Birds and wildlife

Wren

Troglodytes troglodytesGroup: WrensUK Conservation status:Amber

How to identify

The Wren is a tiny brown bird, although it's heavier and not as slim as the even smaller Goldcrest. It's almost round in shape with a fine bill, quite long legs and toes, very short round wings and a short, narrow tail, which is sometimes stuck up vertically. For such a small bird, it has a remarkably loud voice. It's the most common UK breeding bird, and a common garden visitor, although it suffers declines during prolonged, severely cold winters.

Call

Wren

Patrik Åberg / xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

  • A tiny brown bird – one of the UK’s smallest 
  • Short tail, often characteristically cocked 
  • Thin, sharply pointed beak 
  • Brown all over, with paler underparts and darker wings which have delicate barring 
  • Pale ‘eyebrow’ stripe 
  • Often looks almost round in shape  
  • Males and females look the same 
Wren, adult perched on gorse
Wren
Did you know?

More than 60 Wrens were once found snuggled up together in a nest box to keep warm!

A Wren singing whilst perched on frosty ferns
Wren
What to do for nature this winter

The winter months can be a challenge for local wildlife – and us! We’re in the coldest part of the year. Although our usual gardening jobs will be on hold for the moment, there are still things we can do to help nature in our outdoor space.

Where and when to see them

Despite being the UK’s commonest breeding birds, Wrens can be surprisingly difficult to see, because of their tiny size and habit of hiding away in vegetation. They live in most habitats across the UK, including mature gardens, woodlands and farmland.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Behaviour

Wrens are always on the move, flitting about in the undergrowth, in rocky crevices and in trees, as they search for insects. They also eat seeds and berries, particularly in winter when insects are harder to find, and sometimes make the most of crumbs that have fallen from bird feeders. You might see one singing from an elevated perch. 

Call/song

For such little birds, Wrens have an incredibly loud voice! Their song is a succession of high-pitched whistles, ending with a trill. Their call is a loud ‘tic-tic-tic’.

When and where to hear them?

All year round, dawn-til dusk-vocalist – but best heard in the breeding season between March and May.

You’ll often hear a Wren before you see one. They keep a low profile, flitting through thick undergrowth at the bottom of our bushes and hedges. They’re one of the UK’s most common breeding birds, and you can hear them almost anywhere.

Nesting

Male Wrens are extremely hard workers when it comes to the pursuit of a partner. Males build several different nests in the nooks and crannies of trees, climbers, walls and banks. A female will inspect the various nest options before choosing one and lining it with feathers. She will lay five or six eggs on average. The male's extra efforts don’t go to waste, as he will often raise multiple broods with multiple partners! 

Wren, adult perched on gorse
Wren
Small brown birds you might see in your garden

Have you seen a small, brown bird in your garden and you’re not sure what it is? There are lots of potential contenders, so take a look at these ID tips to help you to work out the identity of your mystery bird.

A natural barrier comprised of two lines of wooden posts, providing an outer structure which contains the layers of twigs and branches that have been sandwiched in the gap between them.
Dead hedge
Build a dead hedge for wildlife

It might sound like an oxymoron, but a dead hedge is a wonderful habitat that’s full of life. Dead hedges provide hiding places and nesting habitats for all sorts of creatures, as well as food for insects.

Key facts