# Bewick's Wren (*Thryomanes bewickii*) Bewick's Wrens are small, lively birds with a cheerful song. They love to hop around in bushes and trees, looking for tasty bugs to eat. Their cute, round bodies and long tails make them fun to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Urban areas, forests, and shrubby places ![Bewick's Wren](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bewick's_Wren_%2827640631069%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bewick's_Wren_%2827640631069%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Bewick's Wren is a small, slender bird with a grayish-brown back and whitish belly. It has a distinctive long white stripe above its eye and a relatively long tail often held cocked, showing barred outer feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Troglodytidae - **Genus:** Thryomanes ## Interesting facts - Bewick's Wrens can even learn parts of songs from other nearby bird species! - Male Bewick's Wrens sometimes build multiple "dummy" nests to impress a female! - Sadly, they have almost completely disappeared from the eastern U.S. where they once were common! - Their scientific name, \*Thryomanes\*, means 'rush-loving', referring to their preferred dense habitats! ## Special abilities - **Song Master:** Bewick's Wren can sing over 20 unique songs because of complex vocal cords, helping find mates and defend territory. - **Bush Navigator:** Bewick's Wren can dart quickly through dense shrubs and thickets, helping them hide from predators and find tasty insects. - **Tail Communicator:** Bewick's Wren has a long, twitchy tail that helps signal to other wrens and keep balance while hopping. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-14 cm - **Wingspan:** 18-20 cm - **Weight:** 0.008-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-5 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-7 - **Incubation:** 12-16 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds mostly feast on small insects and spiders found scurrying in plants! - **Primary Foods:** Caterpillars, Beetles, Ants, Spiders, Flies, True Bugs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — A common predator in suburban areas. - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A frequent avian predator of small birds. - **Shelter:** [Gambel Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gambel-oak) (*Quercus gambelii*) — Nests and forages in dense oak and shrub thickets. - **Hunts:** [Japanese Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-beetle) (*Popillia japonica*) — Feeds on larvae and adults of various beetles. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bewick's Wren? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bewick's Wren? 12-14 cm ### What is Bewick's Wren's wingspan? 18-20 cm ### How much does Bewick's Wren weigh? 0.008-0.012 kg ### How long does Bewick's Wren live? 1-5 years ### How fast can Bewick's Wren move? 40 km/h ### What does Bewick's Wren eat? These tiny birds mostly feast on small insects and spiders found scurrying in plants! ### Where is Bewick's Wren usually found? Urban areas, forests, and shrubby places ## Where to spot - [Cabrillo National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cabrillo-national-monument) — California, US · National Park - [Desert Garden Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-garden-conservatory) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Pike Place Market](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pike-place-market) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Ruth Bancroft Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ruth-bancroft-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Abilene Zoological Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abilene-zoological-gardens) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Sierra Safari Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sierra-safari-zoo) — Nevada, US · Zoo [View all places to see Bewick's Wren](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bewicks-wren) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Bewick's Wren: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bewicks-wren)