Types of Wrens

Wrens and Other Birds Bewick's Wren Cactus Wren Marsh Wren Winter Wren Types of Birds

Wrens are a diverse family of birds found in many parts of Asia, Europe and the Americas.

While they enjoy an extended geographical range, all the world's species, with the exception of one, are new world birds that live only in North, Central and South America. There are approximately seventy-five different new world species, nine of which breed in the United States.

Most wrens share some common traits. They are typically smaller sized brown birds with stiff tails and long decurved bills. As a group, they are also known for their singing abilities.

Most species are also 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 live in a limited geographical area. The House Wren and Marsh Wern are more common throughout the United States.