Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes

Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

Order : Passeriformes

Family : Troglodytidae ;

Biometrics :

Size : 9 à 10 cm
Wingspan : 13-17 cm
Weight : 8 à 13 g

Longevity : 6 years

IUCN conservation status :

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Geographic range :

Synonyms : Gärdsmyg (ras från Fairöarna) (sv), Chochín (es), Scricciolo (it), Zaunkönig (al), Winterkoning (nl), Wren (en)

Physical description :
Winter Wren is a minuscule almost uniform dull brown bird. Upperparts are reddish-brown, finely barred with dark brown on wings, tail and rump. Short tail is rounded, chestnut or reddish-brown, finely streaked with dark brown. Small white spots on edges are visible on scapulars.
Underparts are paler on chin, throat and breast. Flanks and belly are heavily streaked with reddish and brown or blackish.
Head and nape are darker than upperparts, more uniform, almost without streaks. An inconspicuous pale supercilium extends from the base of the bill to the rear eyes.
Bill is relatively long, slender and slightly down curved. It is two tones with blackish upper mandible, and pale yellow or bone lower mandible.
Eyes are dark brown. Long and strong legs and feet are pale brown.
Winter Wren is the only member of the Wren family which occurs in Eurasia, others being in the Americas.
Both sexes are similar.
Juvenile is more reddish, with head and nape slightly streaked with blackish edges. Underparts are darker, streaked with dark brown.
First year has brown streaked alula, and adults have conspicuous white edges on it.
Subspecies of Winter Wren are paler in hot and desert areas than in wet and cool regions

Voice :
Sound from CD 'Tous les Oiseaux d'Europe' by Jean C. Roché by courtesy of Sittelle and CEBA. Winter Wren's song is very loud and strong for a tiny bird. Song is a mixture of trills and rattling warblers, ending in prolonged dry rattling trill.
Call is a harsh low 'churr', and also a loud 'tek' often repeated.
During autumn, Winter Wren songs softly, but its alarm call is very strong 'terrerrerr', and also a rapid tremolo 'titititic', in all seasons.

Habitat : Winter Wren lives in various habitats such as woodlands, gardens, farmlands, rocky islets, cliffs on islands.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Winter Wren is found in Centre and south of Canada, Alaska, West coast of United States, Europe, Asia to Japan and North Africa.
Northern birds migrate southwards to winter. In Taiwan, it is a common resident of mountain forests, at mid to high elevations.

Behaviour : Winter Wren sings perched on the top of a shrub, on horizontal branch, but also hidden in trees. When excited, it starts to sing in flight, but it alights rapidly to finish its phrase, before starting other song.
To feed, Winter Wren forages on the forest floor, and along the banks of streams. It is often flitting from bush to bush, or running as a mouse on the ground.
It bobs its head almost continuously, and hops on the ground with cocked tail. It moves quickly, constantly flicking its erect tail, and bending its breast downward.
When spring comes, male builds several nests, and encourages a female, or females, to select one. If the male is monogamous, it will help female to raise the young. But if it is polygynous, it will be too busy, defending its territory. It attracts female by vocalizations. She inspects the nests and when one is chosen, she helps the male to line it with feathers and hair. Other nests serve to lure predators.
At night, in winter, it roosts in dark retreats, holes or old nests. If night is cold, they roost in small groups gathered together for warmth.

Flight : Winter Wren has a whirring direct and low flight. It rapidly dives back into cover. It also may perform weak fluttering flights of short duration.

Reproduction-nesting : Male builds 3 to 4 nests, and female chooses one. Nest is made with sticks and moss, by male, and female helps it to line the interior with feathers and hair. Nest is located in an old stump or woodpecker cavity or rock crevice. Nest is a covered, down-shaped structure, with an entrance on the side, giving the name 'troglodytidae', meaning 'cave dweller'.
Female lays 4 to 7 white eggs, spotted with brown. Incubation lasts about 12 to 16 days, by female. Chicks are altricial, with sparse grey down on head and back. Both parents feed the young. They fledge three weeks later, and parents feed them for up to 40 days more, giving them chances for survival.
This species may produce two broods per season, between April and July.

Food habits : Winter Wren feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, such as insects and spiders, but also small vertebrates such as fishes, tadpoles and young frogs. It also consumes berries and seeds.

Protection / threats : Winter Wren populations are generally stable, even increasing in most of range. Birds living in western North America are threatened by habitat loss with fragmentation of coniferous forests.
Winter Wren is sometimes a host of the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Other links :
Iucn
Birdlife

Specification sheet created by Nicole Bouglouan

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