Wrens are afamily,Troglodytidae, of small brownpasserine birds. The family includes 96species and is divided into 19genera. All species are restricted to theNew World except for theEurasian wren that is widely distributed in theOld World. InAnglophone regions, the Eurasian wren is commonly known simply as the "wren", as it is the originator of the name. The namewren has been applied to other, unrelated birds, particularly the New Zealand wrens (Acanthisittidae) and the Australian wrens (Maluridae).
Most wrens are visually inconspicuous though they have loud and often complex songs. Exceptions include the relatively large members of the genusCampylorhynchus, which can be quite bold in their behaviour. Wrens have short wings that are barred in most species, and they often hold their tails upright. Wrens are primarilyinsectivorous, eating insects, spiders and other smallinvertebrates, but many species also eat vegetable matter and some eat small frogs and lizards.[1]
The English name "wren" derives fromMiddle English:wrenne andOld English:wrænna, attested (aswernnaa) very early, in an eighth-centurygloss. It iscognate toOld High German:wrendo,wrendilo, andIcelandic:rindill (the latter two including an additional diminutive-ilan suffix). The Icelandic name is attested inOld Icelandic (Eddaic) asrindilþvari. This points to aCommon Germanic namewrandjan-, but the further etymology of the name is unknown.[2]
The wren was also known as thekuningilin ('kinglet') inOld High German, a name associated with thefable of the election of the "king of birds". The bird that could fly to the highest altitude would be made king. Theeagle outflew all other birds, but he was beaten by a small bird that had hidden in his plumage. This fable was already known toAristotle (Historia Animalium 9.11)[3] andPliny (Natural History 10.95),[4][5] and was taken up bymedieval authors such asJohann Geiler von Kaisersberg, but it most likely originally concernedkinglets (Regulus, such as thegoldcrest) and was apparently motivated by the yellow "crown" sported by these birds (a point noted already byLudwig Uhland).[6] The confusion stemmed in part from the similarity and consequent interchangeability of theAncient Greek words for the wren (βασιλεύςbasileus, 'king')[7] and the crest (βασιλίσκοςbasiliskos, 'kinglet'),[8][9] and the legend's reference to the "smallest of birds" becoming king likely led the title to be transferred to the equally tiny wren.[6][10] In modernGerman, the name of the bird isZaunkönig ('king of the fence (or hedge)') and inDutch, the name iswinterkoning ('king of winter').[citation needed]
The family name Troglodytidae is derived from troglodyte, which means 'cave-dweller'.[11] Wrens get their scientific name from the tendency of some species to forage in dark crevices.[12]
The name "wren" is also ascribed toother families of passerine birds throughout the world. In Europe, kinglets are occasionally known as "wrens", with thecommon firecrest andgoldcrest known as the "fire-crested wren" and "golden-crested wren", respectively.[13]
Wrens are medium-small to very small birds. The Eurasian wren is among the smallest birds in its range, while the smaller species from theAmericas are among the smallestpasserines in that part of the world. They range in size from thewhite-bellied wren, which averages under 10 cm (3.9 in) and 9 g (0.32 oz), to thegiant wren, which averages about 22 cm (8.7 in) and weighs almost 50 g (1.8 oz). The dominating colors of theirplumage are generally drab, composed of gray, brown, black, and white, and most species show some barring, especially on the tail or wings. Nosexual dimorphism is seen in the plumage of wrens, and little difference exists between young birds and adults.[1] All have fairly long, straight to marginally decurved (downward-curving) bills.[1]
The various species occur in a wide range of habitats, ranging from dry, sparsely wooded country to rainforests. Most species are mainly found at low levels, but members of the genusCampylorhynchus are frequently found higher, and the two members ofOdontorchilus are restricted to theforest canopy.[1] A few species, notably the Eurasian wren and the house wren, are often associated with humans. Most species are resident, remaining in Central and South America all year round, but the few species found in temperate regions of theNorthern Hemisphere are partially migratory, spending the winter further south.[citation needed]
