Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 3.1–4.7 in
8–12 cm - Wingspan
- 4.7–6.3 in
12–16 cm - Weight
- 0.3–0.4 oz
8–12 g
Other Names
- Wren (British)
- Troglodyte mignon (French)
- Chivirín chochín (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Per unit weight, the Winter Wren delivers its song with 10 times more power than a crowing rooster.
- The Winter Wren sometimes builds several nests in a single breeding season. Nests are used for roosting or for repeated breeding attempts.
- Where the ranges of the Pacific Wren and Winter Wren come together, in British Columbia, the two almost identical species sing different songs. The males battle each other, but the females seem to only choose mates that sing "their" song—keeping interbreeding to a minimum. Read more details in Living Bird magazine.
Habitat
Forest
Breeds in many different habitat types, from cliff faces to riparian areas to various forests; occurs in greatest densities in coniferous forests. Prefers areas with fallen logs and other dead wood.
Food
Insects
Invertebrates, including insects, insect larvae, millipedes, spiders, and others.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–9 eggs
- Egg Description
- White, with variable reddish brown spotting.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with little down.
Nest Description
Domed structure with entrance hole on side, made of moss, bark, twigs, rootlets, grass, feathers, hair, and decayed wood, lined with feathers and hair. Placed in hole. May use existing cavities, such as woodpecker holes, excavate holes in banks, or build nests on root bases and branches.
Nest Placement
Cavity
Behavior
Ground Forager
Feeds methodically in low shrubs, on the ground, near the bases of trees, and around fallen dead wood.
Conservation
Least Concern
Populations generally stable or increasing in most of range.
Credits
- 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.