Rock Wren
Rock Wren has surged: up 368% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Rock Wren
The Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) is a North American member of the Wrens (Troglodytidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 4–8.5 in long (10–22 cm) — a small, energetic songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 1,067 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 17 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Troglodytidae · Forest birds
Notable Rock Wren Trends
Rock Wren has surged in surveyed states: up 368% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
Rock Wren Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Rock Wren is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.76 (95% range 0.47–1.0). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±42.3%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.73 | 0.44 | 1.0 |
| 2026 | 0.74 | 0.45 | 1.0 |
| 2027 | 0.74 | 0.46 | 1.0 |
| 2028 | 0.75 | 0.46 | 1.0 |
| 2029 | 0.76 | 0.47 | 1.0 |
Where the Rock Wren Is Detected
BBS routes recording Rock Wren, sized by most recent count.
Rock Wren Population Trend by State
| Arizona | -46% | 1970 | 72 |
| California | +46% | 1970 | 164 |
| Colorado | +252% | 1970 | 116 |
| Idaho | +375% | 1972 | 53 |
| Kansas | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Montana | +15% | 1970 | 74 |
| Nebraska | +33% | 1969 | 12 |
| Nevada | +473% | 1970 | 48 |
| New Mexico | +22% | 1970 | 73 |
| North Dakota | +142% | 1975 | 13 |
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Oregon | +191% | 1970 | 89 |
| South Dakota | -4% | 1969 | 20 |
| Texas | -54% | 1969 | 48 |
| Utah | +232% | 1970 | 106 |
| Washington | +38% | 1970 | 50 |
| Wyoming | -28% | 1970 | 119 |
Rock Wren Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -92% | 1973 | 28 |
| Great Basin | +236% | 1970 | 219 |
| Northern Rockies | +148% | 1970 | 181 |
| Prairie Potholes | +46% | 1985 | 11 |
| Sierra Nevada | +82% | 1971 | 23 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +42% | 1970 | 216 |
| Badlands and Prairies | -12% | 1969 | 93 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | -48% | 1969 | 60 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -55% | 1976 | 19 |
| Edwards Plateau | -7% | 1977 | 7 |
| Coastal California | -11% | 1970 | 68 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | +22% | 1970 | 64 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | +34% | 1970 | 32 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | -39% | 1969 | 44 |
Rock Wren Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 368% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.