Winter Wren
Troglodytes hiemalis
The Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) is a common wren found in 6 countries, weighing about 9 g. The winter wren is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae.
About the Winter Wren
The winter wren is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae. The species was formerly often lumped together with Eurasian wren of Eurasia and Pacific wren of western North America under the merged name of northern wren, until they were split in 2010.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Small tail is often cocked above its back, and short neck gives the appearance of a small brown ball. Rufous brown above, grayer below, barred with darker brown and gray, even on wings and tail. The bill is dark brown, and the legs are pale brown. Young birds are less distinctly barred. Most are identifiable by the pale "eyebrows" over their eyes. Measurements: Length: 8–12 cm (3.1–4.7 in) Weight: 8–12 g (0.28–0.42 oz) Wingspan: 12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 in)
What the Winter Wren sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Bermuda, United Kingdom.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, October, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Winter Wren?
- Small tail is often cocked above its back, and short neck gives the appearance of a small brown ball. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Winter Wren?
- The Winter Wren is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.
- Where can you see a Winter Wren?
- The Winter Wren occurs in 6 countries, including the United States, Canada, St. Pierre & Miquelon and Mexico.
- What does a Winter Wren sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Winter Wren on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Winter Wren?
- The Winter Wren is most easily confused with the Pacific Wren, the Southern House Wren and the Mountain Wren.
- Is the Winter Wren endangered?
- The Winter Wren is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Winter Wren for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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