Canyon Wren

Catherpes mexicanus

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Identification

Field notes

14 cm (5-6") Fairly common. Western United States, north to southern British Columbia. Rocky terrain near water; canyons, cliffs, roadsides, stone buildings.

Rather long downcurved bill. Gray and brown upperparts are speckled with white. Clear white throat and breast contrast with dark rufous belly.

Song: distinctive decelerating and descending series of "tew tew tew tew tew tew" notes are often amplified off rocks; sharp metallic "jeet" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Noel Reynolds

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Canyon Wren

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Canyon Wren

2 rules

Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 5

What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Dark and light bands across it · None · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:688-canyon-wren:1:1 Source: 688 Canyon Wren, row 1

Rule 2 5 criteria confidence 5

What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing upward or cocked over its back
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Open body of freshwater · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:688-canyon-wren:2:1 Source: 688 Canyon Wren, row 2