St Kilda wren facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis
Illustration by Keulemans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Troglodytidae
Genus:	Troglodytes
Species:	T. troglodytes
Subspecies:	T. t. hirtensis
Trinomial name
Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis Seebohm, 1884

The St Kilda wren (Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis) is a small passerine bird. It belongs to the wren family. This special bird is a type of Eurasian wren. It lives only on the remote St Kilda islands. These islands are found in the Atlantic Ocean, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) west of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.

What Does the St Kilda Wren Look Like?

The St Kilda wren is different from wrens found on the mainland. It is a bit bigger. It also has more stripes on its feathers. Its colors are generally greyer and less reddish-brown.

Compared to other wrens on Scottish islands, it stands out. It has very clear stripes. Its beak is long and strong. Its feathers are greyer and lighter. The St Kilda wren also has a louder song than wrens from the mainland.

Where Does the St Kilda Wren Live?

This wren is only found on the St Kilda islands. It lives on all the islands in this group.

During the time it raises its young, you can mostly find it on cliffs. It also likes steep, rocky slopes with lots of plants. Sometimes, it lives near old buildings too. When it's not breeding season, the wren moves around more freely across the islands.

Life and Habits of the St Kilda Wren

The St Kilda wren eats small invertebrates. These include beetles and their young (larvae). It also eats flies, moth larvae, spiders, centipedes, and sandhoppers.

Most St Kilda wrens build their nests in cracks and holes on cliffs. They hide their nests behind grasses and dead plants. Some wrens choose old walls and buildings. Others pick steep grassy slopes where puffins make their homes.

The male wren builds the nest. It is quite large. He uses dead grasses, mosses, and pieces of dead bracken. He lines the inside with white feathers that seabirds have lost. A female wren usually lays four to six eggs. The eggs are white with reddish-brown speckles. These speckles are mostly on the wider end of the egg.

How Many St Kilda Wrens Are There?

The St Kilda wren is a common bird on St Kilda. It lives and breeds there all year. In 2002, experts guessed there were about 230 pairs of breeding wrens.