Perch Supply
Wrens (Troglodytidae)

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon. Insectivore — almost entirely insects and spiders.

House Wren singing from a branch
Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons
Scientific name
Troglodytes aedon
Length
4.3–5.1 in
Weight
0.4 oz
Nest
Almost any cavity — boxes, gourds, even boots and flowerpots; males build several stick-filled dummy nests
Entrance hole
1 to 1 1/8 in round
Clutch
3–10 eggs
Incubation
9–16 days
Broods
2 per season

Identification

  • Plain brown with fine dark barring on wings and tail
  • Faint pale eyebrow; thin, slightly curved bill
  • Tail often cocked upward

Voice

An exuberant, bubbling song of rapid trills, sung constantly in spring.

Diet and feeding

Insectivore — almost entirely insects and spiders.

What do house wrens eat?

House Wrens by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaWinter visitor—
AlbertaSummer breederJune–August
ArizonaYear-round residentApril–August
British ColumbiaSummer breederJune–August
CaliforniaYear-round residentApril–August
ColoradoSummer breederMay–August
ConnecticutSummer breederMay–August
DelawareSummer breederMay–August
FloridaWinter visitor—
GeorgiaYear-round residentApril–August
IdahoSummer breederMay–August
IllinoisSummer breederMay–August
IndianaSummer breederMay–August
IowaSummer breederMay–August
KansasSummer breederMay–August
LouisianaWinter visitor—
MaineSummer breederJune–August
ManitobaSummer breederJune–August
MarylandSummer breederMay–August
MassachusettsSummer breederMay–August
MichiganSummer breederMay–August
MinnesotaSummer breederMay–August
MississippiWinter visitor—
MissouriSummer breederMay–August
MontanaSummer breederJune–August
NebraskaSummer breederMay–August
NevadaSummer breederMay–August
New BrunswickSummer breederJune–August
New HampshireSummer breederJune–August
New JerseySummer breederMay–August
New MexicoSummer breederMay–August
New YorkSummer breederMay–August
North CarolinaYear-round residentApril–August
North DakotaSummer breederJune–August
Nova ScotiaSummer breederJune–August
OhioSummer breederMay–August
OklahomaSummer breederMay–August
OntarioSummer breederMay–August
OregonSummer breederMay–August
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMay–August
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederJune–August
QuebecSummer breederJune–August
Rhode IslandSummer breederMay–August
SaskatchewanSummer breederJune–August
South CarolinaWinter visitor—
South DakotaSummer breederMay–August
TexasWinter visitor—
UtahSummer breederMay–August
VermontSummer breederJune–August
VirginiaSummer breederApril–August
WashingtonSummer breederMay–August
West VirginiaSummer breederMay–August
WisconsinSummer breederJune–August
WyomingSummer breederJune–August

Frequently asked

What do house wrens eat?

Insectivore — almost entirely insects and spiders. At feeders: mealworms (occasionally).

How big is a House Wren?

4.3–5.1 in long and 0.4 oz.

Do house wrens use birdhouses?

Yes — a 1 to 1 1/8 in round entrance, 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–10 ft near shrubs.

Sources

  1. House Wren — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. House Wren life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. House Wren — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.