House Wren

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wild4flowers
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House Wren

Post by wild4flowers »

During the 0 degree weather a couple of days ago, I spotted a wren on my front porch. I have them during the summer and their song is beautiful. But I have never seen one before during the winter. He was all puffed up trying to keep warm. Curved beak and cocked up tail feathers. What in the world do they eat in the winter. They are insect eatters not seed eatters. And don't they migrate to someplace warm? CHAR
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LucyGoose
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Post by LucyGoose »

I have no idea, but Snow will......Good Luck!
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Tundra_Queen
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Post by Tundra_Queen »

Hi
I did a search on Ask Jeeves and found out this:
House wrens feed primarily on small, terrestrial insects. The independent young and adults consume mostly spiders, beetles, and bugs while the babies still in the nest (called nestlings) are fed mostly grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars. Adults will feed their young, and supplement their own diet, with sources of calcium such as mollusk shells.

Primary Diet: carnivore (eats non-insect arthropods).


I would think that they would eat suet.

Debbie


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Snow
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Post by Snow »

Do me a favor - look up Carolina Wren at www.enature.com - and see if you might have one of those. I have one this winter - this is the second time I've had one during the winter season. They eat suet, and will even nibble at the seeds - especially cracked corn.
~*Snow*~
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wild4flowers
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Post by wild4flowers »

The information I had found was real muddy about the difference between a Carolina Wren and a House Wren (if there is any difference). States that the tail on a HW was longer-slightly and the beak might be thicker and somewhat large. How can I tell, since they are not side by side. I have never seen it at the feeder, but don't watch it 24/7, so I don't know. (Seeing the wren told me summer was here...ha! fat chance, with 3 degrees last night) CHAR
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Post by Snow »

Well - the Carolina Wrens dont migrate in winter - so if you have them - you could be seeing one this time of year. I'm not sure a house wren could survive in this weather - and they do migrate. I think the Carolina Wren is a tiny tiny bit bigger, and I notice a creamy stripe around the eye area, and I think on the wing or tail. Subtle - but if you are close enough, you'd see it.
~*Snow*~
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lazygardner
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Post by lazygardner »

A lot of birds won't migrate if they feel certain they can get a steady supply of food where they are at. Something tells me the birds in your yard are pretty secure in their expectation of future meals. :lol:
Before criticizing someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them you will be a mile away and have their shoes!
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Post by wild4flowers »

I guess so. We just bought 3 more 50# bags @ $9.95 ea, of oil sunflower seeds and I'm looking for the best price on thistle seed before I buy more of that. $36/50# is the best I can find so far. I'd buy it anyway, for my birds, but it makes me feel better thinking I got a deal. CHAR
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Post by Snow »

We've had a really, really cold spell for a couple of weeks - and I dont think I've seen the little Carolina Wren in the last few days. The really cold weather and snow (yes we've had plenty of that) can be very hard on them.
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oldcoot
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I saw my Carolina Wren this afternoon

Post by oldcoot »

Miserable over the week-end, Snow & Ice...didn't see a bird. Went out today and refilled all the feeders and trays. By the time I got back inside they were GOING AT the seed.

An interessting note that I learned this week-end from a bird bander I know.(Gov Approved) Thistle seed do not come from the thistle plant, but are the small seeds of an Ehiopean Sunflower (may show why they like them so much)
They are not produced here in the U.S. at all. 90 Million tons of Thistle seed were exported to the US last year. Man that must feed a lot of birds...................

I posted some Carolina Wren pictures on my O.C. bird theme recently. I had put out some Peanute Butter with Raisings mashed up in it. Seem ed to like that real well. Today a I saw one eating safflow seed. I guess any ship in a storn...

That Funny & Friendly Old Coot, named John saying "COME ON SPRING"
There may be snow in the garden, but there will always be eternal springtime in the heart of this old gardner - Saying of Old Coot
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Post by Snow »

That's right OC - "thistle" is actually Niger seed, not thistle. If I see my Carolina Wren out there again, I'll put some raisins and peanut butter where he can reach it.
~*Snow*~
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wild4flowers
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Post by wild4flowers »

I saw the wren again today, and this time I had my binoculars. It definately is a Carolina wren. The it flew to the suet and pigged out on that, then up to the sunflower seeds to check those out. Definite buff coloring and eye stripe.

I also saw a solitary robin eatting crabapples from the tree out in front. That doesn't usually happen for another month. Mostly the first time I notice robins is when that is a whole bunch of them doing the apple thing. They just fill the tree.

And I also saw the Bluebird checking out his old nesting box. Much too cold to be thinking about that. But the blue color sure did stand out with snow in tha background.

CHAR
oldcoot
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Haven't seen any

Post by oldcoot »

Birds hecking out any boxs yet, Have seen severalore robbins...

That Funny and Friendly Old Coot named John saying "Come on Spring"......and KEEP POSTING, and showing us PICTURES
There may be snow in the garden, but there will always be eternal springtime in the heart of this old gardner - Saying of Old Coot
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wild4flowers
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Post by wild4flowers »

My elusive Carolina Wren has resurfaced. For a while I didn't see him at all. Now I know where he is spending his winter. "MY GARAGE".
I heard him chattering away in the garage several days ago, and thought a stray bird had gotten caught in there from when we had the overhead garage doors open. I opened the side door and out he flew.
(most birds don't go out the side door-they can't seem to figure it out. They won't fly down low, even for freedom.
And I though, poor bird, he's been trapped inside all this time. But many days in a row, when I heard the chattering, and made sure the cat wasn't the cause of his warning cry, I knew for sure that he was keeping out of the elements in the garage.
I open the side door in the morning when I hear him, out he goes, straight to the bird feeder. Boy, has he got me figured out. CHAR
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Post by Snow »

Mine has returned too - despite all the horrid weather. I dont have a garage for him to live in, though :lol:
~*Snow*~
oldcoot
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O.C. found where his was nesting too

Post by oldcoot »

Last fall we had to replace our mail box by the road. Some fool ran into it and shattered a 4" cedar post. Apparently pulled up to turrn around back and backed right ove the mail box. Tore the door off the mail box, but the rest of it looked ok. (It had a wooden shell over the metal.) O.C . had intended to put it up for a bird house, but the weather got so bad about the time it thappened, he just set it up in the back yard on a ledge that he had put in for potted plants when he built his sun room. Yesterday he saw his little friend fly down to the box. The b x is turned sideways on the ledge so it is pretty well sheltered. O.C. wanted to look in, but ther way it's spaced, he was afraid he would disturb it...

Carolina Wrens ARE pretty little birfds with the white stripe around their eyes.

That Funny and VERY Friendly Old Coot , named John, saying, "SPRING" is coming and in just 16 more days" and counting !!!
There may be snow in the garden, but there will always be eternal springtime in the heart of this old gardner - Saying of Old Coot
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