Bird guide · Thryomanes bewickii
Bewick's Wren
What the Bewick's wren eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Partial migrant
- Size
- 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Eats
- suet, mealworms
- Feeds
- suet cage
- Most common
- Washington, California, Oregon
Food
What do Bewick's wrens eat?
At feeders, Bewick's wrens take suet, mealworms.
Climbs and hops actively, waving its long tail.
Feeder that suits it
A suet cage on a tree trunk or pole; peanuts and sunflower hearts work too.
Range
Where do Bewick's wrens live?
Common in dry thickets and open woods of the West; has vanished from most areas east of the Mississippi. By share of all bird sightings, Bewick's wrens are most common in Washington (1.3%).
States where Bewick's wrens are most common
- Washington1.3%
- California1.1%
- Oregon1.0%
- Arizona0.9%
- New Mexico0.8%
- Nevada0.7%
- Texas0.6%
- Idaho0.3%
- Oklahoma0.3%
- Utah0.2%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are Bewick's wrens, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the Bewick's wren migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in March.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are Bewick's wrens, by month.
Identification
How to identify the Bewick's wren
Adults: Dull brown above, pale grey below, white eyebrow and a long tail.
Size: 5.5 in (14 cm)
Nesting
Does the Bewick's wren use nest boxes?
Yes. Nests in cavities including nest boxes, mailboxes and tin cans.
On camera
Getting the Bewick's wren on a feeder camera
Pick a camera feeder that takes a suet cage, or mount a separate camera next to a suet feeder on the trunk – woodpeckers cling to the bark while they feed.
Questions
Bewick's Wren: questions
What do Bewick's wrens eat?
At feeders, suet, mealworms.
Do Bewick's wrens migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in March.
Where do Bewick's wrens live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia.