Photo: Basar / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Canyon Wren
Catherpes mexicanus
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) is a member of the Troglodytidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 12 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Troglodytidae Wrens
- Genus Catherpes
- Species mexicanus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Canyon Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Canyon Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) is a member of the Troglodytidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw Canada to s Mexico.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Canyon Wren?
The Canyon Wren is a very small bird that weighs around 12 g.
Where does the Canyon Wren live?
The Canyon Wren is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw Canada to s Mexico, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Canyon Wren belong to?
The Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) belongs to the Troglodytidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Canyon Wren eat?
The Canyon Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Canyon Wren migrate?
The Canyon Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Canyon Wren endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Canyon Wren make?
1 real field recording of the Canyon Wren — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Canyon Wren's range?
The Canyon Wren has a mapped global range of about 4.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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