Found in only five Southwest states, Verdins are tiny, inquisitive and friendly. Primarily insect eaters, they also like fruit and berries, as well as nectar, offering birdwatching homeowners a relatively easy opportunity to draw the birds into suburban yards and gardens.
The Verdin
Verdins (Auriparus flaviceps) are found throughout most of Mexico, including Baja California, but are limited in the United States to southern desert areas in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They are non-migratory year-round residents most commonly found in the Sonora Desert, preferring scrub, cactus and riparian willows. Verdins are a member of the Penduline Tit, or Remizidae family, and the only species of this family found in the Western Hemisphere.
Male and female Verdins are similar in appearance, with the most distinguishing feature of adult birds being the bright yellow head, face and throat, contrasting sharply with the birds' overall gray coloration. More difficult to see, but just as distinguishing, are the small rufous/red shoulder patches. Verdins are only four inches in length, typically travel in pairs and flit through brush and branches, reminding one of a chickadee.
Feeding Habits of Verdins
Verdins are primarily insectivorous, gleaning insects and spiders from leaves with both feet and bill, and often hanging upside down in the process. Although spiders and insects are their preferred food, they are strongly attracted to fruits, berries and nectar. Pomegranates are one of their favorite fruits, and the birds are capable of stripping a Pomegranate completely clean of arils through the smallest skin split.
Flower nectar is also a favorite of Verdins, although they don't serve as pollinators. Verdins will split tubular flower corollas to get to the nectar while bypassing the pollen.
Planning a Yard to Attract Verdins
Almost any flowering plant that attracts hummingbirds will serve to draw Verdins, too. This includes all honeysuckles, salvia, Wooly butterfly bush, bottle brushes, Baja fairy duster and similar flowering bushes and plants. Water sources, such as a bird bath or waterfall are not important to Verdins, who obtain virtually all of their water from plants, but fruiting trees and other seed producers will play a role. In addition, since Verdins are insect and spider eaters, citrus and other evergreen trees provide the foliage that attracts the bugs that in turn attract Verdins.
Verdins will also build nests in mesquite, cholla and fig trees, so planting these trees will add further incentive to Verdin visits. The single most important tree, however, is the Pomegranate, which grows easily in the Sonoran Desert climate, even up to 4,000 feet of elevation. A small Pomegranate will quickly grow to seven or eight feet in height, and will produce an abundance of large fruit, one of the Verdin's favorites. Pomegranates, left on the tree into November, will begin splitting, drawing Verdins like flies to the sweet arils. Store-bought Pomegranates, although expensive, will work equally well. Cut a Pomegranate in half, and impale the fruit half onto a three or four inch finishing nail driven into a tree stake. Pomegranate halves will attract Verdins almost as well as having a tree, and will also bring Gila Woodpeckers and Curve-billed Thrashers to your yard.
Hummingbird feeders also attract Verdins. The birds typically use their sharp bills to probe for dried sugar water along seams in the feeders, rather than trying to drink from the feeder holes.
Suburban yards in desert communities in Arizona, like Tucson and Phoenix, as well as similar habitats in nearby states, can be designed to attract many wonderful birds. One of the most fascinating, friendly and entertaining of these is the Verdin.
For more information about Verdins, read this article, The Verdin, a Beautiful Resident Desert Bird.
Bob Bowers - A lifelong naturalist and amateur ornithologist, Bob's avocation is studying, photographing and writing about birds.
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