Pacific Wrens are brown all over with darker barring on the wings, tail, and belly. They have a paler eyebrow stripe and short tails, which they keep upright. Males and females look the same.
Distinctive features: They are the smallest wren in the United States.
- Troglodytes pacificus
- Length: 3.1-4.7 in (8-12 cm)
- Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (8-12 g)
- Wingspan: 4.7-6.3 in (12-16 cm)
Range
Pacific Wrens are found along the West Coast from Alaska to California. Those on the coast remain all year, but those inland in Canada migrate south for winter.
Habitat And Diet
Look for Pacific Wrens on the ground in forests, often hidden in the mass of leaves and rotting logs. They eat insects, spiders, flies, and bees.
Pacific Wren Sounds:
They sing a long, jumbled song of many different fast, high-pitched notes.
Nests
Nests of Pacific Wrens are made of twigs, moss, and grass woven together into a round shape with a small opening. They lay 1 – 9 eggs, and hatching takes around two or two and a half weeks, and fledging the same.
Attract Pacific Wrens
Attract them to your backyard with native plants and dense vegetation, and try installing a nest box.
Fun fact:
Pacific Wrens will often huddle up together when it is cold, with many individuals sharing the same cavity or nest box. Once over 30 were found together in a nest box.
