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Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris
Troglodytidae
Adubon print of Marsh Wrens at nest
A characteristic pose showing all key plumage characteristics
More often heard than seen; singing inside cat-tail patch
Singing in patch of bulrush
A singer and an acrobat!
Gleans insects near or on water ...
... and occasionally in the air
Several funnel-shaped nests within territory ...
... built by male from dried cat-tail leaves
Once basic structure is formed ...
... cat-tail fluff is collected ...
... to add insulation
Nest material used changes with habitat
After female selects nest and breeds, the male leaves
Eggs are brown; usual clutch 3-10 eggs
Single mom feeds nestlings ...
... incrementally larger insects as they grow
Fledgling on bulrush stem already cocking tail

According to data for 2002-2022, the Marsh Wren has only been observed at Salter Grove three times, once in January and twice in August.  It was first reported late August of 2021 and then again in January of 2022.  It was both heard and seen August of 2022 in the field of Phragmites, or common reed, at the less frequented northern end of the park.

As might be expected, the Marsh Wren is tied to marshy habitats, in contrast to the Carolina Wren and House Wren which prefer wooded terrain on higher ground.  When present, the Marsh Wren is more often heard than seen because it remains low in between the stems of emergent wetland vegetation.  Both its raspy gurgling song and choice of habitat easily distinguishes it from the other wrens in the park.

Observations in the Northeast suggest that males arrive at the breeding site at least 10 days before females.  They sing most actively at dawn and dusk, and sometimes even at night to announce and defend their territories from other males.  In preparation for courting a mate, each male builds several "model" nests within the established territory.  As soon as a female selects a nest and breeds with the male, he's off to court another female.  The Marsh Wren male is polygamous whenever possible, but not the female.

The Marsh Wren occurs throughout North America in marshy habitat rich with bulrushes, cattails, cordgrass, reeds or sedges.  Populations that breed in the south are year-round residents whereas northern populations migrate south to Mexico and the gulf coast of Florida for the winter.  They will stay in place as long as insects, spiders and snails are available.  Birds in New York have been observed to linger until late October.

Although marshes containing the narrow-leaved cat-tail is favored by the Marsh Wren as a breeding habitat, the patch at the south end of Salter Grove is unfortunately not even large enough to support a monogamous pair.  On the other hand, the extensive area of common reed at the north end of the park may be sufficiently large since it has been a breeding habitat for Red-winged Blackbirds.  However, the Marsh Wren would not be a welcomed neighbor because of its habit of puncturing other birds' eggs.

Even if the Marsh Wren does not breed at Salter Grove, it may be more common than what records indicate.  Outside the breeding season, both males and females would go unnoticed as they hunker down in dense marsh vegetation.