Troglodytes aedon
The Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) is a diminutive, energetic songbird, measuring approximately 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length with a wingspan of 15-17 cm (5.9-6.7 in) and weighing a mere 10-12 grams. Its plumage is unassumingly drab, primarily uniform dull brown with faint, darker barring on its wings, flanks, and short, often cocked tail, while its underparts are buffier. A slender, slightly decurved bill and a pale eye-ring are subtle yet useful identification features. Taxonomic...
This highly adaptable species thrives in a variety of open or semi-open habitats, including forest edges, shrublands, open woodlands, suburban gardens, parks, and agricultural areas, typically occurring from sea level up to moderate elevations in mountainous regions.
Primarily insectivorous, the Northern House Wren feeds almost exclusively on a wide variety of insects and spiders, gleaning them from foliage and bark or catching them in short aerial sallies.
Northern House Wrens are diurnal and intensely active, constantly flitting through vegetation in search of prey, typically roosting singly in tree cavities or dense foliage at night. Foraging involves meticulously gleaning insects and spiders from leaves, twigs, bark crevices, and occasionally fr...
The Northern House Wren boasts one of the most extensive breeding ranges of any passerine in the Americas, stretching from central Canada (including portions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec) southward across the contiguous United States, Mexico, and Centr...
Least Concern
- The male House Wren is an enthusiastic home builder, often constructing 5-10 "dummy nests" by stuffing cavities full of sticks before the female selects one and adds the finer lining. - Despite its small size, this wren is notoriously aggressive, frequently destroying the nests and eggs of othe...