Monday, June 27, 2022

Wrens (Troglodytidae)

     A couple of weeks ago Joanne Noragon asked me if I would publish some pictures of wrens, and I am happy to oblige.
     I suspect that Joanne's interest is principally in wrens she may have seen in North America, so I am dealing only with those species. There are some species for which I do not have photographs (Sedge Wren, for example) so they are of necessity left out of this list.
     This coverage is limited to one image and brief accompanying notes, and the species are listed in current taxonomic sequence.
     If you have a burning desire for more pictures, Joanne, or greater detail, please let me know. 

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)

Cactus Wren, Tucson, AZ

     The largest wren in North America, Cactus Wren is a characteristic and conspicuous part of the southwestern desert from southern Arizona, southern Nevada, southern New Mexico and Texas through Mexico from Baja California, eastwards to Tamaulipas and south to Sinaloa and the central Mexican plateau to Michoacán and Hildago.
     Over much of its range it is common or abundant.
     Typically builds a large, bulky nest, usually in cholla cacti. Three to five eggs usual, occasionally up to seven.

Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)

Rock Wren, Tuzigoot National Monument, AZ

     A characteristic and cheerful feature of the fauna of arid or semi-arid areas of western North America, often inhabiting dry rocky areas where few other birds are found.
     Constructs nest in cavities or rock piles. Nests are made of grasses, straw or rootlets and lined with horsehair, feathers or sheep's wool.
     Usual clutch is five to six eggs, rarely four to eight.

Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus)

Canyon Wren, Montezuma Castle National Monument, AZ

     An unusual species confined to cliffs and canyons in semi-arid or desert country, from Canada to southern Mexico. The song, a beautiful series of clear descending whistles, is a characteristic sound of the south-west canyonlands. 
     Nests are built by both sexes, usually in crevices in rock faces or cliffs. Nest is an open cup of wool, hair and feathers, built on a base of coarse twigs.
     Usually six eggs, sometimes three to seven. Incubation by female alone.

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)

Marsh Wren, Victoria, BC

     An abundant and conspicuous resident of cattail and bulrush habitat throughout most of North America.
     Polygamous species, male builds as many as twenty domed nests in a season. Female inspects the nests, selects one and lines it with fine leaves, feathers and/or down from cattail heads.
     Typically four to six eggs laid, sometimes three to ten. Incubation by female alone.

Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)

Bewick's Wren, Victoria, BC

     A widespread and well-liked species over much of the western parts of the United States and British Columbia, frequently found in close association with man.
     Often nests in woodpecker holes, various crannies, takes readily to nest boxes and has even been know to breed in abandoned automobiles.
     Nest made of twigs, grasses, rootlets, leaf skeletons etc., frequently lined with bits of snake skins. Eggs three to eight, average clutch size 5.6. Incubation by female only, fed on nest by male.

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

Carolina Wren, Burlington, ON

     The only member of the genus Thryothorus to occur north of the Mexican border. Familiar and conspicuous over much of eastern North America. Has colonized and spread in southern Ontario in recent years.
     Year-round territories are maintained by a pair of birds. Nest is a substantial domed structure of dried vegetation, grass, strips of bark, horsehair, various debris such as string or wool, cast snake skins, lined with finer material. Clutch size usually three to six eggs depending on latitude.

Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)

Winter Wren, St. Agatha, ON

     In North America found from Newfoundland, Maritimes and Maine, south in mountains to Georgia, westwards across Québec and Ontario to British Columbia and Alaska, Aleutian and Pribilof Islands, western United States to central California, Idaho and western Montana.
     Nest is a domed structure of grass, fine leaves, moss etc., lined with feathers and hair, with a side entrance, built primarily by the male with female completing interior. Eggs three to nine, usually five to eight.

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

House Wren, Waterloo, ON

     The most widely distributed and recognizable wren in North America. Readily associates with man and accepts nesting boxes, even in densely populated suburban areas.
     Nests are always filled with a base of coarse twigs to within 2 - 3 centimetres from the top. The female finishes the stick platform and builds a cup lined with feathers, hair or wool. Eggs four to eight, rarely three to ten. Incubation by female only, fed by male.

Reference

Wrens, Dipper and Thrashers, David Brewer, illustrated by Barry Kent MacKay, Yale University Press (2001).
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

66 comments:

  1. ...thanks for the primer, I know the name and that about it.

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  2. We call them Zaunkönig here in Germany. On our daily walk along the Rhein river, we always hear them..YES, we are trying to tell what they are from their singing..it's fun.

