: Breeds. and late Apr-early Sep in mature spruce-fir and mixed woodlands especially those with downed, uprooted trees.
Migration: and widespread but skulking late Mar-early May with from early Mar, and again late Sep-late Oct with from early Sep and to late Nov.
Winters: in woodlands Dec-Feb, especially in winters with little snow. Occasionally visits suet feeders.
Miscellany: The tiny Winter Wren creeps around mouse-like near the ground in brush piles and woody tangles. It's inconspicuous except late Apr-late Jun when breeding males pour out a sometimes extraordinarily loud, long and musical song, often from the tree tops. It's one of the summer spruce-fir woods best sounds. Listen here.
As our part of coastal Maine warms, Winter Wren, along with fellow late fall migrants such as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Fox Sparrow, may become more frequently reported Dec-Feb.
Last Reviewed: August 20th, 2026