Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
The Eurasian Wren is a very common insectivorous bird in Portugal and with a wide distribution throughout Eurasia.
The scientific name of the Wren – troglodytes troglodytes – derives from the Greek word for “cave dweller”. This meaning refers to one of the fundamental features of the ecology of this small bird, which is its preference for areas with dense vegetation, such as hedges, bushes, forests, urban parks and gardens.
Contrary to what happens with most passerines, the mating system of the Wren is not monogamous but polygenic, which means a male may have in its territory more than one female and more than one active nest.
The Wren’s song is recognized by ornithologists as one of the most varied and pleasant-sounding, especially remarkable fact considering its small size. Donald Kroodsma, an authority on the study of the biology of bird vocal behavior, considers the song of the Wren as “the pinnacle of the complexity of singing”.
Text: João E. Rabaça