Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
If you’ve ever been on a bird walk and heard someone pishing* to attract birds, the sound they are making is very similar to the alarm call of the Bewick’s Wren, an especially vocal and active bird that is about the size of a sparrow. The Bewick’s Wren (pronounced “buick”) is always on the lookout for danger and lets everyone else know when they spot it. Some schools of thought suggest that their warning call attracts other birds who will mob an intruder to drive it away.
The Bewick’s Wren is a year-round resident of central Texas and is easily spotted by its strong white eyebrows and constant motion. There is no difference between the size and color of the male vs the female – both have brown backs and wings with gray-white bellies and long, slightly-curved beaks. They have dark barring on their tails, and they generally flick their tail or hold it upright. Only the male sings – he learns from neighboring males while still living in his parents’ territory, and his song will be slightly different from his father’s.
A Bewick’s Wren.
This wren feeds mostly on insects, and if you want to attract them to your backyard feeder, provide live mealworms – they will also eat seeds occasionally. When foraging for food, they climb and hop around the twigs, branches, and trunks of trees, sometimes even hanging upside down to feed. They prefer brushy areas in open country or woodlands, and they build their nests in cavities or on ledges 20 to 30 feet off the ground. The male starts several nests then the female chooses among them and finishes the one she prefers. She lays between 4 and 10 eggs which are white with brown and gray blotches. She incubates the eggs, and both parents participate in feeding the nestlings. Young will leave the nest around 2 weeks after hatching.
The Bewick’s Wren is named after Thomas Bewick, a friend of James Audubon. Bewick collected the first recognized specimen. The species is in decline in the eastern US – evidence suggests that the House Wren’s expansion is directly responsible since it removes eggs from nests in cavities and nest boxes.
You may find the distinction between the Bewick’s Wren and the Carolina Wren to be challenging at first but pay attention to the coloring – Bewick’s Wrens are brown on top and grayish below, while the Carolina Wrens are reddish-brown above and more buff colored below. From observing my backyard feeder, I’ve also noticed that Carolina Wrens appear more round and plump.
A Carolina Wren.
This little bird is entertaining to watch – they are busy-busy-busy all the time and are never at a loss for “words.”
* Pishing is a long, “psssssshhhhhhhh” followed by shorter “psh-psh-psh-psh-psh-psh”
Compiled by Lisa S. Graham.
Sources include All About Birds (Cornell), Audubon Field Guide, and “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America”. Photo credit: James Giroux.
