Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Small, spunky wren with boldly patterned plumage. Look for dark cap, bright white eyebrow, and black-and-white stripes on back. Compared with similar Sedge Wren, Marsh is overall darker and more contrasty; especially note the solid brown shoulder patch and unstreaked crown. Habitat is also a good clue for identifying this wren: rarely strays far from water, especially extensive cattail marshes and rushes. Migrants are occasionally seen in wet weedy fields. Often difficult to see well as it skulks through reeds, but often perches conspicuously when singing. Variable song usually a gurgling trill with some introductory notes.
Identification
Adults have brown upperparts with a light brown belly and flanks and a white throat and breast. The back is black with white stripes. They have a dark cap with a white line over the eyes and a short thin bill.<p>The male's song is a loud gurgle used to declare ownership of territory; western males have a more varied repertoire.<p>This little bird is native to Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Their breeding habitat is marshes with tall vegetation such as cattails across North America. In the western United States, some birds are permanent residents. Other birds migrate to marshes and salt marshes in the southern United States and Mexico. their non-breeding range is in the southern United States going into Mexico and their breeding range is in the northeastern United States going into Canada.<p>Measurements:
Taxonomy
The marsh wren was described by the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson in 1810 and given the binomial name Certhia palustris. The current genus Cistothorus was introduced by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1850. There are 15 recognised subspecies.<p>Etymology: from Greek 'κιστος' (cistos, "a shrub") and 'θουρος' (thouros, "leaping, or running through") and Latin 'palustris' ("marshy").
- Scientific name
- Cistothorus palustris
- Authority
- (Wilson, A, 1810)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Cistothorus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
The species is still common with an estimated global breeding population of 9.4 million. However, its numbers have declined with the loss of suitable wetland habitat and wholesale draining of marshes will lead to local extinction. Still, the species is widespread enough not to qualify as threatened according to the IUCN.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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