A tiny but highly vocal denizen of old growth forest more often heard than seen. Formerly lumped with the Winter Wren of eastern North America and Eurasian Wren. However research from an area of range overlap between Pacific and Winter Wrens in western Canada showed that the two are not only genetically and physically distinct, but that strong differences in their song prevent hybridization between the two (Toews and Irwin 2008). Pacific Wrens have a longer, less musical, more complex, staccato song. Here in the central California coast we have the "pacificus Group" (race "T. p. obscurior") characterized by browner, less rufous back and paler throat.
