House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

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Identification

Field notes

12 cm (5") Common. Suburban areas, farmlands and woodland edges.

Faint eyebrow stripe. Short tail often held over its back. Told from similar Winter Wren by its larger size, longer tail, lighter less barred belly and voice.

Song: loud and exuberant; scolding rattle.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

House Wren

Credit: Larry Bond

House Wren

Credit: Don DesJardin

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.

House Wren

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 5

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Dark and light bands across it · None · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
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

result:680-house-wren:1:1 Source: 680 House Wren, row 1

Rule 2 4 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

result:680-house-wren:2:1 Source: 680 House Wren, row 2