A small wren of marshes. Males build multiple "dummy" nests as part of courtship.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The marsh wren is a small North American songbird of the wren family. It was formerly called the long-billed marsh wren to distinguish it from the sedge wren, then known as the short-billed marsh wren.
Source: Wikipedia — Marsh wren Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Small rusty wren with a black-and-white streaked upper back, a bold white eyebrow, and a cocked tail; warm buffy flanks.
Similar species. Sedge Wren is buffier with a streaked crown and a fainter eyebrow and prefers wet meadows; Marsh Wren has a bold eyebrow and lives in tall cattails.
Voice. A rapid, gurgling, mechanical rattle of liquid and buzzy notes; harsh 'tsuk' call.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects and spiders gleaned from vegetation.
Behavior. A secretive wren of cattail and bulrush marshes; males build many dummy nests and sing day and night, often puncturing the eggs of neighboring marsh birds.
§ Range
Across North America
§ Habitat
Marshes, wetlands
§ Threats
Wetland loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the marsh wren is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support wetland conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Marsh wren
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Cistothorus palustris
- IUCN Red List — search for Cistothorus palustris
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Cistothorus palustris
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
