ABSTRACT
Wrens are familiar birds of gardens, shrublands, and forests, and are often quickly recognizable by barred plumage patterns and the way they hold their tail cocked and upright. Except for the Winter Wren, this family is almost entirely found in the New World and is well represented throughout North and South America. Although a couple of migratory species follow a Complex Alternate Strategy, the Complex Basic Strategy is probably the most widespread molt strategy among wrens, particularly in the tropics. Preformative molts range from partial to incomplete, after involving rectrices, to possibly complete. Juvenile plumages are probably typically quickly replaced. The width and intensity of barring on juvenile feathers often differs from subsequent plumages, which is useful for identifying molt limits in formative-plumaged birds. Skull ossification typically completes before the start of the second prebasic molt and is useful for aging.
