-Cache National Forest874
Mahogany RangeWasatch-Cache National Forest11,409
Mt. AireWasatch-Cache National Forest9,681
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
Mt. Logan WestWasatch-Cache National Forest5,285
Mt. NaomiWasatch-Cache National Forest41,922
Oak CreekFishlake National Forest54,053
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
Red Canyon NorthDixie National Forest9,973
Right Hand Fork LoganWasatch-Cache National Forest15,023
SanpitchManti-Lasal National Forest29,129
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Leigh CreekBighorn National Forest19,180
Little BighornBighorn National Forest133,949
References (17)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. Balda, R. P., and G. C. Bateman. 1971. Flocking and annual cycle of the piñon jay, <i>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</i>. Condor 73:287-302.
  4. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  5. Bureau of Land Management. Life History Summaries.
  6. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  7. Horn, H. S. 1968. The adaptive significance of colonial nesting in the Brewer's Blackbird. Ecology 49:682-694.
  8. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  9. Ligon, J. D. 1971. Late summer-autumnal breeding of the piñon jay in New Mexico. Condor 73:147-153.
  10. Moore, W. S., and R. A. Dolbeer. 1989. The use of banding recovery data to estimate dispersal rates and gene flow in avian species: case studies in the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Condor 91:242-253.
  11. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  12. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  13. Tarvin, K. A., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1999. Blue Jay (<i>Cyanocitta cristata</i>). No. 469 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 32pp.
  14. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  15. Thompson, F. R., III. 1994. Temporal and spatial patterns of breeding brown-headed cowbirds in the midwestern United States. Auk 111:979-990.
  16. Williams, L. 1952b. Breeding behavior of the Brewer blackbird. Condor 54:3-47.
  17. Willson, M. F. 1966. Breeding ecology of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. Ecological Monographs 36:51-77.