A Short Description of Wrens

Name Origin

From the Middle English word wrenne, Old English wraenna, attested very early in an 18th century gloss and Old High German wrendo, wrendilo and Old Icelandic word rindill thus points to a Common Germanic name wrandjan- but the further etymology of the name is unknown. The name has been applied to other birds in Australia and New Zealand.

Known also as a kinglet in Old High German. This name is associated with a legend of an election of the king of birds. The legend tells that whoever could fly to the highest altitude would be made king. An eagle outflew all birds burt was beaten by a small bird (wren) who had hidden in his plumage. This legend was known by the famous philosopher Aristotle. Its name is ascribed to other families of passerine birds throughout the world. Such as Europe with regulus, firecrest and goldcrest.

Species Background

About 80 species of true wrens in about 20 genera which are passerine birds in the mainly New World family troglodytidae. Its genus eponymous of the family is troglodytes. Troglodyte means cave-dweller. It got their scientific name from the tendency of some species to hunt in dark fissure.

Description

They are small birds, among the smallest in the world. Its size range is 10-22 cm and weighs 9-20 grams. Its dominating colors of their plumage are dull, composed of black and white, grey, brown and most species show some barring, from its tail or wings. They are distinguished on its barring on the retrices which is absent in all songbirds. The plumage of the wrens is soft. There is no sexual dimorphism in the plumage of wrens, and little difference between young birds and adults.

The various species occur in a wide range of habitats, ranging from dry to rainforests. Vast majority are found at low levels. A few species, particularly the Winter Wren, is often associated with humans. They remain in Central and South America all year round because most species are non-migratory but the few temperate species typically migrate to warmer climes in winter.

Behavior

Although wrens have a reputation for extreme secretiveness, they vary from highly secretive species some frequently sing from exposed perches. The whole family exhibits a great deal of variation in their behavior. Except for their loud and often complex songs they are mainly small and inconspicuous. They have short wings and they can't see at night. Quite a few sleep on the ground and often hold their tails upright. They live eating insects and spiders. They are insectivores but they also feed on fish, rodents and lizards. Temperate species generally occur in pairs, but tropical species may occur in parties of up to twenty birds. Wrens build dome-shaped nests, and may be either monogamous or polygamous, depending on species.

Additional Information

Small, mostly insectivorous birds with finely pointed and often decurved bill, tail variously long and graduated to extremely short; plumage mostly grey and brown, often with rufous tones. Forest edge, scrubland, suburban gardens, marshes, desert brushland, rock faces with 17 genera, 85 species, 407 taxa and 7 species threatened; none extinct since 1600.

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