Cactus Wren

The subject of this Roger Troy Peterson painting is a cactus wren. The bird sits upon a blooming cholla cactus. Cactus wrens make their nests in spikey cholla and saguaro cacti to protect against predators like snakes. Peterson's wren has its back turned, displaying its brown plumage with black and white spots. Its head and long, heavy bill turn toward us, as does the bright pink flower of the cactus. This painting is one of over 3,000 small-scale watercolors commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation and used for their conservation stamps. The stamps were produced from the 1930s-1990s to promote the mission and work of the National Wildlife Federation.