Monday May 7, 2012

 

 

Mr. House Wren

Builds a Nest for Mrs. Wren

 

 

We were delighted when we noticed a house wren building a nest in our brand new birdhouse.

 

 

I thought it might have to winter a year before a bird would use it.

 

 

I watched him go back and forth from the ground to the birdhouse many times during the past few days.

 

 

His only problem was when he chose a stick that was too large for the tiny hole.

 

 

He would try over and over again.

 

 

 

 

I learned that the male house wren uses sticks to build at least two nests, then lets his bride choose the house she likes best.

 

 

He is still trying to get this stick inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He finally gave up on that large stick and chose a smaller one.

 

 

Building a nest is exhausting!

 

 

Finally it was ready for his sweetie. The birdhouse is full of sticks up to the hole.

 

 

When his special lady was in the area, he attempted to attract her to the nest by singing and then showing her the two nests that he had built for her.

We think the other nest was nearby, as I saw a wren carrying sticks to one of our old birdhouses.

 

 

His song gets high and squeaky when she comes close to him.

After she chooses the nest she likes best, she finishes it with the soft stuff – things like feathers, string, and lint. I am thinking that he was successful, because today I saw a wren taking some soft stuff into the blue birdhouse.

After she lays the eggs, he will feed her until the babies hatch.

Hopefully we will have a front row seat to this, as the birdhouse is just outside our living room window.