Credit: Larry Bond
North American field guide
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Also known as:Long-billed Marsh Wren
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Identification
Field notes
13 cm (5") Abundant in marshes, cattails, rushes, sedges.
Plain brown cap. White eyebrow stripe. White stripes on back.
Keeps hidden but may climb a cattail to sing or investigate a disturbance.
Was called Long-billed Marsh Wren.
Song: gurgling, ending in a mechanical chatter "cut-cut-turrrrrrr-ur" often heard at night.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Credit: Larry Bond
Credit: Larry Bond
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Videos
Marsh Wren
Credit: Larry BondMarsh Wren
Credit: Larry BondWhere 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.
Marsh Wren
2 rulesRule 1 11 criteria · confidence 3
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- Dark and light bands across it · None · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · 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 ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
- Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · 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 · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
- What type of environment was the bird seen in?
- Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach
Rule 2 4 criteria · confidence 3
- 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?
- Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach