When do wrens leave Tennessee?

The Carolina Wren does not leave Tennessee: it is reported all year, from 45% of checklists in mid February to 65% in late September.

When is the best time to see wrens in Tennessee?

The Carolina Wren is reported most often in late September, on about 65% of Tennessee checklists.

Which wrens are in Tennessee?

Carolina Wren, Northern House Wren, Winter Wren, and Marsh Wren are reported regularly; the Carolina Wren is the most common.

4 wren species in Tennessee

When Do Wrens Arrive in Tennessee?

Photo: northerly, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Carolina Wrens, Northern House Wrens, and Winter Wrens are the wrens you are most likely to see in Tennessee. The Carolina Wren is in Tennessee all year. It turns up on about 65% of checklists at its peak (late September) and on 45% in its quietest week (mid February).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekSep 22-30late September

Quietest weekFeb 15-21mid February

Best: late September. Here all year. Peak: on about 65% of Tennessee checklists.

Janpeak season
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Wrens in Tennessee, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Carolina Wren	all year	–	Sep 22-30	–	65%
Northern House Wren	Apr 1-7	Apr 8-14	Jun 22-30	Oct 22-31	9.9%
Winter Wren	Oct 8-14	Oct 15-21	Nov 15-21	Mar 22-31	9.0%
Marsh Wren	Sep 8-14	Sep 8-14	Oct 15-21	Jan 1-7	1.8%

Carolina Wren
Northern House Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Tennessee that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Tennessee

Best counties for Carolina Wren

Share of checklists at the peak

Houston CountyBest late July · 24 checklists that week, 1,234 in all95%
Tipton CountyBest early December · 24 checklists that week, 1,603 in all92%
Union CountyBest mid October · 58 checklists that week, 2,525 in all91%
Perry CountyBest the second week of August · 23 checklists that week, 3,047 in all90%
Moore CountyBest the second week of October · 15 checklists that week, 759 in all84%
Hancock CountyBest early December · 11 checklists that week, 215 in all83%

All wrens in Tennessee

5 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year, 1 are summer visitors, 1 are winter visitors, and 2 mostly pass through.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	Carolina Wren	Year-round	all year	Sep 22-30	65%
2	Northern House Wren	Summer visitor	Apr 1-7	Jun 22-30	9.9%
3	Winter Wren	Winter visitor	Oct 8-14	Nov 15-21	9.0%
4	Marsh Wren	Passes through	Sep 8-14	Oct 15-21	1.8%
5	Sedge Wren	Passes through	Sep 22-30	Oct 8-14	1.4%

Common questions

When do wrens arrive in Tennessee?: The Carolina Wren is in Tennessee all year. It turns up on about 65% of checklists at its peak (late September) and on 45% in its quietest week (mid February).
When do wrens leave Tennessee?: The Carolina Wren does not leave Tennessee: it is reported all year, from 45% of checklists in mid February to 65% in late September.
When is the best time to see wrens in Tennessee?: The Carolina Wren is reported most often in late September, on about 65% of Tennessee checklists.
Which wrens are in Tennessee?: Carolina Wren, Northern House Wren, Winter Wren, and Marsh Wren are reported regularly; the Carolina Wren is the most common.