Wrens - Troglodytes

Wrens are dumpy, almost rounded, with a fairly long, straight to marginally decurved bills. They have quite long legs and toes, very short round wings and a short, narrow tail which is sometimes cocked up vertically.

The dominating colors of their plumage are generally drab, composed of gray, brown, black, and white, and most species show some barring, especially to tail and/or wings. More often than not, the wrens effervescent song is  heard before it is spotted!

The family, comprising 75 species, apparently originated in the American tropics and spread north to Canada. The northernmost species, winter wren, extends into Eurasia. There are 8 species in Canada, 7 reported in Ontario.

Did you know ??

According to Greek legend, the wren became the king of birds by hiding on the eagle’s back, and thus succeeding in flying higher in the sky than the eagle.