Species

Winter wren

Troglodytes hiemalis

A tiny, dark, stub-tailed wren of woodland tangles, with one of the longest, most complex songs of any bird.

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

Communication

At a glance

Size: About 8 to 12 cm long
Weight: About 8 to 12 g
Habitat: Damp woods with fallen logs and tangles
Diet: Insects and spiders
In Georgia: An uncommon winter visitor
Voice: A long, rapid, tinkling song
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Tiny; dark brown; stubby tail held upright; barred flanks
Told apart from: House wren, which is paler with a longer tail
Where to look: Brush piles and fallen logs in damp woods in winter

Behaviour

Winter wrens creep through brush and fallen logs like mice. In spring, their song can contain over 100 notes in a few seconds.

Why they matter

Winter wrens depend on damp woods with fallen logs and dense tangles. They are a sign of healthy forest floors with plenty of cover.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — A ball of moss in a root tangle or crevice
Eggs — Usually five or six
Incubation — About 14 to 17 days
Chicks — Fed by both parents
Flight — At about 19 days
Lifespan — A few years

Living around people

Brush piles and fallen logs in gardens provide winter cover.

Misconceptions

Tidy gardens are best for birds. Winter wrens need untidy tangles.

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	Wintering	Leaving	Nesting in the north	Nesting	Chicks	Young fledging	Present in the north	Migrating	Arriving	Wintering	Wintering

Where it lives

Recorded in 51 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

Mexico

Nuevo Leonin winter

If you found one

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