(Revised from a 2008 blog entry.)
Wrens, a family of little brown Birds, are well-known for their high
energy and trilling songs. Friendly and active, House Wren is often
called “Jenny Wren” in children’s storybooks. Meanwhile Carolina Wren,
one of the largest Wrens, flits from perch to perch looking for tasty
bugs, delighting gardeners.
Voracious in their nesting endevours, Wrens build nests in boots,
mailboxes, and even car radiators. Quick and agile Cactus Wren builds
his nest amongst the sharp spines of a cactus. To impress the Female
Wrens, Marsh Wren frantically builds as many dummy nests that He can in
the wetlands. The scientific name for Wrens is “Troglodytidae,” which
means “cave dwellers.” This comes from the elaborate enclosed nests that
many Wrens build. Besides housing eggs, these roofed nests also act as
their communal roosts.
Although most wrens live secret lives in dense forests, Cactus Wren (Genus: Campylorhynchus)
and his Friends live in the open semi-arid areas of the Americas.
Gathering in small flocks, Cactus Wrens will help the Breeding Pair in
feeding. One of the largest of the Wrens (the size of a starling), He is
pugnacious in defending his territory whilst fending off larger birds.
Best known for their bubbly tunes, Wrens often have as many as 130
different songs in their repertoire. Although They do sing all year
round, Wrens are most famous for being the joyful harbingers of spring
with their trilling melodies. And, Winter Wren, a shy Bird, has the
loudest songs of all the Wren Family.
In addition, Wrens’ songs have a magical quality to them. In some
Native American stories, Wrens can bring the dead back to life with
their powerful singing. Called the Snow Bird, Black-headed Wren is said
to summon the snow. However, He does know the direction and time of the
storm.
Wrens are legendary for their spiritedness. Whether defending their
territory or building nests Wrens conduct themselves great zest. Let
these little brown Birds induct you into the mysterious of happiness.
Lose yourself in their songs, and be enriched beyond your dreams.
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Science Notes:
1. Members of the wren family called the Troglodytidae. The wrens of Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand are not related and are not wrens.
They belong to their own families. The New Zealand wrens are the
Acanthisittidae, an ancient bird family. Meanwhile the wrens of
Australia and New Guinea belong to the Maluridae Family, which includes
fairy-wrens (Malurus), emu-wrens (Stipiturus) and grasswrens (Amytornis).
2. Firecrested wren is the common firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus), while golden-crested wren is the goldcrest (Regulus regulus). They belong to the Kinglet Family and are not wrens.
3. Antwrens (Myrmotherula and Herpsilochmus) are members of the
antbird family (Thamnophilidae) of South America. Wren-babblers of South
Asia are cupwings (the Pnoepygidae).
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