House Wren Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesHouse Wren
Adult (Northern)
Small, nondescript brown bird with a short tail, thin bill, and dark barring on wings and tail with a paler throat.
© Andy Witchger / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, May 03, 2017Adult (Brown-throated)
Birds from Southeastern Arizona and the mountains of Mexico are warm brown, especially below.
© Ed Corey / Macaulay LibraryArizona, August 20, 2020Adult (Northern)
Small, fairly plain brown wren with indistinct eyebrow stripe and strongly barred tail and wings. Bubbly song is given frequently in spring and early summer.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 05, 2022Not all videos have sound
Adult (Southern)
Birds from southern Mexico to the south are warm, tawny brown, with less contrast.
© Pablo Re / Macaulay LibrarySanta Fe, July 11, 2020Adult (Cozumel I.)
Birds on Cozumel Island are whitish below, contrasting with brown upperparts.
© Richard Edden / Macaulay LibraryQuintana Roo, November 13, 2022Adult
Forages fairly low in tree branches and shrubs, eating mainly insects and spiders. This video has no audio.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryArizona, May 10, 2006Not all videos have sound
Adult (Dominica)
Birds from Dominica are a uniform rich reddish brown.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibrarySaint John, March 03, 2018Adult (St. Lucia)
Birds from St. Lucia are long-billed, with light underparts and brownish upperparts.
© David Hollie / Macaulay LibrarySoufrière, June 13, 2023Adult (Northern)
Song is a long, bubbly jumble of trills and scolds given by both males and females. Often pushes tail downward while singing, unlike other wrens.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 30, 2004Not all videos have sound
Adult (St. Vincent)
Birds from St. Vincent are whitish below with rich rufous upperparts and darker wings.
© David Hollie / Macaulay LibrarySaint Patrick, June 18, 2023Adult (Grenada)
Birds from Grenada are uniformly tawny with a contrasting paler throat.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibrarySaint George, June 16, 2017Adult (Northern)
Nests in tree cavities and birdhouses, where it is a strong competitor for nest sites and may evict larger birds to claim the spot for its own.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryMontana, June 26, 2015Not all videos have sound
Adult (Northern)
The distinctive loud bubbling song is often heard before the bird is seen.
© Blair Dudeck / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, June 05, 2020Adult (Northern)
Dark barring on the wings and tail contrast with the more uniform brown plumage elsewhere.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, September 16, 2016Adult (Northern)
The "Northern" subspecies group breeds across southern Canada and most of the United States.
© Ceredig Roberts / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, June 07, 2019Adult (Northern)
Nests in nest boxes, old woodpecker nests, natural crevices, and other cavities.
© Larry Van Brunt / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 08, 2019Habitat (Northern)
Found in scrubby habitats, often close to homes and buildings.
© Court Harding / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, October 26, 2019Similar SpeciesWinter Wren
Adult/immature
Winter Wrens are smaller and more plump with a shorter tail and a shorter bill than House Wrens. They are not frequently seen in the open or around houses like House Wrens.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 04, 2016Similar SpeciesPacific Wren
Adult/immature
Pacific Wrens are smaller and rounder than House Wrens with a shorter tail and bill. They tend to stay in thick vegetation and aren't frequently found in the open or around houses like House Wrens.
© Cameron Eckert / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, October 23, 2016Similar SpeciesBewick's Wren
Adult/immature
Bewick's Wrens are larger than House Wrens with an obvious white eyebrow that House Wrens lack.
© DigiBirdTrek CA / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 30, 2016Similar SpeciesCarolina Wren
Adult
Carolina Wrens are larger than House Wrens with an bright white eyebrow unlike the plain brownish face of the House Wren.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 08, 2014Similar SpeciesMarsh Wren
Adult/immature
Marsh Wrens occur in wetlands where most House Wrens don't venture. They have paler underparts than House Wrens with a more distinctive eyebrow.
© Tony V / Macaulay LibraryWashington, May 15, 2017Similar SpeciesSedge Wren
Adult/immature
Sedge Wrens occur in wet tall-grass meadows where House Wrens rarely venture. They have a more distinct pale eyebrow and more streaking on the back than House Wrens.
© Andrew Burnett / Macaulay LibraryKansas, November 30, 2013Similar SpeciesRock Wren
Adult
Rock Wrens are larger than House Wrens with a longer tail and bill. They are also much paler all around than the rich brown House Wren.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 30, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Wrens(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Troglodytidae)
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