Wrens

 
Wrens are small, chunky birds that are usually brown with spots or streaks of white, black, or browns. Most wrens forage on or near the ground for insects and worms. They are very good at singing and know a variety of different sounds.
 
A Carolina Wren sitting on a tree branch on Virginius Island looking at something.
Carolina Wren sitting on a tree branch on Virginius Island.
© Bill Telfair

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

• The male Carolina Wren sings louder than the female. When the male and female sing together their songs blend in such a way that it sounds like one bird is singing.
• Carolina Wrens make nests in many locations, from trees and stumps to flower pots and mailboxes. The nest is cup-shaped and usually domed, with a side entrance. Nests are made of various materials including dried grasses and dead leaves to hair, paper, and string.
• The bulk of the Carolina Wren’s diet is insects and spiders. They commonly eat crickets, beetles, cockroaches, and moths. Occasionally they eat frogs, lizards, or snakes. They will eat fruit pulp and seeds from a few plants. They search for food on the ground.
• Carolina Wrens are found in brushy areas and ravines with hemlock and rhododendron. They like wooded residential and overgrown areas. A Carolina Wren stays in the same territory year-round with its mate.

Identification Information

• Size: Sparrow sized or smaller (Small)
• Shape: The Carolina Wren has a small round body. It has very little neck and its bill is long and curves downwards. It has a long tail that is often holds upward when looking for food and downward when singing.
• Color: The Carolina Wren is bright reddish-brown with an orangish belly. It has a long white stripe above the eye, from its bill toward its back. It has a dark bill and a white throat.
 
All of the above information is an abbreviated version of information gathered from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Please visit their website for more in-depth bird information.
 

Last updated: September 16, 2019

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
National Park Service
PO Box 65

Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Phone:

304 535-6029

Contact Us