# Marsh Wren

*Cistothorus palustris*

A single male marsh wren may build up to a dozen decoy nests in his territory to confuse predators and entice prospective mates.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Troglodytidae › Cistothorus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Freshwater and brackish marshes dominated by tall emergent vegetation like cattails, bulrushes, and reeds.
- **Diet:** Insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates gleaned from marsh plants and the water's surface.
- **Range:** North America, Canada, United States, Mexico
- **Size:** Length: 11-14 cm, Wingspan: 15 cm, Weight: 9-14 g
- **Lifespan:** 2 to 6 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Wetland degradation, habitat loss due to coastal development, pollution, and invasive plant species like common reed (Phragmites) that choke out native nesting vegetation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. These birds are highly active and vocal but pose no threat to humans. Observe them from a respectful distance of 5-10 meters with binoculars to avoid disrupting their nesting territories. If they begin making loud, raspy scolding calls, you are too close to a nest and should step back.

## About

The marsh wren ( Cistothorus palustris ) is a small North American songbird of the wren family. It is sometimes called long-billed marsh wren to distinguish it from the sedge wren, also known as short-billed marsh wren.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/dd0840b3-60f8-43f4-b160-f6bfc79a38c9
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/7601
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cistothorus palustris
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/658940289/medium.jpg (no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.