Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Sedge Wren (Sistothorus platensis)

Abundance: Very Uncommon (at least 44 records in 12 counties, 4 in Kentucky and 8 in Tennessee); Rare during summer and Occasional during winter.

Status: Transient during spring (at least 12 records) and fall (at least 27 records, 2 merging with late summer records); late Summer Resident (4 records, 1 involving breeding [see below] and 2 merging with fall records); and Winter Resident (3 records).  Photograph (1; 22 September 2007; Beesley Farm, Cumberland County, Tennessee; Kay Stanley; and see links below).

Regional High Count: 9 singing (14 August 2004; White County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs; Casteel 2005a).

Information on Records: 

8 or 9 October 1948 (present) Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky (fide Gordon Wilson; Wilson 1948).

20 April 1963 (1) Putnam County, Tennessee (observer unspecified; Anonymous 1963a), a Spring Bird Count record.

24 April 1976 (1) Putnam County, Tennessee (observer unspecified; Williams 1976e), a Spring Bird Count record.

3-10 May 1980 (1) Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1980c).

27 July 1980 (2) Monticello, Wayne County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1980d; Palmer-Ball 2003).

10 October 1981 (1) Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Bierly 1982a).

30 April 1983 (1) Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1983c).

16 October 1983 (1) Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Stedman 1984a). 

16 October 1983 (1) Eubank, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]).

22 July (1--singing), 27 July (4--singing), 29 July (1--singing), 8 August 1990 (2--singing) Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

17 August 1991 (1--singing) near Deer Lodge, Morgan County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

16 October 1991 (1) Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

1 May 1993 (1) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (C. Michael Stinson et al.; Monroe and Stamm 1993b).

2 October 1993 (1) McWhirter farm, Mason Grissom Rd., Warren County, Tennessee (Susan N. McWhirter unpubl. data).

19-24 August 1994 (1) Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Witt 1995a).

24 September 1995 (1) near Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Dona Coates; Busroe 1996a).

25 September 1999 (1) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Fekel 2000).

7 October 1999 (1) Mt. Zion, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Busroe 2000a).

25 October 2003 (1) Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Winston A. Walden unpubl. data).

20 July-25 September 2004 (1-9--singing; 2 family groups on last date) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs et al.; Casteel 2005a).

19 April 2005 (2--singing) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs; Casteel 2005c).

30 April 2005 (1--singing and seen) Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park, Van Buren County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data), a Van Buren County Spring BirdBlitz record.

4 May 2005 (1--singing and seen) Duck Pond Rd., White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data).

7 May 2005 (1--singing and seen) Wal-Mart, Sparta, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs, Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data), a Spring Bird Count record.

13-18 May 2005 (1-3--singing) Bud Tanner Rd., Mayland, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast; Knight 2005c).

12 August 2005 (1-2--singing) Clifty Pond, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006a).

9 September 2005 (1) Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Paul S. Miliotis unpubl. data).

1 October 2005 (1) Green River Wildlife Management Area, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2006a).

14 October 2005 (1) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

29 October 2005 (2) Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand, Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

8 April 2006 (1) Whorton Springs Rd., DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Carol D. Williams, and Nancy S. Layzer; Casteel 2006c).

22/27 July 2006 (2--singing [each date]) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data/Stephen J. Stedman, Scott G. Somershoe unpubl. data).

21 August 2006 (1--singing) Black Oak Rd., White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

21 October 2006 (5) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data).

15 September 2007 (1) Joe Jackson Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data).

22 September 2007 (1) Beesley Farm, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Kay Stanley photo and unpubl. data; m. ob.).

22 April 2008 (2--singing) Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data).

4 October 2008 (1--responded to recorded song) Eastland Rd., White County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data), a Fall Bird Count record.

1 August 2009 (1) Adair County, Kentucky (Derek Coomer fide Roseanna M. Denton unpubl. data).

29 September 2009 (1) Leffle Webb Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data).

3 October 2009 (1) Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman unpubl. data), a Fall Bird Count record.

Out-of-Season (Winter) Records: 

21 December 2004 (1) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Charlie M. Muise, Douglas A. Downs; Casteel 2005b), a CBC record.

21 December 2006 (1 calling) Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs unpubl. data).

7 February 2009 (2) Clarkrange Business Park (c. 3.2 km east of intersection Rts. 127 and 62), Fentress County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Edmund K. LeGrand photo and unpubl. data).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Spring: 8 April 2006 (1, DeKalb County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman unpubl. data)-18 May 2005 (1 singing; Cumberland County, Tennessee; Joseph E. Mast unpubl. data).

    Fall: 20 July 2004 (1 singing; White County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs et al.)-29 October 2005 (2; White County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Edmund K. LeGrand unpubl. data), but see also Out-of-Season Records (above).

    Note: The Regional Extreme Dates are given as for Transients, although this wren has nested in the Region at least once.

Breeding: Confirmed (Recent). During a survey of the Heritage Marsh in White County, Tennessee, conducted as part of the White County Fall Bird Count 25 September 2004, Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs, Winston A. Walden, and Michael P. O'Rourke encountered two family groups of Sedge Wrens.  An adult exhibited agitated behavior in the presence of one young, and an adult was found near three young about 100-150 m away from the first family group.  This breeding record was the first for the Region and just the second for Tennessee.

Habitat: Wet meadows and dryish marshes with thick grasses and sedges growing to a height of about 0.75-1 m.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Remarks: Birds singing in July may attempt to breed, as occurred during early fall 2004 in the Heritage Marsh, White County, Tennessee.  Breeding evidence usually difficult to detect as several  "dummy" nests are often built, as well as the nest in which eggs are laid.

    Note absence of records 19 May-19 July, 30 October-20 December, and 22 December-7 April.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced; county with recent breeding in green):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the bold-faced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited