St Kilda Wren
The St Kilda Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis) is a subspecies of Wren that is only found on St Kilda, a small archipelago about 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. The population of St Kilda Wren is currently about 225 pairs but it came perilously close to extinction in Victorian times. As the largest and most distinctive British subspecies it was highly sought-after by museums and collectors, who paid crofters for their corpses and their eggs. It is noticeably larger than "ordinary" Wrens, and seems to lack warmth in the plumage, apart from some rufous at the base of the tail. It is also barred across the upperparts rather than just the flight feathers. The pale belly also had numerous black spots and short streaks that I have never noticed on British Wrens. Its bill also looked disproportionately large and orange. So overall it is a large, grey-brown bird with much barring. If you think it just looks like any old Wren, here's one I photographed in the Peak District which is subspecies indigenus, found throughout most of mainland Britain: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/51155289704/in/dateposted/ Note the warm rufous plumage and lack of barring apart from the flight feathers.
I photographed this St Kilda Wren singing its heart out on the coast of Hirta, the largest island in the St Kilda group and the name that gave rise to the subspecies name hirtensis.
St Kilda Wren
The St Kilda Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis) is a subspecies of Wren that is only found on St Kilda, a small archipelago about 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. The population of St Kilda Wren is currently about 225 pairs but it came perilously close to extinction in Victorian times. As the largest and most distinctive British subspecies it was highly sought-after by museums and collectors, who paid crofters for their corpses and their eggs. It is noticeably larger than "ordinary" Wrens, and seems to lack warmth in the plumage, apart from some rufous at the base of the tail. It is also barred across the upperparts rather than just the flight feathers. The pale belly also had numerous black spots and short streaks that I have never noticed on British Wrens. Its bill also looked disproportionately large and orange. So overall it is a large, grey-brown bird with much barring. If you think it just looks like any old Wren, here's one I photographed in the Peak District which is subspecies indigenus, found throughout most of mainland Britain: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/51155289704/in/dateposted/ Note the warm rufous plumage and lack of barring apart from the flight feathers.
I photographed this St Kilda Wren singing its heart out on the coast of Hirta, the largest island in the St Kilda group and the name that gave rise to the subspecies name hirtensis.