Thryomanes bewickii
The Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) is a small, slender songbird, typically measuring 11-14 cm (4.3-5.5 in) in length with a wingspan of 15-18 cm (5.9-7.1 in) and weighing 8-12 grams (0.28-0.42 oz). Its most distinctive field mark is a prominent white supercilium, or eyebrow stripe, contrasting with its otherwise plain gray-brown upperparts and clean white underparts. A relatively long tail, often cocked and frequently flicked, exhibits fine barring on its outer feathers. Taxonomically, i...
Found primarily in open woodlands, chaparral, brushy thickets, and riparian corridors, the Bewick's Wren prefers areas with dense undergrowth. It can be found from sea level up to moderate mountain elevations of 2,000-3,000 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, the Bewick's Wren feeds on a wide variety of insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. It forages by actively gleaning prey from vegetation, bark, and leaf litter.
Bewick's Wrens are diurnal and highly active, often observed gleaning insects from foliage, bark crevices, and the ground with quick, jerky movements and characteristic tail flicking. Males are fiercely territorial during the breeding season, defending their domain with persistent, complex songs ...
The Bewick's Wren's current primary breeding range spans western North America, extending from southwestern British Columbia south through the Pacific Coast states to Baja California, and eastward through the Rocky Mountain states, the Great Basin, and parts of the Great Plains, including Texas a...
Least Concern
- The Bewick's Wren is named after Thomas Bewick, a pioneering British engraver and naturalist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. - Its complex and varied song is learned by males from neighboring wrens, leading to regional dialects within populations. - This species has a peculiar habit ...