Sedge Wren Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A diminutive, compact songbird with a tiny, sharp, curved bill; short wings; long, sturdy legs; and medium-length tail.

  Relative Size

  Slightly larger than a Winter Wren, slightly smaller than a Marsh Wren.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 3.9-4.7 in (10-12 cm)
    • Weight: 0.3-0.3 oz (7-10 g)
    • Wingspan: 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm)
• Color Pattern

  A streaky pattern of black, rufous, straw, white, and gray above; pale buff or peachy below, with a light brown eyebrow.

• Behavior

  Sedge Wrens forage low in vegetation or on the ground, where they are difficult to see. They probe for insects at the bases of plants or in the soil, using their fine bills and strong legs. Males sing on territories, sometimes from exposed perches near the tops of bushes but often from hidden perches.

• Habitat

  Wet grasslands, upper parts of marshes, hayfields, tallgrass prairie, sphagnum bogs, and similar shallow wetlands with taller vegetation, but not reeds such as cattails.