Carolina Wren's Nest
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Photo Journal: Carolina Wren Bird, Nature's Pest Control
The little brown Carolina Wren birds with their perky tails and loud voices build a nest somewhere around our house each year. We photographed their nest in the hanging basket by the porch and on the window ledge. These friendly Wrens will build their nest almost anywhere.
Carolina Wrens are also an excellent pest control crew in the garden. When they have babies, hundreds of insects are consumed each day.
On this page, you'll find information about Carolina Wrens and many photographs of their nests and babies. We hope you enjoy this view into the life of this interesting and beneficial little bird.
Contents at a Glance
Carolina Wren Facts and Fun
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), like the name implies, is a southern bird, although its range extends into the northeastern United States. This is the most common wren in South Louisiana.
Unlike its northern cousin, the house wren (which we rarely or never see), it gets along well with other cavity nesting birds. These perky little brown birds, with the big voice are great to have around the vegetable garden, especially if you garden organically. When they are nesting (and they will nest 3-4 times down here in the south), they devour thousands of harmful insects and larvae.
The quote by Thalassa Crusco comes to mind when I see a pair of Carolina Wrens making hundreds of trips to their nest bringing juicy bugs to the nestlings.
Today I am sure no one needs to be told that the more birds a yard can support, the fewer insects there will be to trouble the gardener the following year.
Diet of Carolina Wrens
According to Martin, Zim and Nelson in American Wildlife and Plants A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, a Carolina Wren's diet consists mainly of animal food, including ants and other Hymenoptera, flies and millipedes. Fragments of small vertebrate animals are commonly found in their stomachs. Plant food makes up a small part of their diet and consists of Poision-ivy, Bayberry, Pine, Oak and Sweetgum.
A wide variety of birds eat suet and Carolina Wrens love it. We put it out all year long, so we make a special "no-melt" kind. You'll find the recipe below.
Home Made Suet
2 cups (1 block) of LARD (animal fat)
1 cup CRUNCHY Peanut butter (cheap kind)
1 cup of Oat meal
1 cup of unbleached flour
1 cup of corn meal or wheat germ
Melt the lard a little in a big glass bowl (30 sec. in the microwave) and mix all of the ingredients together. It gets messy so let the kids get involved, they'll love it! Line a rectangular pan with a sheet of wax paper and press the mixture in. Pop it in the freezer for an hour or so, then cut it into blocks. We find that smaller ones (4" x 2") work best because the birds eat it before it can mildew in the hot, humid weather. Store the blocks in a ziploc bag in the freezer and refill your suet feeder as needed.
Suet Feeder with Protective Cage
This well made suet feeder will help keep the squirrels and other mammals and large birds away from the suet.
Stock this suet feeder with four cakes!Our large capacity suet feeder is guaranteed to draw a crowd. The wire suet basket is covered by a metal roof to protect suet from rain, snow or harsh sun. Lift the top and fill it with 4 suet cakes or 1 suet brick. 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 7 inches tall. Holds 2 lbs. Suet Cakes and Basket Feeder
If you don't have time to make your own suet, or you are looking for a gift for the bird lover on your list, here are some ready made suet cakes.
Comes with 10 Suets and 1 Suet Basket.
Song and Nesting Habits
These little birds have a very loud voice for their size and the males love to sing. The male of the pair that built a nest in the hanging pot would sing with a bug in his mouth almost every time he brought food to the nest.
Listen to the song of the Carolina Wren.
A very interesting and endearing fact is that Carolina Wrens mate for life and that they stay together even when they are not breeding. We were able to observe this first hand with a pair which had a male with white wing and tail feathers. We observed this pair at Christmas in the "birds'" Christmas tree, gobbling up the suet together, then during breeding season and throughout the year.
Carolina Wrens will nest in standard Bluebird boxes with a 1 1/2" opening, but they will also use smaller houses with a 1 1/4 inch opening. Carolina wrens do not just nest in cavities, however, they do like to have a bit of an overhang of sorts when they choose a spot that is not a box. Around our house they've built their dome shaped nest of pine needles, leaves, fine grass and feathers in such an assortment of places and things that it calls for a list.
Unusual Places Where Carolina Wrens Have Nested
Carolina Wrens build their nests in many strange places. Here's a list of some of the odd ones that we have observed. Vote for the ones that you have observed and feel free to add any other unusual places in which you have seen these cute little birds nest.
In between our back door and storm door, inside the doggy-door opening
It's been so neat watching the parents feed the ba more...0 points
Guide to Eastern Birds' Nests
Peterson Field Guide: Eastern Birds' Nests
Amazon Price: $10.10 (as of 02/14/2012)
Photo Journal of the Carolina Wren's Nest.
