House Wren
Troglodytes aedon

Migratory Status: Short-distance migrant

PIF Population Estimate: 19 000 000

Percent of western hemisphere population breeding in boreal forest: <25%

BAM Effective Detection Radius (m) : 66.36

PIF Maximum Detection Distance (m) : 125

Canadian BBS Population trend: 0.2 n.s. (-0.5 to 0.9)

Life History

The House Wren is a drab, gray-brown bird with a long bill and slender tail. Though lacklustre in appearance, it makes up for it with an exuberant, bubbly song and a tenacious personality. The House Wren is primarily a sub-boreal species, breeding along the southern fringe of Canada and southward. However, a broad finger of its range stretches into the parklands of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. Canadian populations are migratory, spending the winters in the southern United States and Mexico.

The habitat of the House Wren is quite variable across its range. In boreal regions, it occupies relatively dry forest sites, preferring open slopes and deciduous woodlands with patchy, shrubby cover. House Wrens feed mainly on small invertebrates, searching for them on tree branches, in bark crevices, on the ground and in low vegetation.

House Wrens will defend their territory from frequent intrusions by neighbouring wrens, as well as other species of birds. During the breeding season males will typically occupy an area of about 0.5 ha, but only vigorously defend the immediate vicinity around their nest sites. Females will physically evict other intruding females from near the nest and will also try to repel wandering male suitors. Both adults will eject other nesting birds out of cavities by removing their nests or simply building over top of them, regardless of the presence of eggs or young.

Both males and females sing. The male gives a relatively long, explosive song, usually louder in the middle. When advertising for a mate, the male will sing from the highest available perch. A paired male will have a favourite perch, usually less than 3 m above ground and within a few metres of the nest. The female song is less commonly given, and is quite variable, sometimes identical to that of a male, but often shorter and squeakier. Her song is given primarily at the time of pairing, when she apparently answers her mate’s songs. She may also sing when her mate starts advertising for, or begins to court another female. Call notes are short, harsh, rattling notes.

Reference(s)

Johnson, L. S. 1998. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/380