Wren
- It’s not the smallest British bird (that’s the goldcrest), but it is the shortest.
- The wren appeared on the smallest British coin, the farthing.
- It’s the only member of the wren family to be found outside the Americas (where there are no fewer than 83 different species of wren).
- The wren is Britain’s most widespread bird, and is found on almost all offshore islands, and from sea level to the tops of the Highlands.
- Wrens suffer badly in cold weather, when prolonged snow cover can deplete populations by as much as 25%.
- There are an estimated 7 million wren territories in Britain, making it one of our most abundant birds.
- In proportion to its size, the wren has the loudest song of any British bird.
- One male mute swan weighs the same as 1,400 wrens.
- Wrens will nest communally in winter, with as many as 10 birds spending the night together in a single nestbox. The maximum recorded roosting together is 61.
- The family name for the wrens is Troglodytidae, which means cave dweller.
- The cock wren builds from six to 12 nests, but only one is used by the female.
- The female adds the lining to the nest she decides to use.
- The bond between the male and female is loose, and only a minority of males help rear the young.
- At least 50% of cock wrens have more than one mate.
- Wrens have large families: eight or nine young fledging from one nest is not unusual.
- Cock wrens sing throughout the year except when moulting.
- Though British wrens seldom move far, northern populations are migratory, and Swedish birds have been recorded moving as far as 2500km.
- Distinct subspecies of our wren can be found on St Kilda, off north-west Scotland, and as far away as Taiwan.
- Wrens play a major role in ancient tradition and folklore. Wren hunts, which took place between Christmas and Epiphany, were once an annual ritual in rural Britain and northern Europe.
- According to Greek legend, the wren became the king of birds by hiding on the eagle’s back, and thus succeeding in flying higher in the sky than the eagle.
