Sedge Wren

4″ to 4½″ in length

5½″ wingspan

Wet sedge meadows and grassy fields, marshes, bogs, beaver ponds

Late April to late May and early August to mid-October

Common breeder, seldom seen migrant

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

The North American Sedge Wren is traditionally classified as Cistothorus platensis stellaris, a subspecies of Cistothorus platensis that includes many Central American and South American subspecies. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014, it was suggested that the North American bird be separated into its own new species Cistothorus stellaris. Avibase, The World Bird Database, has adopted this change. The American Ornithological Society (AOS) has not. AOS bills itself as “the official source on the taxonomy of birds found in North and Middle America.” Other taxonomy sources, including NAIC and ITIS, and bird sources including Cornell Lab of Ornithology, follow the AOS in rejecting the change.

Update
In 2021, the AOS released the 62nd supplement to the 7th edition of the Checklist of North and Middle American Birds. In this release, the split was officially recognized, and the Sedge Wren became Cistothorus stellaris for those of us in North America.

Sedge Wren
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Sedge Wren
JMC Nature Photos

Sedge Wren
ebirdr

Sedge Wren song
Stoil Ivanov

Sedge Wren
Andrew Reago

Cucarachero Sabanero - Cistothorus platensis- Sedge Wren SONG - Aves Parque natural Chingaza
Colombia Wildlife - Oswaldo Cortes

Sedge Wren (Troglodytidae: Cistothorus platensis) Male Singing
Carl Barrentine

Tom Baker
7/15/2012

Location: Edenbrook Conservation Area