Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.7–5.9 in
12–15 cm - Wingspan
- 9.1 in
23 cm - Weight
- 0.5–0.6 oz
15–18 g
Other Names
- Troglodyte des rochers (French)
- Chivirín saltarroca, Troglodita saltarroca, Saltapared roquero (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The male Rock Wren is a truly remarkable singer and can have a large song repertoire of 100 or more song types, many of which seem to be learned from neighbors.
- The Rock Wren usually builds a pavement or walkway of small, flat stones or pebbles that leads to the nest cavity. The nest is usually located in a rock crevice out of sight, but the pavement may give away the nest’s location. The function of this pavement is unknown.
- The Rock Wren is not known to drink water, but instead gets all it needs from its food. Even five birds kept in captivity did not drink water when it was available.
Habitat
Mountains
Arid or semiarid areas with exposed rock; desert to alpine habitats.
Food
Insects
Insects and other arthropods.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–10 eggs
- Egg Description
- White with fine spots of reddish brown.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless, with some down.
Nest Description
Loose cup built with grass, bits of wood, bark, moss, hair, and occasionally fresh plant material in shallow space; lined with rootlets, hair, wool, spider silk. Placed in cavity or crevice in or among rocks, usually with foundation of stone and often with pavement of small stones extending from nest to entrance of nest cavity and sometimes beyond.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Ground Forager
Gleans prey from rocks, removes prey from spider webs; repeatedly hops vertically from ground to capture flying insects.
Conservation
Least Concern
Declining throughout range.
Credits
- Lowther, P. E., D. E. Kroodsma, and G. H. Farley. 2000. Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus). In The Birds of North America, No. 486 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.