Species

House wren

Troglodytes aedon

A small, brown, bubbly-voiced wren that nests in almost any cavity, from nest boxes to old boots.

Photo Unknown photographer (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)

Nesting

At a glance

Size: About 11 to 13 cm long
Weight: About 10 to 12 g
Habitat: Yards, parks, woodland edges and thickets
Diet: Insects and spiders
In Georgia: A summer resident in the north; a winter visitor in the south
Voice: A loud, bubbling, cascading song
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Plain brown; faint eyebrow; barred wings and tail; tail often cocked
Told apart from: Carolina wren, which is rusty with a bold white eyebrow
Told apart from: Winter wren, which is smaller and darker with a stubby tail
Where to look: Brushy yards and edges

Behaviour

House wrens nest in any cavity, including nest boxes, flowerpots and old clothing. Males fill several cavities with sticks and the female chooses one.

Why they matter

House wrens eat many insects and spiders. They are among the most widespread songbirds in the Americas, from Canada to Tierra del Fuego.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — Sticks in a cavity, lined with soft material
Eggs — Usually five to eight
Incubation — About 12 to 15 days
Chicks — Fed by both parents
Flight — At about 15 to 17 days
Lifespan — A few years

Living around people

Nest boxes placed near shrubs attract them.

Misconceptions

Wrens are too small to be territorial. House wrens defend territories fiercely, even removing other birds' eggs.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Wintering in the south	Wintering	Arriving in the north	Nesting in the north	Nesting	Chicks	Second broods	Present	Migrating	Arriving in the south	Wintering	Wintering

Where it lives

Recorded in 84 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

If you found one

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