House Wren in the Rouge Valley: July 2021

It is difficult to describe the song of the House Wren. Sibley’s Birds describes it this way:

Extremely varied. Song a rapid, rolling series of rattles and trills culminating in a descending series of bubbling liquid trills.

My grandfather described it this way: A musical, bubbling chatter: ” zhuh, whu-wee-wee-wah-wah-wah”.

However way you think of it, once heard it becomes unforgettable.

MYSTERY BIRD

I will identify it at the end of the post.

House Wrens frequently take over bird houses built for other species. If several bird boxes are available, the male will generally fill them all with little sticks, while the female selects one to use for raising the family.

Here is some activity by a box near the observation tower in the Rouge Valley.

House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren


House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren
House Wren

Other birds:

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

Scenes near the tower:

MYSTERY BIRD

This bright yellow-breasted warbler lacking other conspicuous marks has white wing bars and is never found far from a pine tree: a Pine Warbler.

Pine Warbler

NATURE QUOTE

“The world is grown so bad that wrens make pray where eagles dare not perch”

(meaning that the world has turned upside down)

from Richard 111 – Shakespeare

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “House Wren in the Rouge Valley: July 2021

  1. Lisa Volkov

    Well, I did think, “Warbler”, but of course, I thought YELLOW Warbler!
    Wonderful pictures! And how fascinating to hear about the House Wren’s house-related behavior (and of course, its song. I’m going to try to hear it online…Thanks, Miles!

    Reply

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