Marsh Wren

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

Marsh Wrens (Cistothorus palustris) are common residents in marshes and other wetlands areas across the United States.

They are small, migratory birds with brown feathers and slightly decurved bills. Their upright tails serve as another good field identification mark.

During spring, they can be seen and heard moving among the cattails, their preferred breeding habitat.

Males move about their established territory throughout the day, actively engaged in territorial defense and nest building, singing almost constantly.

Females look similar to males and spend most of their time at the nest, typically below the line of site.

Both sexes assume responsibility for feeding the young, and their diet consists primarily of the local insect and spider population.

© 2005-2008 Patricia A. Michaels