Featured Photo: Carolina Wren on Oak

By Jaya Ramanathan
10 Feb 2025

When I first started birding, playful Carolina Wren became an instant favorite. Soon, I learnt to differentiate it from Bewick’s Wren. Both reside here all-year, delighting us frequently with their show, inspiring me to write about them.

Carolina Wren (Left) and Bewick’s Wren (Right)

Bewick’s Wren is more brownish above and grayish below, whereas Carolina Wren is buffy or reddish brown above, and pale cinnamon below. Both have white chin, curved bill, long white eyebrow stripe, and hold their tails up. These similarities and differences are detailed by AllAboutBirds.

Carolina Wren (Left on Crepe Myrtle) and Bewick’s Wren (Right on Backyard Wire) Singing

Wrens attract our attention whenever they call or sing. Carolina Wren perches on neighbor’s hedge, looking to left, then right, repeatedly, chirping synchronously with its moves, akin to a musical performer. Once a pair performs a duet as dusk fell. Its calls are varied, loud, or a series of soft tweets, a new one making me wish for another lifer. Bewick’s Wren’s distinct call, signifies origin of its name. Sometimes it chirps softly while foraging near Salvia. Only males sing, Bewick’s rendering a multi-part melody.

Bewick Wren forages for insects, on Rose (Left), and Oak grooves (Right)

Wrens prefer bugs, so rarely visit seed feeders. One shoos Chipping Sparrows off feeder, but leaves without eating. They protect shrubs by scrubbing them off insects. They methodically scan tree trunk grooves, sometimes traversing them upside down, looking even for tiny bugs. Once I was disappointed at not photographing Carolina Wren’s capture of a bug, but it soon revisited to catch another, which I successfully caught on camera. They forage in grass, among fallen leaves, near ground cover, and between stones on our garden path. Like Woodpeckers, they glide vertically, up backyard fence, or Coral Honeysuckle.

Carolina Wren catches a bug (Left), bathes while Lesser Goldfinch sips from brick bath (Right)

Carolina Wren’s play at brick bath is delightful. One hops in a perfect circle all around the bath’s saucer, taking gentle dips along the way. Another explores bricks, looking out through each gap. It jumps back and forth, between bath and nearby oak trunks. It bathes in harmony with Lesser Goldfinch pair, as they quench their thirst. Carolina Chickadee perches perfectly on oak to enjoy spray from a bathing Wren. Once, after bath, Carolina Wren was peeking out of bricks, when it was showered from above by a bathing Northern Cardinal. It was entertaining to watch it escape after unsuccessfully ducking this unwanted spray multiple times.

Juvenile Carolina Wren gapes at parent holding bug (Left), Carolina Wren poses on patio (Right)

Young Wrens amuse us during summer. They explore brick bath nooks, accompanied by doting parents, who feed them. A family rapidly hops on backyard fence, swooping down one after another, to forage in shrubs below. Parents feed young, hunting for insects, even from under garden hose. Little ones perch on swaying seed feeder dome, but rarely eat seeds.

Bewick’s Wren (Left) and Carolina Wren (Right) visit during snowstorm

Carolina and Bewick’s Wrens reside here all-year, enjoy many aspects of our garden, pose up close, on patio, and bring us cheer during ice storms. We have spotted other Wrens, Cactus in Big Bend National Park, Pacific in Alaska Inside Passage, and Northern House in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many more Wrens can be seen in our area, so we eagerly anticipate future episodes of this delightful Wren show.