What is a Wren?

The wren is a member of the songbird family Troglodytidae, which has about 80 different species of wrens. Generally, wrens are little birds and are classified as among the smallest birds in North and South America. The wren family ranges in length from about 3.5-9.0 inches (about 9-23 cm) and weighs roughly 0.3-2.0 ounces (8-57 g). In physical appearance, most wrens are brown or grayish brown in color, and they have a chubby, rounded body with short wings and a stubby tail that is usually held erect. The main distinguishing characteristic of this bird family is its song — wrens sing very loud, complex songs that are very much out of proportion to their size.

Geographically, the wren is found almost entirely in North and South America. As a family, it is distributed from extreme northern Alaska and Canada to the southern tip of Argentina. Central and South America are home to the greatest diversity of wren species. Only one species is found outside of North and South America: the winter wren, which inhabits Europe, parts of eastern Asia and some of North Africa. Wrens do migrate somewhat when moving from the northern to southern portions of their range in colder months.

With so many species of wren, their habitats vary greatly, depending on where they are located. Wrens can be found on the edge of forests, in grasslands and marsh vegetation such as cattails or reeds as well as in both wetland and deep forest areas. Many species are comfortable around humans and will occupy suburban gardens and farmland. The wren is known for its love of low cover, such as the undergrowth of woods, scrub and hedges.

When feeding, this bird likes overgrown, shady places near the ground, and it mostly eat insects and spiders. Some wren species, though, eat plant seeds and berries, and a few might eat small lizards or frogs. Wrens are known for liking to look for food in dark crevices and holes. This feeding behavior gave the wren family its scientific name, Troglodytidae, which is from the word "troglodyte," meaning "cave dweller."

In preparation for breeding, the male builds several nests in his territory from moss, leaves and grass, and he shows the nests to the female. Nests in many species have a side entrance and are shaped like a globe. The female chooses the nest she likes, lines it with feathers and lays three to 10 eggs that she incubates for about 16 days. After the eggs hatch, both parents feed the chicks.