We were lucky to have a pair of Carolina Wrens build a nest in a hanging basket on our front porch. We were able to get some photographs with our automatic motion sensor camera and also our hand-held Canon camera.
The male wren builds many "dummy" nests in different places in the pair's territory. The female chooses one and spruces it up, then lays 4-7 brown speckled eggs. She incubates for 12 to 16 days. When the chicks hatch, they have no feathers, are blind and helpless.
Both the male and female care for the young so they grow quickly.
During this time the chicks are bottomless pits and the parents continuously bring larger and larger insects to stuff in their gaping mouths.
Right before fledging, the chicks almost attack the parents when they bring them food.
When they are 12 to 14 days old they fledge and it happens quickly. Notice the little one's tail as it heads into the plant over the nest.
"They were just here. Where did they go?"
Oh, there they are! Come here, I have a big, juicy bug for you.
Carolina Wren Poll
Our Carolina Wrens are at it Again!
The Carolina Wren pair that first nested in the Christmas Wreath that was left up too long (My husband LOVES Christmas and hates to see it go) and then in the hanging basket on the edge of the porch, have now nested around the corner in the window which holds our emergency (hurricane) A/C unit. This makes nest number three.
We first became aware of nest building activity when the cats and I heard little scritch-scratch sounds coming from outside on the right side of the window A/C unit. The cats took turns standing on the air-conditioner to peer out at the little pair as they busily brought pine needles, leaves, roots, moss and some feathers and arranged their dome nest in the small space.
Before we knew it, Mother Wren had laid four eggs and was sitting tight.
The eggs hatched a couple of days ago. I knew because I began hearing the male give his, "Honey, I'm bringing food home" song. I just checked and took a picture and it looks like we have 3 (maybe 4) baby Carolina Wrens. We'll count this as Day 3.
Carolina Wren babies on Day 11. They fledged a couple of days later.
Traditional Bluebird House
Traditional Bluebird House - $ 34.50This traditional Bluebird House has a 1 9/16 in hole. Woodlink makes high-quality, Ornithologically correct houses and shelters.
There was an old Man
Who said: "It is just as I feared!
Two owls and a hen, Four larks and a wren
Have all built their nests in my beard"
by Edward Lear
1812-1888, English landscape Painter and Writer of an original kind of nonsense verse called the limerick.
Farmers Remember Quote
Carolina Wrens to Wear and Enjoy
The Wren-House
by Evaleen Stein
Yesterday I took my sawAnd some bits of wood,
And I made a little house
Nicely as I could.
I put on a mossy-green
Little pointed roof,
And I cut a tiny door
That is pussy-proof.
For I hope some little wrens
To our yard will come
And will choose my little house
For their little home.
I shall hang it in the boughs
Of the apple-tree,
And I'm sure as rent for it
They will sing to me!
Bluebird Pair Postcard by naturegirl7
If you put up a well made bluebird house, many birds, including Carolina Wrens and Bluebirds will use it to raise their young.
2 Sides Bluebird House
1 for viewing and 1 for cleaning
This unique design features double doors for viewing nestlings and for cleaning. The 1 1/2 inch hole size and other nest box dimensions means that Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Protonotary Warblers and other cavity nesting birds will use this box.
Double doors for viewing nestlings and for cleaning. The inventive design of our bluebird house features two sides. One side has see-through Plexiglas for peeking at nesting activity. The other side opens for easy cleaning access. The wooden entrance guard provides predator protection and the rough interior helps fledglings exit. Drainage holes keep the nest dry. Eastern white pine. Built-in 1 inch metal mounting loop. 1-1/2 inch entry hole. 6-1/4 x 8-1/2 x 12-1/2 inches. Sibley Guide to U.S. Birds
The Sibley Guide to Birds of North America - $ 31.50Sibley depicts and annotates 810 species, showing their stages, forms, shapes, colors, and markings. He describes each species' calls and provides a full-color range map showing migration routes as well as its summer, winter, and breeding locations.
Bird Field Guides
Other Cavity Nesting Birds on CafePress
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Singing Alarm Clock
Singing Alarm Clock - $ 34.44The Desk & Alarm Clock has its own special card: Beautiful BirdSongs, a selection of the 9 most beautiful bird songs from our collection. The alarm will awaken you to the gentle serenade of beautiful bird songs every morning.
Tell us about your experiences with Carolina Wrens.
