FAMILY Troglodytidz 
Winter Wren The Winter Wren is the most glorious 
Nannus hiemalis singer as well as the smallest member of his 
L. 4.10 inches 2 gel Ae P 
Aorilacth family. The species is decidedly boreal, a 
common resident of the Canadian zone, and 
breeds from Alberta to Newfoundland, southward to 
Minnesota, the mountain regions of New York and New 
England, and along the Alleghanies to North Carolina. 
To hear its song one must journey to the North Woods of 
the higher mountains where the lively, dancing melody 
reverberates through the spruce forests like the tinkling of 
silver bells. The appearance of the bird is similar to 
that of the House Wren; a fluffy little ball of mottled 
brown feathers, with a perked up tail and a bobbing head 
all too tiny to belong to a song so loud and ringing, yet it 
is indeed the inimitable Winter Wren which sings. The 
colored markings of this species differ from those of the 
House Wren in the following particulars; upper parts a 
deeper brown, the barring especially on the under parts 
much more distinct, the short line over and back of the 
eye pale brown. The short tail also is usually held higher 
than that of the House Wren. Female similarly marked. 
The nest constructed of tiny twigs, mosses, and lichens 
has a circular opening and is lined with moss, hair, and 
feathers; it is most often lodged in the roots of an upturned 
tree or the cavity of an old log. Egg, cream white finely 
flecked with sienna brown and lavender, sometimes very 
scantily marked. 
Here is a record of the song taken on the slopes of Mt. 
Mansfield, Vt., on July 10, 1908, the high C is the highest 
on the piano keyboard, and the rapidity with which the 
sang was delivered was almost incredible. 
eee tS eet ee we eee ees eee 
Twice va. ......4- > 
(ob 
It is quite evident that the initial note of the various 
trills is accented and sustained a trifle longer than the 
succeeding reiterated lower-pitched notes. That is the 
distinguishing character of this Wren’s song, and along 
220 
