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Platte River Status: A locally common nesting species in the western third of the study area, especially near the North Platte River. Rosche (1979) found this species in the lower North Platte River Valley 23 April to 6 November. Tout (1947) considered marsh wren a rare summer resident in Lincoln County.

Breeding Range: A locally common nesting species in the Platte River Valley physiographic region west from North Platte, Lincoln County. Locally common on semipermanent wetlands in the Sandhills; very rare or absent elsewhere.

Breeding Population: The population was estimated at 3,395 nesting pairs in 1979-1980.

Habitat: We found the highest nesting density in prairie wetlands (19.5 pairs/km²) followed by river channel island (0.7 pairs/km²). Faanes (1982) found marsh wren common in dense growths of cattail and hardstem bulrush on the periphery of semipermanent and permanent wetlands on a central North Dakota study area.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Marsh wren has been negatively impacted by the loss of wetlands through drainage to accommodate expanded agricultural production. The virtually exclusive use of one habitat type makes this a highly vulnerable nesting species within our study area.

Nesting Data: We have records of four confirmed nests from the study area; mean clutch size was 4.5 eggs. Tout (1947) reported an active nest in Lincoln County on 17 August 1938. Egg dates in North Dakota extend from 26 May to 10 August (Stewart 1975).