| Of the six species of wrens found locally, the Carolina wren is the one most often spotted and, unlike the rest can be sighted year 'round. Although the harsh winters of 1978 and 1979 depleted their numbers, they had made a remarkable recovery by 1982.
The Carolina wren is the largest of our wrens. Some people call it by the name of another wren common to our area, the house wren. This is because the Carolina wren utilizes man's houses and outbuildings for roosting and nesting sites throughout the year.
I have found these wrens nesting in a great variety of situations, more than any other bird. The nest is a bulky affair of leaves and grasses placed absolutely anywhere, from the ground up. Garages are a favorite site. I've even read of a nest placed on a cache of dynamite that was suspended from a barn ceiling in a basket!
A few summers ago a pair entered my blind atop a thirty foot tower where we were photographing red-headed woodpeckers and proceeded to raise five young. The nest was in a corner on a 2' X 6' plank, three feet from where I sat. Even though I was able to photograph the adults coming in to feed the young it was a strange situation; I'm used to wildlife subjects being on the outside.
Length 5 1/2 - 6 inches
|
