ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Sedge Wren

Sedge Wren

sedge wren

The wren family is a group of small, restless, brownish birds with finely barred wings and tails. Wrens have long, slender bills which are slightly decurved. The best field mark is the way the tail is usually cocked straight-up. Their favorite food is insects.

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Sedge Wren

Cistothorus platensis

At-a-Glance

• Incubation: 12-16 days

• Clutch Size: 4-8 eggs

• Young Fledge: 12-14 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: insects

• Ohio Status: Species of Concern

Description
Sedge wrens have brown upperparts with pale streaks on the back and crown and a buffy breast. It is usually seen with its short tail held in an upright position.

Habitat and Habits
This wren inhabits large sedge meadows, damp grassy fields, and sometimes hayfields. Generally a rarity, sedge wrens are notoriously erratic in their movements and where they appear from year to year. Sometimes they don't appear on a territory until July or August, and they often utilize nest sites for only one year. They are best detected by song, as sedge wrens prefer dense stands of grasses or sedges, and stay hidden in the vegetation. Their songs somewhat resemble the dry, staccato chatter of an old sewing machine.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Nests are globular masses with a side entrance that are attached to a dense stand of grass or sedge. Sedge wrens often build "dummy nests" that may serve as decoys to fool predators.