Wren eating off my hand

Hi

Just wondered if anyone else has a tame(ish) wren?  I have a beautiful little wren who takes mealworms from my hand every day.  I also have a robin who does the same, and a little blue tit who keeps flying towards my hand but chickens out about 2 inches away - I am hoping it will trust me enough to take the last step soon!! This little blue tit has only a couple of scraggy feathers on its head, so I call him "Punky"

You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!

  • Hi Chez, lovely story! No such luck for me I'm afraid - I haven't the patience, so I just sit back and enjoy my garden birds from a safe distance. Occasionally though a few birds (robins, wrens, and chaffinches) will venture bravely onto the porch step, to pick up the little bits of bird seed that I inevitably spill whilst re-filling the feeders, but I only ever see this if I'm watching through the sitting room window - they wouldn't come quite so close if I was outside!

     

    Good luck with coaxing "Punky" to take that last little step! He sounds like a character, as do your robin and wren!

  • Wow, that must be amazing. I have three robins in my garden and one of them is bold enough to stay around when i go out, but the others vanish.  the wren that comes to my garden just seems to sit on the fence, but has not even braved eating yet ( that I have seen anyway)

    You are very lucky.  I think bold robins are common, but never heard of a wren being that tame before

    Sarah

    I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramble67/

  • Hi Sarah

    Yes it is amazing, I feel very lucky but it didn't take very long to happen only a couple of weeks.  I have a stable door on my kitchen and the nearest feeders are only about 4-5 foot away from me and I feed the birds and stay at the half open door to watch them so I guess they have become used to me being there.  I threw the mealworms on the floor one at a time and they gradually came nearer and nearer. Eventually the little wren plucked up the courage to fly to my hand and collect  the mealworm.  I do feel very privileged, she (?) stays on my hand long enough to decide which is the biggest worm!!  She is very feisty, when I throw the worms on the floor she is always the first there and is not frightened by the bigger birds.  I saw my first bullfinch in the garden a few weeks ago but haven't seen it since. Does anyone know what food they like?  I have nyger seed, home made fat balls, peanuts and bird seed in the garden hoping to persuade  it in again.

    You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!

  • Well done Chez it must have taken lots of patience as wrens are usually a bit wary,think they must really like mealworms. 

  • Oh she does, she can eat 7-8 within 10 minutes!! Definitely not on a diet.  Only hope she brings the family later in the year.

    You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!

  • Hello Chez,

    You must be one of those lucky people that animals automatically trust. It must be amazing for you. My little wren rarely comes out of the bushes.

    Cheers, Linda.

    See my photos on Flickr

  • She started getting braver when the snow and ice was around, I guess she was just so hungry but we have hopefully built up a trust now.  The first thing I do now when I get up is rush to the door and she is always there - waiting for breakfast!!  Got dozens of birds who have me wrapped round their little claws!  Costs me a fortune in mealworms - but well worth it.  I feel so lucky.

    You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!

  • Hi Chez,

    Wow!That's amazing! My resident wren is very shy and only scuttles about when she thinks no-one is watching. However, my friend has a pair of robins, and one of them is bold enough to come into his house every day! It hops in the door and wanders about in the kitchen and hall until he feeds it. You hve to be careful not to step on it sometimes! It has also got into the car and sat on the seat when the door was open!! Its mate is not quite so brave but has ventured just inside the kitchen door on one occaion for food. Would the bold one be likely to be the male or the female?

    Good luck with your wren - patience is the name of the game!

  • Hi

    Gosh that robin sounds brave. Sorry I don't know if it would be the male or female, but would guess at the male as they seem more bossy.  The wren came again today but only once which is unusual but I am wondering if it is either looking for a mate or perhaps nest building.  I left plenty of food about so it wouldn't go hungry.  I have 6 robins at the moment coming for food but they are fighting, territorial I assume, so I am spreading the food around the garden so they all get some without having to chase each other off - feels like I am a mother keeping the peace among the children!!

    You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!

  • Hi

    Gosh that robin sounds brave. Sorry I don't know if it would be the male or female, but would guess at the male as they seem more bossy.  The wren came again today but only once which is unusual but I am wondering if it is either looking for a mate or perhaps nest building.  I left plenty of food about so it wouldn't go hungry.  I have 6 robins at the moment coming for food but they are fighting, territorial I assume, so I am spreading the food around the garden so they all get some without having to chase each other off - feels like I am a mother keeping the peace among the children!!

    You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!