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Carolina Wren

ID Info
Silhouette WrensWrens
Carolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianus
  • ORDER: Passeriformes
  • FAMILY: Troglodytidae

Basic Description

In summer it can seem that every patch of woods in the eastern United States rings with the rolling song of the Carolina Wren. This shy bird can be hard to see, but it delivers an amazing number of decibels for its size. Follow its teakettle-teakettle! and other piercing exclamations through backyard or forest, and you may be rewarded with glimpses of this bird's rich cinnamon plumage, white eyebrow stripe, and long, upward-cocked tail. This hardy bird has been wintering farther and farther north in recent decades.

More ID Info
image of range map for Carolina Wren
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

Listen for the male's loud, piercing teakettle-teakettle song emanating from woody or thickly vegetated areas within the wren's range.

Other Names

  • Cucarachero de Carolina (Spanish)
  • Troglodyte de Caroline (French)

Backyard Tips

Carolina Wrens often come to backyards if food is available and will visit your suet-filled feeders in winter. Find out more about what this bird likes to eat by using the Project FeederWatch Common Feeder Birds bird list.

During cold northern winters, these wrens will take shelter in nest boxes containing dried grasses, particularly boxes with slots rather than holes. In spring, they may nest in boxes, but they're just as likely to choose a hanging fern or an empty flower pot tucked away in a quiet corner of an overgrown backyard. Consider putting up a nest box to attract a breeding pair but be sure to put it up well before breeding season. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. Find out more about nest boxes on All About Birdhouses, where you'll also find plans for building a nest box of the appropriate size for Carolina Wren.

Keeping a brush pile in your yard is another great way of encouraging wrens to take up residence. Learn more about offering shelter to backyard birds and Bird-friendly Winter Gardens.

  • Cool Facts