House Wren Natural History

House wrens have short wings, a curved beak, and a long tail that is often raised. They also have faint barring on their wings. They have a constant bubbling call, 9 to 11 times per minute during the breeding season. This bird prefers open forests and forest edges, and is also common in backyards. House wrens are cavity nesters, nesting in old woodpecker holes or bird houses. Males build several nests to entice a mate. In Western New York they begin building their nests in the middle of May and lay eggs in early June. Their nest is a built-up pile of sticks with a cup lined with feathers, grasses, and spider egg sacks. Their eggs are just over a half inch long and are usually pinkish white with reddish brown blotches. The female will incubate the eggs for 12-15 days. Both parents feed the nestlings. Baby house wrens aren’t picky eaters. Their parents bring them spiders, harvestmen, caterpillars, centipedes, moths, worms, potato bugs, crane flies, and more. Not only do they feed the huge appetites of these young birds, but they also remove their waste. The baby house wrens are very vocal once the parent enters the cavity with food. Fledglings will leave the nest between 12-18 days after hatching. House wrens are noisy little birds with a huge appetite for insects. A birdhouse and brush pile are all you need to attract this cavity nester.
0:00 - Intro
0:25 - Excavating Wood Shavings
0:43 - House Wren Description
1:12 - House Wren building Nest
2:18 - House Wren Nest
2:27 - House Wren Eggs
2:59 - House Wren Feeding Nestlings
3:53 - House Wrens Sharing Feeding Responsibilities
4:03 - House Wren Removing Poop Sack from Nest
4:13 - House Wren Nestlings
4:24 - House Wren with HUGE Centipede
4:49 - When do House Wrens Leave the Nest?
5:28 - House Wren with Beak Full of Insects
References:
www.audubon.or...
nestwatch.org/...
www.allaboutbi...

[@wesleywesolowski3236]

Thanks for information on HOUSE WRENS info is greatly appreciated and i have been birdwatching for more 30 yrs

[@RCALivingStereo]

I have many bird houses on my property I had a wren last year I hope I have another this year We had blue birds to

[@travishall5943]

I was tired of bugs in my house so I got a house wren. I do every year. Nice work!

[@jimherron5540]

My favorite bird

[@mjinfl967]

Great video. I love house wrens!

[@apophis259]

Absolutely amazing footage / video. Great job!

[@beaconoflight4u]

Thank you so much for sharing this video! I’ve been trying to figure out what type of bird was in my backyard birdhouse. The House Wren it is! We just love watching this bird family interaction.

[@odinsworkshop5335]

Thanks!

[@annereynolds66]

Great video and information. We have a house wren nest in our grill , can’t use it now 😂

[@odinsworkshop5335]

Hi Anne, thank you. Sorry to hear they chose such an inconvenient nest location.

[@JB-pd4ni]

ThanksI really enjoyed this!

[@JoeKeller-hr6is]

I cheered @ 2.15. Well done on the video.

[@odinsworkshop5335]

Hehe. Persistence paid off for that little house wren. Thanks for watching.

[@FlyHighBirds]

We had House Wren Birds nesting and breeding in a flowerpot in the wardrobe. This is now the 2nd brood in a year. Luckily the young animals are very safe!

[@odinsworkshop5335]

That is good to hear. If you have a long growing season and/or lots of insects (food) wrens can have a second brood.

[@giniaa2707]

Great video!

[@honeyvitagliano3227]

❤

[@merridycox1430]

Do house wrens have more than one brood in a season? The young wrens have just left the nest and there is plenty of summertime left (its now the end of July). Watching them has been very entertaining.

[@odinsworkshop5335]

Good question. They can sometimes have a second brood, but at this time of the season, I think it is unlikely. If they do have a second brood, let me know, just for expanding my own knowledge. If you don't mind me asking, what state or country are you in?

[@merridycox1430]

@@odinsworkshop5335 I'm in Peterborough, Ontario, north of Toronto. My wren box has had a family of chickadees for the past couple of years. This year has been the first for the wrens. Thrilling!

[@johnedreslin]

Is it necessary to clean out the nesting box after each brood, or can the nest be left in place for future use? We only had one chick this year.

[@odinsworkshop5335]

John, I usually clean out the nest box at the end of the season and remove the nest, spiderwebs, etc. Some people remove the nest after the birds have fledged though. I also add half an inch of fresh wood shavings to the bottom, but that isn't necessary. The wren will remove some shavings before building the nest.

[@BeckyHolloway-yw4gm]

The only problem I have with the Wren is the fact that they kill Chickadee birds and destroy their eggs to take over their house/nest.

[@odinsworkshop5335]

House wrens can act aggressively and nest sites can be at a premium in certain locations. House wrens are native species in our area and nature can sometimes be cruel. I remember my grandfather sharing some words with me about house wrens while he checked on his bluebird houses, so you are not alone in your feelings. I hope you have a more positive experience next season!

[@M00Nature]

You might try using a wren guard. You can make a wren guard from an old milk jug or even from cardboard. The tricky part is knowing when to put the guard on and when to take it off.

[@ggwoman]

Make more birdhouses! 😂