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  3. Hari OM
    Well, my dear pal Joanne made a good request and I am most grateful to you for responding to it! YAM xx

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  4. Hello,
    What a great post on the various Wrens. Beautiful collection of photos. Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

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  5. They are all beautiful, David. Thank you for sharing them, and I enjoyed them very much.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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  6. Love this post on wrens. I’ve never seen any but one has to admire such variety among these beautiful creatures. Thank you for posting, David!

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    1. And there are many more species in Central and South America, Marie. Only one species is found in Europe. All the rest are indigenous to the Americas.

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  7. Here in the Netherlands, in our garden, I see the little wren.
    I think he is about 10 cm long and weighs not much more than 10 grams.
    This wren has a volume with him when he sings :)

    Thanks for sharing, now I have learned a lot about these birds.

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  8. They are all gorgeous. The canyon wren is wonderful. They all are! Have a great day, BIG hugs, Valerie

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  9. Buenas tardes, amigo David, una gran respuesta para esa solicitud, amigo mío, debe estar satisfecha y contenta con tu respuesta. Me parecen todos preciosos y excepcionales, aunque me inclino más por uno de ellos, el Cucarachero de Carolina, presenta una bella coloración.
    Un gran abrazo de vuestro amigo y compadre Juan que os desea un bello y feliz verano.

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  10. What a delight to see all these wrens, a very informative post. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. HUGE thanks to you and to Joanne. Two of my favourite bloggers educating and delighting me again.

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  12. Hello David, thank you for this post. Never thought there are so many different kind of wren. Thank you for sharing.
    Regards,
    Roos

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    1. You have only one species in Europe, Roos. There are many more than I have shown in the Americas.

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  13. Enjoyed your post on wrens David. It took a few tries but we were lucky enough to add the Rock Wren to our bird list this winter in Arizona.

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    1. Now you will have to add Cobb's Wren on the Falkland Islands, Carol.

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  14. Loved seeing all of these cute little Wrens - I must admit that our own little Wren Troglodytes with it's small upturned tail, is a bird that I always take a great delight in seeing scurrying around our garden.
    Six subspecies of Wren are known from Britain and Ireland, four of which are island races, found on Shetland (zetlandicus), Fair Isle (fridariensis), St Kilda (hirtensis) and the Outer Hebrides (hebridensis). A fifth indigenus is found across the northern and western mainland, intergrading with the sixth, troglodytes, which is found in the south where I live.

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    1. I am impressed with your knowledge, Rosemary. At one point the wren you see in Europe was consider conspecific with our Winter Wren under the name Troglodytes troglodytes. By any name it is a charming little bird with character to spare.

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  15. Ce sont des petits oiseaux si mignons <3
    Les photos sont jolies. Bonne soirée

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  16. Our most common wren here is the much loved Carolina. Is there anywhere a more charming and confiding bird? I also see the Marsh Wren when visiting appropriate habitats here and in winter especially we'll sometimes get some of the others. As a family, they are certainly among my favorites.

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  17. Superb post. How many species there are in your vicinity!. Where I live there is the House Wren and other very rare here, Cistothorus platensis. Saludos

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  18. Hola Hernan: Here we have House Wren, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Carolina Wren and Winter Wren. Wonderful, huh?

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  19. As birds go I think they are the most inquisitive. I had trouble with one getting into a screen porch and then not able to get out. It kept making the same mistake. I guess it liked the looks of the bugs that made it through the holes. I think eventually it quit.

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  20. Thank you so much. Wrens were just another bird until I heard the Irish folk tune, "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds..." The rest is not so fun. I did keep a look out for wrens after that. The only wren I've ever seen is the House Wren, with their little tails pointed straight up and their annual nest beside the studio air conditioner. A nestling was trapped between the window panes one year, and our brother, the bird whisperer, used his hands on the inside window to guide the little bird out. We had more than our share of fledglings every year; I'm fairly sure from the same male and his harem. Captivating birds; thank you for the overview.

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  21. Really interesting. I wish I had paid attention to birds when I was growing up in Nevada, but I didn't until I created my own gardens in Tennessee. I really like the Carolina Wrens. We usually have a pair in our yard, and they use the woodpecker nesting box at times. I found pieces of their egg shells on the pathway last week. Even though I don't follow birds as you do, I find them a joy to watch.

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  22. Very informative post. I love watching the wren in the garden. An easy one for me to identify with its small upturned tail.

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  23. Hi David - what a great post from a request from Joanne - delighted to read. Also to see Rosemary's comment and her extra notes about our wrens over here. I'm surprised they are predominantly New World birds ... delighted to know about it. Our wren here is considered very special as it did for 300 years on the back of the farthing coin ... part of my childhood money box. Delighted to read this - thanks to you both ... cheers Hilary

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  24. So many species of wren, David, when we have just the one here. However, we do have recognised subspecies of Troglodytes troglodytes found on the west and northern isles of Scotland. No matter how common they are, they are always a delight to see, and seem to be so full of character.

