What is "sedge wren"

Sedge \Sedge\, n. [OE. segge, AS. secg; akin to LG. segge; -- probably named from its bladelike appearance, and akin to L. secare to cut, E. saw a cutting instrument; cf. Ir. seisg, W. hesg. Cf. Hassock, Saw the instrument.]

1. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Carex, perennial, endogenous, innutritious herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species.

   Note: The name is sometimes given to any other plant of the order Cyperace[ae], which includes Carex, Cyperus, Scirpus, and many other genera of rushlike plants.

2. (Zo["o]l.) A flock of herons.

   Sedge hen (Zo["o]l.), the clapper rail. See under 5th Rail.

   Sedge warbler (Zo["o]l.), a small European singing bird ( Acrocephalus phragmitis). It often builds its nest among reeds; -- called also sedge bird, sedge wren, night warbler, and Scotch nightingale.

1. n. small American wren inhabiting wet sedgy meadows [syn: short-billed marsh wren, Cistothorus platensis]

2. small European warbler that breeds among reeds and wedges and winters in Africa [syn: sedge warbler, sedge bird, reedbird, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus]

The sedge wren (Cistothorus platensis) is a small songbird of the wren family. It was formerly known as the short-billed marsh wren, and in South America is often known as the grass wren. There are about 20 different subspecies which are found across most of the Americas. Some of these forms may be separate species that could be split in the future.

Adults have brown upperparts with a light brown belly and flanks and a white throat and breast. The back has pale streaks. They have a dark cap with pale streaks, a faint line over the eye and a short thin bill. They are one of the smallest species of wren at and .

In North America, their breeding habitat is wet meadows and marsh edges of eastern North America and central Canada. The nest is a round lump attached to low vegetation, entered from the side; it is usually well-hidden. The male often builds several unused nests in his territory; he may puncture the eggs of other birds nesting nearby. In South America, they are associated with very different habitats, principally páramo at very high elevations (3000 meters and above).

North American populations migrate to coastal areas in the Southeastern United States, and the entire Gulf Coast south through eastern Mexico.

These birds forage low in vegetation, sometimes flying up to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, also spiders.

The song of the male in North American populations is a rattling trill. The song of Central and South American forms is far more variable.

This bird's numbers are declining, possibly due to habitat loss.