This is the first comprehensive guide to these closely related families.

The book covers all 75 wrens, 34 thrashers and 5 dippers, almost all of which are New World species.

The wrens (Troglodytidae) in particular display great diversity, occupying almost every kind of habitat in the Americas. The family probably originates in Central America where the greatest number of species is to be found.

The thrashers (Mimidae) include the mockingbirds, catbirds and tremblers. The dippers (Cinclidae) are river specialists although, unusually, they exhibit no obvious features for an aquatic existence.