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.
- 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.
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. Loss and fragmentation of preferred old-growth coniferous habitat in western North America may pose a threat.
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.