SpeciesFacts

All species › Birds › Carolina Wren

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Bird · family Troglodytidae · order Passeriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Carolina Wren
Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
38 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
9 years[4]

The Carolina Wren is a bird in the wren family, Troglodytidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Carolina Wren a global rank of G5 and a United States rank of N5, and both mean Secure[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The bird is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8]. NatureServe estimates more than 1,000,000 adults worldwide, and it describes the short-term trend as increasing from 2012 to 2022[9][10].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Carolina Wren lives

NatureServe lists the Carolina Wren as native in 38 US states and territories, including Texas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico[3]. NatureServe ranks it as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Minnesota[11]. Extirpated means it has disappeared from that state. State ranks vary. On GBIF, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida have the most observation records, but those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many birds live there[12].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank S1B,S1NMEWisconsin: native, state rank S5BWIVermont: native, state rank S4VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S2NHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXB,SNRMMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S2MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank SNASDIowa: native, state rank S3B,S3NIAIndiana: native, state rank S4INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5BPANew Jersey: native, state rank S5B,S5NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5B,S5NRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: native, state rank S1CONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRMOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S5NWVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4NNMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S5DCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5BMSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5BTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[13].
Show state ranks (39 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
ColoradoS1Critically Imperiled
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS5Secure
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS4Apparently Secure
IowaS3B,S3NVulnerable (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS1B,S1NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Critically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS2Imperiled
MinnesotaSXB,SNRMPresumed Extirpated (breeding), Not Ranked (migrant)
MississippiS5BSecure (breeding)
MissouriSNRNot Ranked
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
New HampshireS2Imperiled
New JerseyS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5Secure
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
PennsylvaniaS5BSecure (breeding)
Rhode IslandS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaSNANot Applicable
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5BSecure (breeding)
VermontS4Apparently Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
West VirginiaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS5BSecure (breeding)

Habitat

NatureServe records many habitat types for the Carolina Wren, including hardwood, conifer and mixed forest, woodland, shrubland, old fields, suburban areas and orchards, forested wetlands and riparian areas[14]. It is described as living in open woods with thick undergrowth, in parks, in shrubs around homes, in swamps and along humid forest edges[15]. It nests in small holes or nooks, such as in a tree trunk, a stump, roots or a bank, usually less than 3 m above the ground[15]. It also nests in nooks around buildings, including potted plants[15].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[14]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Carolina Wren is about 14 cm (6 in) long and weighs about 21 g[16][17]. It eats mainly arthropods, and it picks food from the ground or gleans it from foliage, logs, branches and stems[18][19]. One estimate puts its diet at 60% invertebrates, 20% reptiles and amphibians, 10% seeds and 10% fruit[20]. A typical nest holds 4 to 8 young, with 5 to 6 most often[21]. Incubation lasts 12 to 14 days and is done by the female, and both parents tend the young, which leave the nest at 12 to 14 days[21]. Pairs often raise two broods a year, and sometimes three in the south[21]. The oldest known wild bird from banding records was at least 9 years 2 months old[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 14 cm (6 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 21 g (0.7 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[22] 9.2 years (wild)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 9 years 2 months
Litter or clutch size[23] 4
Gestation or incubation[24] 14 days
Female maturity[25] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[19] Invertivore
Migration[26] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[20]

  • 60% invertebrates
  • 20% reptiles and amphibians
  • 10% seeds
  • 10% fruit

When to look for it

The Carolina Wren is active during the day[27]. NatureServe lists it as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[26]. GBIF records show that most reports fall in February, April and May[28]. Those records show when people look and report, not how many birds there are[28].

January: 975,091 recordsJanFebruary: 1,093,514 recordsFebMarch: 1,071,869 recordsMarApril: 1,576,853 recordsAprMay: 1,601,409 recordsMayJune: 867,362 recordsJunJuly: 775,097 recordsJulAugust: 852,025 recordsAugSeptember: 1,071,615 recordsSepOctober: 1,056,183 recordsOctNovember: 838,958 recordsNovDecember: 903,730 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[28].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January975,091
February1,093,514
March1,071,869
April1,576,853
May1,601,409
June867,362
July775,097
August852,025
September1,071,615
October1,056,183
November838,958
December903,730

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Carolina Wren as present in 122 park units[29]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 98 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida[12]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Carolina Wren endangered?
It is not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 and N5, which mean Secure, and it is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[2][6][1].
Where does the Carolina Wren live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 38 US states and territories, from Texas and Florida to New York and Ohio[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Minnesota[11].
What does the Carolina Wren eat?
It eats mainly arthropods, and sometimes small amphibians, reptiles and seeds[18][19].
How big is a Carolina Wren?
It is about 14 cm (6 in) long and weighs about 21 g[16][17].
How long does a Carolina Wren live?
The oldest known banded bird was at least 9 years 2 months old[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Carolina Wren is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Carolina Wren: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Carolina Wren as native in 38 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Carolina Wren from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 9 years 2 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) is a bird in the family Troglodytidae, order Passeriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Carolina Wren is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on trend for Carolina Wren. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe ranks Carolina Wren as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Minnesota. NatureServe Explorer
  12. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Carolina Wren: Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  13. NatureServe state ranks for Carolina Wren (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  14. Habitat types NatureServe records for Carolina Wren: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Old field, Suburban/orchard, Forested wetland, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on habitat for Carolina Wren. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 14 cm (6 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 21 g (0.7 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on food for Carolina Wren. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 60% invertebrates, 20% reptiles and amphibians, 10% seeds, 10% fruit. EltonTraits 1.0
  21. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Carolina Wren. NatureServe Explorer
  22. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 9.2 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  23. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4. AnAge
  24. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 14 days. AnAge
  25. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  26. NatureServe migration category for Carolina Wren: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  27. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  28. GBIF observation records of Carolina Wren in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  29. NPSpecies park lists recording Carolina Wren as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Ken Thomas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.