Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

This is the only wren found in the Old World - there are about 60 in the New World (and its there, too, as the Winter Wren). So it is found over much of Europe, Southern temperate Asia and a lot of Canada.

Absolutely unmistakable - short, small, round, barred brown and with an upturned tail. Thought of by many as the smallest bird in Europe. This may be true of wing-length but not weight. Latin names means cave dweller but is very adaptable and may be found on the sea-shore and in cairns on mountain tops. Many sub-species (often large) on islands. Very susceptible to cold weather but very high breeding rate and often the most numerous bird in Britain and Ireland. Suggested that there were 9,900,000 territories at the time of the last breeding bird atlas (1988-91). Nicknamed Jenny.

The only wren in the Old World.

The following Bird On! picture is available:

Wren (Watercolour by Robert Gillmor)

Length	95 mm
Closed wing	48 mm
Weight	9 gms

A Bird On! Sketch by Chris Mead
Copyright © 1996 by Jacobi Jayne & Company and Chris Mead