Female House Wrens (Male vs Female Identification)

wren (caveman) are ubiquitous throughout the Americas, stretching from parts of central Canada to the southern tip of Argentina. There are 32 unusual subspecies, many of which have subtle differences in appearance and behavior.

So, what do female wrens look like, and how do you tell them apart from males?

It is nearly impossible to distinguish male and female wrens based on visual appearance alone, as they share identical plumage. Instead, you have to watch behavior carefully, especially during breeding season when males and females play very different roles.

One of the most striking differences in behavior is the construction of the “virtual” nest. At the beginning of spring, and even in late winter, males begin building rudimentary nests to help them attract females. Then, during courtship, the female will choose one of the nests and quickly eat it.

However, there are a few other ways to tell the difference between male and female wrens. Read on to find out.

Behavior is the best way to tell male and female wrens apart

How do you know if House wren is male or female?

To the naked eye, male and female wrens are almost indistinguishable based on appearance. However, some obvious behaviors aid in identification, such as males building semi-finished “virtual” nests at the start of the breeding season to attract females.

Additionally, males tend to be louder and precocious, especially during breeding season, and males can often be seen flitting and singing among the bass.

There are also nuances to songs and calls. The higher-pitched call of female house wrens is also observed in unmated juvenile male wrens, so it is not reliable.

Female vocalizations are often used for communication and are not as melodic as male more complex songs.

Male wrens tend to be louder and can often be seen flying from perch to perch, singing

Watch and listen carefully to the phone

One of the best ways to tell the difference between male and female wrens is to observe how often they sing. Male wrens sing nine to 11 times per minute during courtship, while females sing less frequently, usually in response to the male.

Once the female decides the male is a suitable mate, she responds with a shorter, higher-pitched song. These are usually more basic than the more refined songs of the males.

In addition, male wrens tend to have more complex song categories than females, but regional differences make quantifying this extremely challenging.

perched wren singing loudly

What does a female wren look like?

Female wrens, like the males, have a rather dull appearance. Wrens are small gray-brown birds with short, pointed bills. They have a brown head, throat, upper body and a light brown or buff chest and abdomen.

They also have a long, thin tail that is usually turned up at the end, and there may be small, pale spots on the wings. Wrens are usually about 4.5 to 5.5 inches long and weigh about 10 to 12 grams.

They are distinguished from other small brown birds by their size and thin, upward-sloping tails—the signature form of a wren.

It is almost impossible to distinguish a house wren from a male by visual inspection of physical characteristics alone, although this may vary among the 32 subspecies.

Male and female wrens have the same color

Are female wrens bigger than males?

While male and female wrens appear to be the same size, precise observations reveal that the male has a slightly larger beak, body, and wingspan. This varies by subspecies – the difference is more pronounced and negligible for other subspecies.

However, this is trivial and you will rarely notice the difference with the naked eye. However, as juveniles, males are much larger than females. These differences appear even in adulthood.

What color are female wrens?

Female wrens have the same gray-brown color as male wrens. They have dark stripes on their tails and wings.

Wren with a caterpillar in its mouth

behavioral difference

The behavior of female house wrens varies in singing, vocalization, and feeding. They are markedly relatively passive compared to males, and tend to stay “in the background” compared to more precocious males.

sing and call

Generally speaking, singing is a common behavior of both male and female wrens.

Unlike their mates who sing to show dominance and prove their suitability as mates, female wrens sing primarily in response to males and to communicate. As a result, female songs tend to be melodic and harsh compared to more melodious male songs.

During the breeding season, male vocalizations can be heard throughout the day, but vocal activity generally peaks in the morning and evening. It is not uncommon for wrens to sing high on buildings, rooftops, utility poles, or other perches.

If you’re lucky enough to see a wren singing alone in the spring, it’s likely trying to get the attention of a potential mate nearby.

Both male and female wrens sing

breeding and nesting

The female wren calls the shots when it comes to nest building. For example, male wrens often work on several incomplete nests before the breeding season. The female then inspects the nests and selects one while the male continues to show and sing to her. Once the female is satisfied with her selection, she completes the nest on her own.

To this end, female wrens collect and deposit loose needles, animal hair, fur, grass, moss, and spider egg sacs.

Interestingly, adult male wrens may sometimes have an additional partner in a different location. This is because mature males are more efficient at breeding and are more likely to produce chicks from multiple partners. However, some wrens are seasonally monogamous.

Once the young are able to fend for themselves or leave the nest, the female usually seeks out another mate. This helps maintain population levels despite high hatch and chick mortality. In some cases, the male will force himself into another territory to mate with another female.

feed

Interestingly, males tend to forage in different places than females. Specifically, they forage on the higher parts of trees and shrubs, while females forage on the bottom/ground.

roosting wren

Can female wrens raise offspring alone?

Raising young is a shared responsibility of wrens. Female wrens typically lay 4 to 8 eggs, which hatch individually when approached by a male. Females are less likely to raise their offspring alone.

In addition, the female wrens incubate their own eggs while their male partners forage for food or find more mates to plant other nests they build within their territories.

Females may occasionally leave the nest in search of food, but male wrens usually do most of the work of finding food and feeding their young. It really depends on how many nests the males are attending.

Wren perched in a bush

Do female wrens cry?

The calls of female house wrens are complex, but most are either piercing or low-pitched trills.

Although territory-marking calls are the exclusive domain of male wrens, females have been observed to make aggressive, high-pitched calls, which may also be for territorial reasons.

These calls are usually to avoid competing women who are looking for polygamous men.

Can female wrens sing?

Female wrens can sing, but their pitches are particularly high-pitched and melodic compared to males. Men have a more melodic song with many variations.

They also sang less frequently than male wrens, mostly responding to the male rather than singing independently.

Although male song plays an important role during the breeding season, studies have shown that female wrens place quality above any other factor.