Habitat:

A familiar backyard bird, the House Wren was named long ago for its tendency to nest around human homes or in birdhouses. Various forms of this wren are found from central Canada to southern South America.

Its habitat is open woods, thickets, farms and gardens. Breeds in a wide variety of semi-open areas including suburbs, orchards, woodlots, open forest, streamside groves and pine-oak woods. Winters mostly in areas of dense low growth, including thickets and streamside brush. A sumer resident only in northern U.S. and Canada.

Diet:

Mostly insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, moths, flies, and many others such as spiders, millipedes and snails.

Nesting:

Male defends territory by singing. Courtship involves male singing, showing the female potential nest sites. Adults may puncture the eggs of other birds nesting nearby (including other House Wrens). Male may also have more than one mate.

Nest site is in any kind of cavity including natural hollows in trees and stumps, old woodpecker holes, crevices in buildings, often in birdhouses. May nest in almost any kind of enclosed space (flower pots, parked cars, shoes, drainpipes, etc.). Male builds incomplete "dummy" nests in several cavities and female chooses one and adds lining.

Eggs:

5-6, sometimes 3-9. White, finely dotted with brown. Incubation by female lasting 12-14 days.

Young:

Female stays with young much of the time at first, while male brings food. Later, young get fed by both parents, sometimes by an additional helper. Young leave nest 15-16 days after hatching.

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