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  25. So many wrens. We have the Carolina nesting below our deck every year.

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  26. I love the little wrens. We have carolina wrens here and they are curious little creatures. They build nests in my garage often and in the spring and fall when I have the door open it's not unusual for one to come in the house and poke around.

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  27. These photos are amazing. I didn't know there were so many different types of wrens. I must tell you that you have me really watching all the birds in my yard. There are so many different kinds in Oregon. Lots of places that birders come. Have you ever been here? Thanks for the wren lesson.

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    1. I have birded in California several times and in British Columbia equally often, but never have I visited either Washington or Oregon.

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  28. Beautiful photos of all different wren. I think you know which is my favorite.

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  29. Nice to see all those differences David.
    Here I always see only 1 species of the wrens.
    Greetings Tinie

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  30. The wren is a very special bird for many people. I rarely see the one wren family that I know lives nearby but no longer in my garden.

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    1. Do they still refer to them as Jenny Wren in the UK?

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    2. David, indeed they (including me) still do.

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  31. We probably have wrens in Hawaii, too. Perhaps the House Wrens seem to look like the ones here. Gigi Hawaii

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    1. There are no wrens anywhere on the Hawaiian archipelago, Gigi. Other than for one European species, all the wrens of the world are found in North, Central and South America.

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  32. Has hecho una buena cantidad de fotos. Me llama la atención que se pueda coger con la mano.

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  33. You have added to our collective knowledge of wrens, David. I have always enjoyed the Carolina Wren as it was a frequent visitor to our feeders when we lived in VA.

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    1. Carolina Wren is a great favourite of mine, Beatrice. Its loud song is amazing for so small a bird.

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  34. For such a diverse and pretty little bird one would think the Boffins That Be could have come up with a better Latin name than that.

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  35. They certainly are sweet little birds to be treasured.

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  36. What a beautiful message about the wrens.
    I did not know that there were different species, in the Netherlands there is only one species, namely the Troglodytes troglodytes.
    Greetings Irma

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  37. Such beautiful images of sweet birds. I don't think I've ever seen these cuties in person. Or maybe I have and I haven't realized it. I'll have to pay more attention now that the birds are visiting our backyard. Thanks for sharing your lovely photos!

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    1. The last species shown, Martha, is not called House Wren without good reason. That is the species most like to show up in your backyard, and if you provide nest boxes a pair is quite happy to raise a family there, providing you with a wonderful connection to nature.

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  38. Thanks for this, David. I only see wrens when they are nesting and singing that fabulous song. I think Wrennie is either house or California wren -- I'll have to look more closely at my photos!

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  39. Oh, they look so fragile! Lovely still photos of the wrens, my first time to see them up close. I appreciate their chirps and songs in the morning, they sure inspire us all!

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  40. Heerlijke blog mooie foto,s met goed leesbare beschrijving. heerlijk

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  41. Some have very sharp beaks. This aspect highlights them.

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  42. That winter wren, in the hand. Love it. In my language this bird is a winterkoninkje. I read a book about it, written by Stephen Moss

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  43. Hello David,
    It's a good idea! And above all a beautiful collection!
    The Troglodyte mignon is quite familiar to me of course, but some of them don't look too much like wren's no ?
    Thanks David.

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    1. I think that's only true, Nathalie, if you compare them with the wren you are familiar with, but most wrens, including the new species you will encounter in South America, are not like that at all.

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  44. A lovely post on the various Wrens ...

    All the best Jan

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  45. Some of these were new to me. I was especially taken with the Cactus Wren. Its patterning and colors reminded me of our Greater Roadrunner.

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  46. Wrens are sweet looking birds. I have never seen one in the "feathers" (versus in the flesh). And I didn't know there were so many different species. hugs-Erika

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  47. Que bonita e interesante entrada. Amo a los pájaros, aunque me comen todas mis frutas. Besos y abrazos.

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  48. It's so interesting to see how different the wrens are. I remember seeing a cactus wren singing his little heart out on an ocotillo in Saguaro NP. Here in my backyard I have a lone Bewick's wren. They are very sweet birds. Thank you for showing us the different species and thanks to Joanne for asking.

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  49. We of course have Carolina wrens here and I would take exception to your description of their nests. They build the shabbiest, most inconsequential falling-apart things here! I’m going to have a post about them on my blog soon with photos. Maybe ours need to take some lessons from their northern relatives!

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    1. Maybe they need extra air circulation in your southern heat!

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  50. The only wren I've seen here in my NJ backyard is the Carolina wren. They love to sit on my deck railing,

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