Wrens: Troglodytidae
| Wrens and More Bewick's Wren Cactus Wren Carolina Wren Marsh Wren Winter Wren Types of Birds |
Wrens, a diverse family (Troglodytidae) of predominantly new world songbirds, inhabit a variety of locations from Alaska, south to the tip of South America.
Nine of the eighty or so recognized species breed in the United States. Five of the species are listed in the box on the right.
Species diversity increases to the south, with thirty breeding species identified in Mexico.
Most wrens share some common traits, such as being smaller sized brown birds with stiff tails and long decurved bills.
Perhaps the term songird is a bit misleading. Pound for pound, wrens rank at the top of the bird vocalization list. However, their vocalizations differ from species to species, and most are not known for their melodic vocalizations.
As with most things in life, music tastes tend to be judged in the ears of the listeners, and wren vocalizations appear to work for them. Spending any time around wrens leads to the conclusion that they are more easily heard than seen.
Troglodytidae species are also tend to be cavity nesters, some with an obsessive habit of tagging many different cavities and bird boxes in their area prior to choosing one. This practice may be a defensive more, aimed at warding off nest competing birds and predators.
Some species such as the Carolina Wren, the Sedge Wren and the Cactus Wren inhabit a limited geographical area. The House Wren and Marsh Wren are fairly common throughout the United States.
© 2011 Patricia A. Michaels