Winter Wren (Winter Birds of Fundy National Park / Oiseaux d'hiver du parc national Fundy)

Winter Wren

Troglodytes hiemalis

Summary ⁷

The Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae. It was once lumped with Troglodytes pacificus of western North America and Troglodytes troglodytes of Eurasia under the name Winter Wren.

Troglodytes hiemalis ⁸

An extremely small (4 inches) wren, the Winter Wren is most easily identified by its plain brown back, streaked breast, extremely short tail (often held up at an angle), short bill, and faint white eye-stripes. This species may be distinguished from the similar Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) by that species’ paler plumage and from the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) by that species’ larger size. Male and female Winter Wrens are similar to one another in all seasons. The Winter Wren breeds from southern Alaska and Canada south at higher elevations to California and Georgia in the western and eastern United States, respectively. In winter, northerly-breeding populations migrate south to the eastern U.S. and the interior west. Populations breeding at the southern end of this species’ breeding range are non-migratory. Winter Wrens breed in a variety of habitats, including evergreen forests, river edges, and (in the northern part of this species’ range) rocky islands. During the winter, this species may be found further south or at lower elevations in evergreen or deciduous woodland. Winter Wrens exclusively eat small insects. In appropriate habitat, Winter Wrens may be seen foraging for food on the ground or in the branches of bushes and shrubs. Birdwatchers may also listen for this species’ song, a rapid series of high-pitched warbled notes. Winter Wrens are most active during the day, but, like many migratory songbirds, this species migrates at night.

Threat Status: Least Concern