Wren

Basic Information

Anatomy

Both male and female of the species sport similar brown and white-fletched features, with the females trending towards more-white, and the males trending towards more-brown. Only around 15cm, and dainty, they are often targets for many larger birds-of-prey should they be caught out beyond the canopy where they dwell. Classified as passerines, or perching birds, they do not have the expected anisodactyl arrangement of digits. Somewhere between anisodactyl and zygodactyly, indicating that they both 'perch' and locomote arboreally.

Ecology and Habitats

Canopy-dwellers, wrens make their nests in tiny crevices in the tops of trees and can be seen flitting from branch to branch as well as 'climbing' up the side of wide tree trunks.

Behaviour

In terms of their bird call, both male and female wrens are considered talkative, vocal animals, although their vocalisations are mostly in the forms of chirps and trills, rather than any lyrical birdsong.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Wrens are polyandrous individuals, that also mate for life. A female and male of the species mate for life, consistently return to nest together and raise chicks together, but females may choose multiple suitors across her lifetime. Once baby chicks reach approximately three days of age, lifemated male wrens take an equal role in the rearing of nestlings. Observation of wren family dynamics shows that the polyandrous matings of wrens often trend towards 'biologically superior' males. If a female wren is choosing to breed outside of her mated pair, she only chooses males that provide biological benefits that are greater than those of her lifemate. Those non-lifemate males will not be involved in the raising of any chicks, while the female returns to her lifemated male to lay her clutch and raise them as a lifemated pair.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Wrens are endemic to the continent of Nalys. While they have been exported to the Enthar Empire, for their superstitious hold on the upper class of the Empire, wrens have not been able to sustain a population in the wild of the Empire, despite attempts to do so. Even magical adaptations made to enhance a wren's ability to survive in the wilds of the Empire have no amounted in flourishing introduced populations. Beyond purposeful attempts at introduction, wrens are not able to fly long enough or far enough to migrate naturally to other continents across Syshir.

by Penny - Pixabay

Scientific Name

Petodigni tantumi

Lifespan

10 years

Conservation Status

Wrens are considered a protected species by the Nalysian government, although the attempt to maintain the native population of bird only seen in the Nalysian lowlands has only begun in recent years. Considered omens of intelligence and power by many of the mages of the Enthar Empire, attempts to domesticate and introduce the species to the harsher environs of the neighbouring country has drastically decreased the native population. Poaching, and the illegal trade of the species, is still seen often in the sea channel between the Nalysian and Entharan continents.

Average Height

15cm

Average Weight

10g