House Wren Nesting (Behavior, Eggs + Location)

wren (caveman) is one of the most studied birds in the United States. One of the main reasons for this is that wrens often nest in close proximity to humans and human settlements.

Here’s a complete guide to House Wren Nesting where we cover nesting behaviour, appearance, construction and more!

Wrens are cavity nesters and will nest in almost any small cavity, from a coat pocket to an old woodpecker nest. The size of the cavity only needs to be about 10cm x 10cm x 10cm – these are very small birds.

These cunning nest builders choose eccentric locations such as skulls or the insides of skulls, coat pockets, tin cans and abandoned machinery that hang outside people’s homes. Although their nests are small, they are intricately made of hundreds of tiny sticks.

Of course, there’s still a lot to learn about these tiny, beautiful nests – read on to find out more!

Wrens are burrowing birds that nest in many places

nest location

Where do wrens nest?

Wrens nest in nearly every state in the United States, southern and central Canada, and more or less all of Central and South America. They are one of the most widespread of the American songbirds. Habitats vary from various lowland and upland forests and woodlands to parks and human settlements.

Nests choose in a variety of small cavities, but wrens prefer pre-formed cavities in trees. Some cavities are naturally formed, for example, in dying, damaged or diseased trees, while others are the remnants of other cavity-nesting birds, such as kingfishers, American robins, swallows and woodpeckers. They don’t seem to have a preference for tree species.

Artificial nesting sites range from cavities in decaying or decaying structures to novelty options such as coat pockets, tin cans, ornaments, abandoned vehicles and machinery. Additionally, nests have been found in boots, shoes, and many other small man-made cavities.

Most nesting sites are built close to the ground, but some are found at heights of around 30 feet. Wrens prefer to stay about 30 meters away from woodland or forest. However, relatively open sites are preferred over dense foliage or tree-covered sites.

Do the wrens nest in the same place every year?

Many cavities are reused every year. When reusing the nest, the male will usually dig the hole and remove most of the branches. This is thought to reduce parasitic mites and other insects that inhabit the nesting material.

Wrens nest in many different cavities, including holes in buildings and even coat pockets!

Do wrens nest in the backyard?

Wrens will certainly nest in backyards if there are available nesting holes, whether natural or artificial.

These small birds are easy to support with a nest box, as long as they are small enough to prevent being used by larger songbirds. Wren nest boxes can be as small as 10 x 10 x 10 cm with 2.5 cm entry/exit holes.

Do wrens use nest boxes?

Wrens are not particularly picky about the hole they nest in, as long as the hole is small and the entry/exit is small. Nest boxes suitable for wrens can have bottoms as small as 4 x 5 inches.

If the box is too large, other birds will nest in it, possibly kicking the wren out and even attacking or eating their chicks.

What tree do wrens nest in?

Any tree with an effective cavity is suitable for a wren. Studies have shown that they have no real preference for tree species, as long as it is about 30 meters or so away from the vegetation, presumably because this provides access to food and nesting material.

That being said, most wrens avoid heavily vegetated areas and dense vegetation unless they have no other choice – probably because clear nesting sites make it easier to spot oncoming predators.

How tall is a wren’s nest?

Wren nests are usually low to the ground, only about 3 to 5 feet high. In some cases, however, they will nest in the first tier of a 30-foot-tall tree.

House Wrens will use the nest box in the backyard

Nest Appearance

What does a wren’s nest look like?

Once he has selected a nesting site on the territory, the male will begin to line up with branches. Sometimes the males line the nest with hundreds of sticks, but other times, they add just a handful.

Interestingly, the males add other items such as wool, cotton, and the cocoons or egg sacs of spiders and other arthropods. The hatchlings are thought to clean the nest by eating mites and other parasitic insects.

The finished nest is built in the cavity with a platform about 4 to 10 cm high. The platform is then molded with a slight indentation.

How big is a wren’s nest?

The wren’s nest is small, only 10 x 10 x 10 cm, with an internal volume of 1000 cm2. That’s about the size of a large tin can. Larger nests have been reported to be twice that size, but some are even smaller, only around 800 square centimeters.

Wren nesting in a nest box

phenology

What time of year do wrens nest?

At the start of early spring, unmated males begin to search for nesting sites to form a rudimentary nest. This happened in some US states as early as late February. Nests are built between March and May, when unpaired birds mate and perfect their nest of choice.

