Winter Wren

Winter Wren, adult; Long Is., NY; April

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

Small in stature and incomparably energetic in voice, the Winter Wren inhabits moist forests and other habitats across much of North America. It is the only wren to be found outside the Americas, occurring also in Europe, Asia, and north Africa, with 35 or more recognized subspecies.

Description

• Very small, dark bird.
• Short tail, usually cocked upward.
• Uniform dark brown plumage overall.
• Thin, pointed bill.

• Size: 8-12 cm (3-5 in)
• Wingspan: 12-16 cm (5-6 in)
• Weight: 8-12 g (0.28-0.42 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Song is a remarkable continuous stream of melodious notes and trills, lasting 5 to 10 seconds. Songs vary by region. Call is a sharp or husky note, uttered singly or in pairs.

Conservation Status

Populations generally stable or increasing in most of range. Loss and fragmentation of preferred old-growth coniferous habitat in western North America may pose a threat.

Other Names

Troglodyte mignon (French)
Chivirín chochín (Spanish)
Wren (British) (English)

Cool Facts

• Per unit weight, the Winter Wren delivers its song with 10 times more power than a crowing rooster.
• Winter Wrens in western North America have more complex songs than eastern Winter Wrens. The western songs have about 36 notes per second on average, while the eastern songs have 16 notes per second.

• Wrens probably originated in the New World, and the Winter Wren is the only one of the 78 species that is found outside the Americas. According to one hypothesis, the Winter Wren may have colonized the Old World by crossing over the Bering Straits during an interglacial period.

• Winter Wrens sometimes roost communally in cold weather. In one case, 31 individuals were found together in a nest box in western Washington.

• The Winter Wren sometimes builds several nests in a single breeding season. Nests are used for roosting or for repeated breeding attempts.

Sources used to construct this page:

Hejl, S. J., J. A. Holmes, and D. E. Kroodsma. 2002. Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). In The Birds of North America, No. 623 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.