When it comes to our feathered friends, Carolina Wrens truly stands out as energetic and charming. These pint-sized birds are famous for their personalities and delightful songs that have the power to uplift anyone’s spirits. Beyond their lovely tunes, we’ll look at their behaviors, favorite foods and interesting choices for nesting locations.
Let’s delve into the captivating world of Carolina Wrens and explore some of their most interesting facts.
1. Carolina Wrens have an identifiable “eyebrow”.
Despite measuring around 4.7 to 5.5 inches in size, Carolina Wrens possesses a spirited personality that is hard to ignore. They have a reddish brown back with buffy underparts.
Close inspection reveals dark barring on their wings and tail. Perhaps their most stand-out feature is their large white eyebrow stripe, which can help you tell them apart from some other common wren species like the house wren. Adults have the same plumage, so there is no visual different between male and females.
2. Only male Carolina Wrens sing.
If Carolina Wrens are known for anything, it is probably their song. For such a tiny bird their songs are loud and clear, carrying over most other birds in the yard. While both sexes make sounds, only the males sing songs. Typically it is a three-note phrase, often described as “teakettle” or “ger-ma-ny” that is repeated several times in a row. Each male has several variations on his song and after singing one for a while will move to another.
3. Carolina Wrens don’t migrate.
While some bird species migrate seasonally, Carolina Wrens prefer to stay put all year long. They range from eastern Texas and Oklahoma all the way to the east coast, and north as far as Connecticut and lower Michigan.
4. Pairs of Carolina Wrens stay bonded year-round.
Once paired up with a mate, Carolina Wrens tends to stick together for the long haul. They form bonds and remain committed companions throughout their lives. Additionally, during courtship, the male Carolina Wren will sing melodious duets with their partners expressing affection and strengthening their bond with one another.
5. Carolina Wrens nest in interesting places!
A fun part of Carolina Wren behavior is their willingness to nest in all sorts of creative locations. While they aren’t cavity nesters strictly speaking, they do tend to like at least partially enclosed spaces where they can build themselves a little cave or dome. Coat pockets, boots, planter pots, spare tires and mailboxes are just some of the places people have spotted them building nests.
Last spring I saw them nesting in the small cavity created by the peak of my neighbors metal roofed shed (photo below in fact 11). So if you leave old shoes, coats, bags or pots outside for long periods of time, you may get some surprise guests! They will also use traditional bird houses.
6. A variety of materials are used in Carolina Wren nests.
Their nests are not just sturdy, they can be impressive to see! Carolina Wrens construct a bulky nest that usually has a dome over the top, using materials like moss, leaves, bark strips, and twigs. They may also incorporate items they find on their foraging missions like feathers, snakeskin, string, hair, pine needles, plastic and straw. Both parents work together to construct the nest and find materials. Males may go off and build several other nests before they decide on which to choose.
7. Carolina Wrens have an appetite for insects.
These cheerful birds have an appetite for insects. They are insect hunters and devour caterpillars, beetles, crickets, cockroaches, moths and spiders. Sounds like free pest control! They will also feed on snails, and can even prey on small frogs and lizards.
8. Carolina Wrens have curved beaks
Their beaks are a little bit long for a bird their size, and have a slightly downward curve. This helps them when foraging for bugs. The longer bill allows them to probe into nooks and crannies in bark, dying trees, decaying logs and root tangles. They can also pick through leaf litter and remove decaying pieces of bark to expose the insects below. If they come upon a particularly large or tough beetle, they have enough beak length to gasp it and shake it apart.
9. The range of the Carolina Wren is growing.
Originally a mostly southeastern bird, Carolina Wrens have been pushing the boundaries of their range for many years now. When John James Audubon originally described these birds back in the 1800’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was about as far north as they were found. As the average winter temperatures have changed, these little wrens have slowly been moving north. Today they are common in southern New England and around the Great Lakes. Some even make it to Canada!
10. Carolina Wrens sing any time of day or season.
In many bird species, males concentrate their singing during the spring months, when it’s time to attract a mate and claim territory. It is also common for birds to concentrate their singing to the early morning hours, or at dusk as the sun goes down.
