Western Marsh-Wren male on his territory, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah

Western Marsh-Wren Images, Facts and Information:

Cistothorus palustris (Split from Eastern Marsh-Wren in October 2026)

  • Western Marsh-Wrens are small, brown secretive birds with dark caps, thin bills, whitish eyelines and bold black and white patterns on their backs. Their tail is usually held in an upright position.
  • Western Marsh-Wrens are year round residents to migrators. Western Marsh-Wrens breed in western Canada and the western U.S. Some populations remain year round along the Pacific Coast and in parts of the western U.S. Migratory populations winter in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. They prefer marshy habitats.
  • Western Marsh-Wrens eat insects and other invertebrates.
  • Western Marsh-Wrens lay 3 to 10 eggs which hatch in 12 to 16 days, they are polygamous. The males build the nests.
  • A group of wrens can be called a “flight”, “chime”, “herd” or flock of wrens.

I hope you enjoy viewing my Western Marsh-Wren photos.

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