It is the only species in the genus Auriparus and the only representative of the old world family Remizidae to be found in North America.

[2] The verdin was formally described in 1850 by the Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall under the binomial name Aegithalus flaviceps.

Fledglings, during their post-juvenile molt, can make soft warbling notes, similar to more complex signatures of adult calls.

Unmated males sound "tseet" calls repeatedly in early spring, which may function to attract females.

The subspecies A. f. acaciarum is resident from southern California, Nevada, and Utah southward into Mexico; it is associated mostly with the Sonoran Desert.

Their nests are best described as spherical masses of bulky twigs and branches that are then lined with grasses, feathers, and hair.

Once paired, the male and female claim a territory (as large as 20 acres) and will defend the boundary starting early in the breeding season through fledging.

They feed on many kinds of tiny insects, both adults and larvae, and also consume hard and soft mast of many trees and shrubs.

[2] Threats to verdin populations include habitat loss as a result of urbanization, human structure collisions, and predation.