Carolina Wrens, however, don’t seem to want any limitations on their songs! They will sing all throughout the day no matter the time. And while they do sing more frequently during the spring, they continue singing all year. Even during the cold winter months. While a few other backyard birds like cardinals and white-throated sparrows also do some singing in the winter, the Carolina Wren is one of the most frequent winter singing back yard birds.
11. Carolina Wrens are talkative birds.
Apart from their songs, Carolina Wrens are known for being quite “talkative”. While we mentioned that females don’t sing, they do join the males in having a wide repertoire of calls. Scolding screeches, chattering, cheer notes and trills that sound like a rattle are just some of the many sounds they make.
12. Known for their boldness, Carolina Wrens are explorers.
These little birds are no strangers to exploring human-made structures. They even dare to peek into windows or garages displaying a boldness that’s both endearing and entertaining. Carolina Wrens are also not hesitant about adapting to various landscapes, being able to thrive in gardens, parks, and suburban areas with ease.
They seem to want to know every nook and cranny of their territory, probably so they know the best spots to find insects or potential nest cubbies. Don’t be surprised if you see them hopping around and investigating your backyard shed, the tools in your carport or disappearing under the wheel well of your truck tires.
13. Carolina Wrens are not distance fliers.
Not only are they not migratory, but Carolina Wrens don’t even fly for very long distances. Overall considered somewhat of a weak flier, their strength really comes from short flights and energetically hopping through brambles and brush. They tend to travel alone or in a pair, but not together in flocks.
14. You can attract Carolina Wrens to your yard!
While insects do make up a large portion of their diet, Carolina Wrens also enjoys indulging in fruits, seeds, and nuts. They are most likely to come to your feeders during the winter months, when insects are harder to find. In our experience, they seem to prefer pieces of peanuts and other nuts, as well as suet. So adding a nut blend to your feeders or putting out a suet block can really attract their attention during those colder months.
15. Attract wrens with brush piles!
Another way to attract Carolina wrens (and possibly other wrens like house wrens) to your yard is by leaving brush piles. A pile of trimmed branches and yard clippings is a great place for them to hunt out insects and also to roost out of the wind. Even leaving a few overgrown patches where you let the shrubs and the vines grow will be attractive tangles for them to search through.
16. Carolina Wrens have a distinctive tail flip.
When perched, Carolina Wrens often keep their tails in an upright position. It is this stance that can help bird watchers identify the Carolina Wren from other bird species. You’ll also notice they rarely sit still, and have short, quick, jerky motions bopping up and down or flitting from branch to branch.
Sources:
- “Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)“, Kari Kirschbaum, BioKIDS, biokids.umich.edu
- “Carolina wren”, Lorraine Hudgins, American Bird Conservancy, abcbirds.org
- “Carolina Wrens Will Nest in Just About Anything”, Lauren D. Pharr, Cool Green Science, February 10, 2021, blog.nature.org
- “Carolina wrens do not migrate. They stick around during the winter, no matter how cold it gets”, Clellie Lynch, The Berkshire Eagle, Sep 20, 2023, berkshireeagle.com
Amanda has a love for beekeeping and all things related to nature. She is also a small business owner, crafting various goods using the honey and beeswax harvested from her hives. Amanda resides in the tranquil mountains of West Virginia where she shares her home with her husband and beloved feline companions.
As a native Sandlapper, and return resident since 1996, I have enjoyed seeing—and listening to, as well— our state bird around our house. I’m looking forward to helping them stay around our house, with some brush piles and fruit & nuts on a new feeder.
A couple of weeks ago, I found a nest in the folds of the canopy material of my gazebo. Inside were white eggs with red spots. I had actually unfolded the material to clear out the start of a hornets nest. When I saw the nest I carefully refolded and tied back the material. Just today I say a bird fly in with food in its beak, and little “peeps” started sounding off.
What struck me about the bird was how much it looks like a chipmunk! It was easy to identify on the internet after noticing that.