Subject: Re: Unusual bird at Ocean Shores?
Date: Dec 19 11:21:07 1995
From: Don Baccus - donb at Rational.COM


Mike Patterson:
>My guess is Marsh Wren. Your description, including behavior, is consistant
>with this species and most probably a hatching year bird. These birds often
>lack the lateral striping of the mantle and appear quite dark. I have a very
>real hunch that most (if not all) House Wrens reported on CBCs are really
>Marsh Wrens of this type. Your bird certainly sounds like a "stripeless"
>Marsh Wren.

While at the coast a couple of weeks ago I was surprised to hear a
Marsh Wren chattering. I was hiking through a stand of European
beachgrass at the time, no watery area around that I know of...
while I didn't get a good look, it certainly increased my awareness
that they can be found in a variety of places when not breeding.

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>