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Donna
Jan 2, 2012 @ 7:46 pm | delete
- Wanted to tell a funny story. Two summers ago when I discovered this site, I had a wren nesting in my hanging petunia plant. I wrote to you about watering my plant. I took your advice about watering very slowly and watered once a week. We went on vacation for a week. When we returned I did not hear any baby birds chirping nor see the mother feeding the babes. I was very concerned, took the hanging basket down and saw three sweet little ones in the nest. They had feathers but their eyes were closed. They looked dead. I touched the beak of the biggest one. Nothing; no movement. I touched another's beak; still nothing. They were all perfectly still. Sadly, I placed the basket back, assuming they had died for some reason. I told my husband; I couldn't understand why they would have grown so and then just died. The planter was one of two identicals on my front porch. Later that day, my husband said, he saw the mother going to the nest. when I crouched down by the window, I saw the mother go to the nest and heard the babies chirping!!!! Those little buggers had played possum!!! I had been truly tricked but I was so relieved!!!!!
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umbrellastand3
Jan 2, 2012 @ 12:12 am | delete
- Thanks for this lens! love it.
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umbrella stand
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GrowWear
Jul 30, 2011 @ 10:14 am | delete
- Aww. They do build in interesting ways. They must have the heart of an architect. :)
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Bon
Jun 17, 2011 @ 9:08 am | delete
- I have some C-Wrens nesting in a planter on my front porch. A cat knocked over the plant stand and some of the eggs opened. I put them back in the nest and secured the planter. Three survived but it's day 17 and they still haven't flown from their nest.
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naturegirl7
Jun 18, 2011 @ 7:41 pm | delete
- Are the babies 17 days old or has it been 17 days since you put the eggs back? Are there still 2 parents?
They normally fledge when they are 12-14 days old, but weather conditions and food supply can cause them to stay in the nest longer.
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Intuitive
May 30, 2011 @ 10:23 am | delete
- We mostly have House Wrens here in eastern Iowa, at least in town, but every once in a while I hear a Carolina Wren. Blessed and featured on my Creative Squid lens.
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pawpaw911
May 23, 2011 @ 2:01 pm | delete
- Very nice lens. Just did a lens on Coscoroba Swans, and figured I would check out some bird lenses.
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annmackiemiller
May 8, 2011 @ 5:00 pm | delete
- another wonderful lens - wish I could feature all of them but Angel blessed :0)
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Becki
Mar 4, 2011 @ 10:56 am | delete
- Your webpage is wonderful. We have Carolina wrens and are amazed at how LOUD they are. We love watching them also. Just this morning I was lucky enough to see them building a nest in a log cabin birdhouse that is just outside my office window. The pair are both bringing materils and going in and out of the house right now. I have outside cats and am in a dilemma over this.
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GonnaFly
Feb 7, 2011 @ 3:39 pm | delete
- What delightful little creatures! Beautiful page.
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About Naturegirl7
Carolina Wren's Nest is on Isle of Squid
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Carolina Wren Blogs
- Bird Notes | Birds still need our food offerings despite mild winter weather
- ... bellied sapsucker woodpeckers, pine and yellow-rumped warblers, ruby-crowned kinglet, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse and Carolina wren. White-throated sparrows are among our most common winter resident birds in areas with abundant shrub cover.
- Get off your couch and count some birds
- Carolina wrens have been expanding their range northward. Will you see one during a bird count in February? Posted: Monday, January 23, 2012 12:15 pm | Updated: 12:24 pm, Mon Jan 23, 2012. And you thought you could just chill out in February, ...
- Be an Early Bird: Get Discounted Tickets for Chefs for Farmers Event in Dallas
- The first bird I hear singing every morning is a Carolina Wren. If you click on this site right now and buy tickets you will hear the exotic sound of the Ka-ching. Hurry, the upcoming (May 6) Chefs for Farmers event, Mixing it Up on the Boulevard, ...
- People feeding backyard birds dates back to at least 1845
- Thankfully, the birds are still visiting my feeders, but perhaps not with the devotion they show to my offerings when there are several inches of snow covering the ground. Photo by Donald Rice - Carolina Wrens, such as this individual, are not usually ...
Carolina Wren Links
Vote for your favorite link on the list or add one that you think is better.
Bird Pictures - Carolina Wren Babies and Nests
Carolina Wren photographs and descriptions of thei more...1 point
All About Birds: Carolina Wren
Comprehensive information on North American birds more...0 points
Carolina Wren, Carolina Wren Profile, Facts, Information, Photos, Pictures, Sounds, Habitats, Reports, News - National Geographic
Get Carolina wren profile, facts, information, pho more...0 points
Carolina Wren
A presentation of bird photographs, songs, identif more...0 points
Information on the Carolina Wren Habits
Description of Carolina Wren and its nesting and f more...0 points
Carolina Wren - Whatbird.com
Carolina Wren: Medium-sized wren with rufous upper more...0 points
South Carolina State Bird - Great Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren, Text by John James Audubon from Bir more...0 points
eNature: FieldGuides: Species Detail
eNature Field Guides -- Comprehensive guide to Ame more...0 points
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