Wrens vary from highly secretive species such as those found in the genusMicrocerculus to the highly conspicuous genusCampylorhynchus, the members of which frequently sing from exposed perches. The family as a whole exhibits a great deal of variation in their behavior. Temperate species generally occur in pairs, but some tropical species may occur in parties of up to 20 birds.[1]
Wrens build dome-shaped nests, and may be eithermonogamous orpolygamous, depending on species.[14]
Though little is known about the feeding habits of many of the Neotropical species, wrens are considered primarilyinsectivorous, eating insects, spiders, and other smallarthropods.[1] Many species also take vegetable matter such as seeds and berries, and some (primarily the larger species) take small frogs and lizards. The Eurasian wren has been recorded wading into shallow water to catch small fish and tadpoles;Sumichrast's wren and theZapata wren take snails; and thegiant wren andmarsh wren have been recorded attacking and eating bird eggs (in the latter species, even eggs of conspecifics).[1] A localSpanish name for the giant wren andbicolored wren ischupahuevo ('egg-sucker'), but whether the latter actually eats eggs is unclear.[1] Theplain wren andnorthern house wren sometimes destroy bird eggs, and therufous-and-white wren has been recorded killing nestlings, but this is apparently to eliminate potential food competitors rather than to feed on the eggs or nestlings.[1] Several species of Neotropical wrens sometimes participate inmixed-species flocks orfollow army ants, and the Eurasian wren may followbadgers to catch prey items disturbed by them.[1]
Relationships among families in the superfamily Certhioidea.[15][16]
Revised following Martínez Gómez et al. (2005) and Mann et al. (2006), the taxonomy of some groups is highly complex, and future species-level splits are likely. Additionally, undescribedtaxa are known to exist. Theblack-capped donacobius is an enigmatic species traditionally placed with the wrens more for lack of a more apparent alternative than as a result of thorough study. It was recently determined to be most likely closer to certainwarblers, possibly the newly establishedMegaluridae, and might constitute amonotypic family.[17]
The wren features prominently in culture. The Eurasian wren has been long considered "the king of birds" in Europe.[20] Killing one or harassing its nest is associated with bad luck, such as broken bones, lightning strikes on homes, or injury to cattle.Wren Day, celebrated in parts of Ireland onSaint Stephen's Day (26 December), features a fake wren being paraded around town on a decorative pole; up to the 20th century, real birds were hunted for this purpose.[21] A possible origin for the tradition is revenge for the betrayal ofSaint Stephen by a noisy wren when he was trying to hide from enemies in a bush.[22]
TheCarolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) has been the state bird ofSouth Carolina since 1948, and features on the back of itsstate quarter.[23][24] The Britishfarthing featured a wren on the reverse side from 1937 until its demonetisation in 1960. TheCactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) was designated the state bird ofArizona in 1931.[25]
TheWomen's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) were nicknamed Wrens based on the acronym WRNS. After the Women's Royal Navy Service was integrated into the Royal Navy in 1993, the title of Wren was dropped from official usage, however unofficially female sailors are still referred to as Wrens.
The South Carolina state quarter(left) and British farthing(right) both feature wrens
^Alström, Per; Ericson, Per G. P.; Olsson, Urban; Sundberg, Per (2006). "Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea".Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.38 (2):381–97.doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015.PMID16054402.
^Imfeld, T.S.; Barker, F.K.; Vázquez-Miranda, H.; Chaves, J.A.; Escalante, P.; Spellman, G.M.; Klicka, J. (2024). "Diversification and dispersal in the Americas revealed by new phylogenies of the wrens and allies (Passeriformes: Certhioidea)".Ornithology.141 (2) ukae007.doi:10.1093/ornithology/ukae007.
^Lawrence, Elizabeth Atwood (1997).Hunting the Wren: Transformation of Bird to Symbol: a Study in Human-animal Relationships. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.ISBN978-0-87049-960-9.
Mann, Nigel I.; Barker, F. Keith; Graves, Jeff A.; Dingess-Mann, Kimberly A.; Slater, Peter J. B. (2006). "Molecular data delineate four genera of "Thryothorus" wrens".Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.40 (3):750–759.doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.04.014.PMID16750640.
.jpg)
