Swallows in a snowstorm. Photo © Keith Williams / Flickr through a Creative Commons license
Winter is a challenging time for backyard birds such as cardinals, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice and wrens.
But roosting in tree cavities, bird boxes and an assortment of makeshift shelters can help these birds stay warmer at night and give them an energetic edge.
Finding a snug place to sleep on a cold winter’s night is particularly important to Carolina wrens. They belong to a primarily tropical genus of wrens and seem to have limited capacity to deal with really cold weather and snow.
Carolina and other wren species nest in natural places such as upturned roots, tree stumps, vine tangles and tree cavities, but they also nest in a whimsical array of human artifacts. Roost sites and nest sites are often one and the same.
Birds of North America cites some favored nesting spots of the wren:
Glove compartments of abandoned cars and inside garages.
Old shoes and shelves.
Mailboxes and tin cans.
And an equally whimsical array of settings are listed as the wren’s roosting places:
Bird nesting boxes and abandoned hornet’s nests.
An old coat pocket and a hanging fern.
Garages and barns.
Squirrel nests and old bird nests.
And at least one ceramic pig planter.
It seems that any place that can support a messy domed nest of twigs leaves, root fibers and moss is fair game for a wren.
