Northern Wren

Winterkoning


Northern Wren

NL: Winterkoning
D: Zaunkönig
F: Troglodyte mignon
 
Latin name: Troglodytes troglodytes (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bird group: Wrens

Sound: Vocal series loud fluent chatter, blaring, with many trills; is heard all year round, but especially in spring. Shout loud rattle ‘trrrrrr’.

Field characteristics: 9 cm. A small, compact and inconspicuous bird, easily recognizable by its loud song and erect short tail. Very active and lively. Usually stays close to the ground, although it can fly well. Flight with buzzing wing beat. Singing is so loud that it is hard to imagine that it comes from such a small bird. Appears evenly brown from a distance; entire plumage, however, is finely banded across; upper parts ruddy brown, parts beige brown, cream colored eyebrow stripe and throat, white spots on feathers and tips of wing coverts.

Appearance: Very common resident bird in temperate regions, less common in northern regions and migratory.

Habitat: No clear habitat preference, but requires a lot of dense undergrowth, such as dense hedges, brambles, and the like.

Food: Mainly insects and spiders, but occasionally also fruits and seeds.

Song/call: