Carolina Wren
From WikiBird
Contents |
Size
Length: 14cm (??in), Wingspan: ??cm (??in), Weight: 20g
Field Marks
Upperparts are rufous brown, underparts a strong orange-buff, usually unmarked but faintly barred on the flanks in the southwest of the range. The head has a striking pure white supercilium (eyebrow) and a whitish throat. The race albinucha is duller brown above has additional white streaking on the head. Long, thin, slightly decurved bill, thin white wing bars, long tail frequently held upright, pink legs. Sexes similar.
Similar species
Similar to the Bewick's and Marsh Wrens but has buffy, not white, underparts and rustier upperparts. House Wren has a less distinct supercilium, less rusty upperparts and barring on the belly and undertail coverts. Winter Wren is smaller, darker, has a shorter tail and less distinct supercilium.
easiest to confuse with the Bewick's Wren, which differs in being smaller but with a longer tail, grayer-brown above and whiter below.
Sounds
Usually very vocal and loud. Popularly rendered as "teakettle-teakettle-teakettle". Both male and female birds sing.
Feeding & Behavior
Eat insects, found in leaf litter or on tree trunks; they may also eat small lizards or tree frogs. In winter, they occasionally eat seeds, berries, and other small fruits.
Habitat & Nesting
Prefer sites with dense undergrowth, either in mixed forests or in wooded suburban settings. The nest is a bulky, often domed structure, in a natural or artificial cavity. Pairs may mate for life.
Range
Resident in the eastern half of the USA, the extreme south of Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico. Generally permanent residents throughout their range and defend territory year round; some birds may wander north after the breeding season.
Resources
