Biometrics
Length: 8 - 12 cm
Wingspan: 12 - 16 cm
Curiosities
The Eurasian wren’s body is adapted to live inside dense vegetation. Its small body with its short, round wings takes up little space and is easy to manoeuvre in small spaces. They also have stronger and heavier feathers on the tips of their wings, to protect against branches and thorns when flying through dense vegetation.
-
- Carriça (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Eurasian wren
(Troglodytes troglodytes)
Class Aves, Order Passeriform, Family Troglodytidae
General description
The Eurasian wren is a small passerine with a compact body and rounded wings. One of its distinguishing features is its short tail, which is usually raised at an upright angle. Its general colour is light brown, being darker on the back and greyer on the abdomen. It has a light stripe above the eye and dark brown and grey stripes more visible on the wings and tail. Its short beak is dark brown, and the legs are light brown. The males and females of this species are very similar.
Feeding
This species is insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of invertebrate animals. They forage for food in the ground, hunting various species of insects and their larvae, but also other invertebrates such as spiders and millipedes. Their small size allows them to search for food in areas inaccessible to other insectivorous birds.
Behavior
One of the Eurasian wren’s most distinctive features is its powerful vocalization compared to its size. It produces a loud song, which males mostly use to establish and defend their territories. Males build several nests in their territory, made out of moss, twigs, grass and other materials they find. Each male can build up to twelve nests in its territory, but they usually build around six. The nests are built in holes or on top of branches, and the nests that are not used for the female to lay eggs are used as shelter.
In Portugal
This species can be found all over Portugal, and as it is a resident species, it is possible to observe it all year round. It is present in a variety of habitats, from forests and woods to agricultural areas and gardens. This species can often be spotted within dense vegetation such as shrubs and hedges. In Portugal, this wren seems to avoid the drier and more open areas of the country, particularly in the south. Due to its proximity to urban areas and gardens, it is often the victim of predation by domestic cats.