Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
The Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) is a common wren found in 7 countries, weighing about 19 g. The Carolina wren is a species of wren common in the eastern United States, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, the northeast and southeast of Mexico, and into northern Central America.
About the Carolina Wren
The Carolina wren is a species of wren common in the eastern United States, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, the northeast and southeast of Mexico, and into northern Central America. Severe winters restrict the northern limits of their range, while favorable weather conditions lead to a northward extension of their breeding range. Their preferred habitat is in dense cover in forest, farm edges, and suburban areas. This wren is the state bird of South Carolina.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
At 12.5 to 14 cm (4.9 to 5.5 in) long, with a 29 cm (11 in) wingspan and a weight of about 18 to 23 g (0.63 to 0.81 oz), the Carolina wren is a fairly large wren; the second largest in the United States species after the cactus wren. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 5.4 to 6.4 cm (2.1 to 2.5 in), the tail is 4.5 to 5.6 cm (1.8 to 2.2 in), the culmen is 1.4 to 1.8 cm (0.55 to 0.71 in) and the tarsus is 2 to 2.3 cm (0.79 to 0.91 in). Sexual dimorphism is slight with males being larger than their mates. Voice: Carolina wrens sing year round and at any point during the daytime, except during the most harsh weather conditions. Males alone sing, and have a repertoire of at least twenty different phrase patterns and on average, thirty two.
What the Carolina Wren sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Carolina Wren can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Carolina Wren?
- At 12.5 to 14 cm (4.9 to 5.5 in) long, with a 29 cm (11 in) wingspan and a weight of about 18 to 23 g (0.63 to 0.81 oz), the Carolina wren is a fairly large wren; the second largest in the United States species after the cactus wren. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Carolina Wren?
- The Carolina Wren is a small sized bird weighing about 19 g.
- Where can you see a Carolina Wren?
- The Carolina Wren occurs in 7 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.
- What does a Carolina Wren sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Carolina Wren on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Carolina Wren?
- The Carolina Wren is most easily confused with the Northern House Wren, the Eurasian Wren and the Bewick's Wren.
Learn the Carolina Wren for real
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