Penduline tits | Remizidae

Buidelmezen | Pájaros moscones

The most telling structure is one that serves all year: a closed ball of thorny twigs with a narrow side entrance, lined inside with plant down and feathers and anchored firmly in a spiny shrub. A pair builds several a year, and those used only for sleeping have thicker walls than the breeding nest, which saves warmth on cold desert nights. The bill is short, straight and needle-sharp; with it small insects and spiders are picked out of thorn scrub and the base of flowers is pierced to reach the nectar. Free water is barely sought out: moisture comes from prey and fruit, which makes a living possible in low, parched scrub where summer temperatures run high. The voice is sharp and carries far for so small a bird, and the pair defends its ground the year round, outside the breeding season as well.