How to Identify a Bewick’s Wren

Lori VanoverUpdated: May 13, 2022

Find out what a Bewick's wren looks like and where you can spot one. Plus find out how to attract these small songbirds to your yard.

What Does a Bewick’s Wren Look Like?

Bewick’s wrens are perky brown colored birds with bold, white eye stripes, similar to the Carolina wrens that are commonly seen in the East.

“This is a pair of Bewick’s wrens (above) who used the open end of this post for their nest one year,” says Birds & Blooms reader Michelle Summers. “The previous year, Carolina chickadees used this spot. I love the birds and put a good deal of effort into providing water, food and nesting facilities for them. Sometimes they choose things like a post in just the right spot over a cute little wren bird house, but that’s OK with me. It is always special to me to witness these tiny little families grow!”

Learn how to attract and identify a house wren.

Range

Common Backyard Cavity Nesters — Although you won’t find Carolina wrens out west, you can see Bewick’s wrens.

Look for Bewick’s wrens across most of the western United States. Though common across their range, these songbirds are rarely spotted east of the Mississippi River.

Head southwest to see a cactus wren.

How to Attract Bewick’s Wrens

Bewick’s Wren Singing — Bewick’s wren singing in Red Rock State Park, Arizona

In the west, some wrens, including Bewick’s, can be lured to backyards with native shrubs and brush piles. Look for them hopping and crawling down low as they forage for insects. You may also attract them to visit a bird bath, especially if it has a small fountain or dripper.

Like other wrens, these birds frequently nest in cavities such as old woodpecker holes and manmade nest boxes.

Next, enjoy delightful pictures of wren birds.

Originally Published: May 13, 2022

Lori Vanover

Lori has 20 years of experience writing and editing home, garden, birding and lifestyle content for several publishers. As Birds & Blooms senior digital editor, she leads a team of writers and editors sharing birding tips and expert gardening advice. Since joining Trusted Media Brands 13 years ago, she has held roles in digital and print, editing magazines and books, curating special interest publications, managing social media accounts, creating digital content and newsletters, and working with the Field Editors—Birds & Blooms network of more than 50 backyard birders. Passionate about animals and nature, Lori has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Environmental Communications from the University of Illinois. In 2023, she became certified as a Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener, and she is a member of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology and sits on the organization's Publications Advisory Committee. She frequently checks on her bird feeders while working from home and tests new varieties of perennials, herbs and vegetable plants in her ever-growing backyard gardens.