Photo: Wolfgang Wander / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rock Wren
Salpinctes obsoletus
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) is a member of the Troglodytidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 16.4 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 Salpinctes
- Species obsoletus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rock Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rock Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) belongs to the Troglodytidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw Canada to Costa Rica.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.4 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rock Wren?
The Rock Wren is a small bird that weighs around 16.4 g.
Where does the Rock Wren live?
The Rock Wren is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw Canada to Costa Rica, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Rock Wren belong to?
The Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) belongs to the Troglodytidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rock Wren eat?
The Rock Wren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rock Wren migrate?
The Rock Wren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rock 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 Rock Wren make?
1 real field recording of the Rock Wren — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rock Wren's range?
The Rock Wren has a mapped global range of about 5.4 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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