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Guide to North American Birds

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Photo: Glenn Bartley/Vireo

Pacific Wren

Troglodytes pacificus

A secretive gnome of western forests, often creeping about near the ground under dense tangles, most easily located by its sharp kep-kep callnotes and its ringing, tinkling song. Until recently, was considered to belong to the same species as the Winter Wren of eastern North America and the widespread Eurasian Wren of the Old World.

Conservation status	Still common and widespread, although habitat destruction in the northwest could cause declines. Some island populations in Alaska may be vulnerable.
Family	Wrens
Habitat	Dense coniferous forests, also more open habitats on Alaskan islands, woodlands and brush in winter in the southwest. Breeds most commonly in moist coniferous forest with an understory of dense thickets in the Pacific northwest. In winter, some are found in dense low growth in woods, especially along streambanks or among tangles, brushpiles, and fallen logs. Populations on the Aleutian and Pribilof islands in Alaska may live in more open habitats.

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Feeding Behavior

Usually forages very low among dense vegetation, searching for insects among foliage, on twigs and trunks, and on ground.

Eggs

5-6, sometimes 4-7. White, with reddish brown dots often concentrated toward larger end. Incubation is by female, about 14-17 days. Young: Probably both parents feed nestlings. Young leave the nest about 16-18 days after hatching.

Young

Probably both parents feed nestlings. Young leave the nest about 16-18 days after hatching.

Diet

Mostly insects. Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including many beetles, caterpillars, true bugs, flies, and many others. Also eats many spiders, plus some millipedes and snails. Also sometimes eats berries.

Nesting

Male sings in spring to defend territory and attract a mate. In courtship, male perches near female, with wings half-opened and fluttering, tail moving from side to side, while he sings or calls. Nest site is in any kind of natural cavity close to the ground (lower than about 6'), including holes among upturned roots of downed trees, cavities in rotten stumps, old woodpecker holes, crevices among rocks. Within cavity, both sexes help build nest of grass, weeds, moss, rootlets, lined with animal hair and feathers. Male may also build several unlined "dummy" nests.

Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
Learn more about these drawings.

Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds

Migration

A permanent resident in most of its range, north to the coast and islands of Alaska. Populations from interior regions of western Canada and the northern Rockies move south for the winter, with a few reaching the southwest. Migration is relatively early in spring and late in fall.