Birds of North America
Puzzle 38 · Desert and Canyon Country · Page 58 in print
Phainopepla
Male Phainopeplas build small cup nests, binding plant materials with spider silk. Females sometimes contribute part of the soft lining.
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The words
Boxthorn
A fruit-bearing shrub eaten by the species.
Circling
A flight pattern used in winter courtship.
Down
A soft material used to line the nest.
Fruit Orchard
A cultivated habitat in which nests have been recorded.
Glossy Black
The male’s shiny black plumage.
High Perch
A lookout used while watching for territorial intruders.
Joshua Tree
A characteristic plant of some desert habitat used by the bird.
Loose Colony
A nesting arrangement possible where food is plentiful.
Mistletoe
A parasitic plant whose berries are a major food.
Redberry
A fruit food included in the diet.
Spiral Dive
A descending aerial display over a selected nest site.
Sycamore
A tree in open woodland habitat occupied by the species.
Tree Fork
A place where males may select a nest site.
Wing Patches
White marks exposed during a male’s display flight.
Wispy Crest
The slender crest on the head.
Sources
- Phainopepla: Life HistoryCornell Lab of Ornithology
- Phainopepla: IdentificationCornell Lab of Ornithology