Nature Victoria

The Song of the Pacific Wren

The Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus), formally called the Winter Wren, is one of four wrens commonly seen on southern Vancouver Island. Near Victoria it is most often seen outside of urban areas, preferring forested habitat. It is the smallest of the local wrens and is differentiated from the three other local species by its size, short tail, dark plumage, and by its song.

• The Pacific Wren's Song :

• The Bewick's Wren's Song :

• The Marsh Wren's Song :

• The House Wren's Song :

The Pacific Wren's song is long and musical while the other three songs are shorter phrases repeated more often. The Pacific Wren's song is so long that listeners often wonder how a small bird can sing that long without needing to pause for breath. It is the length of the song and it's musical characteristic that allows it to be easily identified from other wrens and other forest birds.

Among the other three wrens, only the House Wren has a "buzzy" quality to it's song. The other two wrens, the Bewick's and the Marsh Wren, are somewhat similar to each other but the Marsh Wren is most often more strident and and repeats it's song sequences more quickly. These last two wrens are also separated by habitat choice since the Marsh Wren is never far from marsh habitat while the Bewick's Wren is more urban. It is the wren most often heard around the city of Victoria.