Known as “the voice of the chaparral” because they are more often heard than seen.  Although seldom seen, the Wrentit is one of the most common birds along the hiking trails of Torrey Pines State Reserve.  Wrentits have a tendency to stay within dense brush even when singing.  Their song has been likened to the sound of a Ping-Pong ball bouncing on a table.  Females usually sing only in response to a male, and their song lacks the male’s trill at the end.  Males and females sing year-round, both to advertise their territories and to communicate with their mates.  Wrentits mate for life and usually the pair occupies a breeding territory ranging in size from one to five acres.  Once a pair establishes a territory, it remains there year-round and rarely leaves. 

Photo and text by Dr. Gary Grantham