The earliest eggs are laid in early April in warmer regions of the United States and Mexico, and as late as May in northern latitudes. The second litter is reared between June and July.

How long do wrens nest?

When wrens breed further north, they begin choosing nesting sites after migrating back in late winter or early spring.

Some nests are built as early as late February. Many wrens usually keep two litters until July and August. Wrens have a long breeding season compared to many birds.

What month do wrens lay eggs?

The first eggs are usually laid no earlier than April. However, wrens are more likely to breed earlier in southern latitudes where the climate is milder in late winter and early spring.

Further north, the first eggs are usually laid in May. Studies in Wyoming, New York and Ohio showed that the first eggs were laid in mid-May, while in Southern California some eggs emerged in April in warmer lowland regions.

Where do wrens nest in winter?

In the farther south of Central and South America, wrens remain in their breeding grounds for most of the year. Farther north in the United States and Canada, wrens migrate annually and roost in warmer regions.

Wren cubs are almost ready to fly out of the nest

nest

How do wrens build their nests?

At the start of the breeding season, male wrens search for eligible nests and begin preparations for nesting. First, he makes a nest of sticks, sometimes hundreds of sticks, sometimes just a few.

Once the male finds a mate, the female takes over the building work and completes the nest. Nests typically have hundreds of sticks (300 to 500 or so in some studies).

The branches form a platform that raises the bottom of the nest from the bottom of the hole, helping with drainage and insulation.

What do wrens use to build their nests?

Wrens use a variety of nesting materials, but small, soft twigs are most commonly used. Males add artificial items such as wool, cotton, rope, and plastic to the nest.

The males also added spider cocoons and egg sacs — which the researchers think may have been an intentional choice to help clear mite nests.

Once the mites hatch from their cocoons, they essentially clean the nest of harmful mites and other parasites, since the mites themselves pose no real danger.

Do male or female wrens build their nests?

Males begin nest building and complete it to varying degrees. In some cases, he may add hundreds of sticks to the nest, while in other cases he may only add ten or so sticks to the nest.

Once a male mates with a female and decides to finalize a nest, the female is usually in charge of completing it and putting the finishing touches on it before laying eggs.

Female wrens may make 200 to 300 trips to and from the nest during this time, a process that can take up to 14 days.

Wren collecting nesting material

wren eggs

What do wren eggs look like?

Wren eggs are tiny, measuring just 1.6 centimeters long and weighing just over 1 gram. They are brown with severe reddish-brown spots and spots, sometimes purple in color. Pigmentation is concentrated at the larger end of the egg. In rare cases, the eggs do not have any pigmentation.

How many eggs do wrens lay?

Wrens lay about 5 to 8 eggs, sometimes more. However, in rare cases, more than 10 eggs and up to 16 eggs were observed!

Do male wrens sit on eggs?

Males do not incubate, but they do keep an eye on the female and the nest during incubation. Males occasionally visit the den to feed the females.

Two Wren Eggs and a Cowbird Egg

fledgling and parental care

When do baby wrens leave the nest?

Most studies show that wrens leave the nest after about 14 to 15 days, a day or two before and after.

How many litters does a wren have?

Most paired house wrens attempt to raise two litters. After the chicks have fledged, the second brood is raised in a separate nest. While the female is preparing the next nest, the male may continue to feed the young.

Will both parents feed the young wren?

Both males and females feed the chicks. Parents make a total of 20 to 30 trips to and from the nest per hour.

Adult wren caring for hungry chicks

common problem

Do wrens abandon their nests?

Wrens rarely abandon their nests, and only venture to do so if they are threatened with defenselessness or otherwise disabled (for example, due to pest infestation or flooding).

Do wrens build nests on the ground?

Wrens do not usually nest on the ground, but will nest very close to the ground or within items on the ground. They typically nest at a height of 3 to 5 feet.

Where do wrens nest at night?

Like most birds, wrens roost in trees at night. Except for the breeding season, when the female sleeps in the nest while she incubates her eggs or hatches her chicks.

How to Attract Nesting Wrens

House wrens are easy to prop up with a nest box, provided the nest box is small and has a small entrance that deters other birds. Holes can be as small as 1 ¼ or 1 ⅛ inches.