July House Wrens

House Wrens are common birds that are frequently heard, but are often "invisible". The name House Wren was given due to their tendency to live near human homes. They are tiny and weigh about the same as two quarters. Their plain brown colour make them hard to distinguish, and their hyperactive movements as they forage for insects in brush and on trees make it hard to get a good picture of them. Once you recognize their song, you will hear them frequently in the spring and early summer. They literally sing from dawn to dusk during mating season. 

 House Wrens are easiest to see when they are nesting. They are cavity nesters and will occupy bird houses in yards. They raise two broods a season, one in May and another in July. The male will fill several different cavities with sticks and then he lets the female decide which home she wants to use for the nest. It takes a lot of work for the male to build six to twelve prospective homes, which is why they are easier to find during their breeding period. 

All these photos were taken in July. House Wrens will try to evict other birds that are cavity nesters and quite aggressive for their tiny size.

This nesting box in a nearby natural area was used earlier by a pair of Eastern Bluebirds, but they had moved on. I have had House Wrens occupy a bird house in our yard, but the female did not chose our real estate for her nest. We were left with a box full of sticks. I have never seen fledglings, but imagine they would be very small. 

There are three other wren species in Southern Ontario;- the Marsh Wren, Carolina Wren, and Winter Wren. I have found the others infrequently, so if I hear a wren singing, my default ID is a House Wren. 

If you place a bird house in your yard, it will undoubtedly be taken by some bird. Our bird box has most frequently been home to Chickadees, but last year it was taken over by bees, so we had to remove it in the winter. I will try another location for next season and hopefully attract Chickadees, Nuthatches or House Wrens again. Here are some helpful guidelines on setting up a bird box.