Some wrens used our bird box for the first time this year. Should we remove the old nest so that the box can be used again possibly next year? Do wrens tend to use the same bird box if at all?
I do not know if this is a common occurance but we have seen it on a number of occassions.
At our last house the nest box that the wrens used was left up through the winter. Nobody actually used our real front door & the nest sat under the open porch. In December a new postman came to deliver mail & at that time we did not get our post until 5pm. My husband opened the door to the postman & when the light from the hall lit the nest box area he counted 21 wrens streaming out of the box. We observed this on a number of occassions. I believe they huddle up to keep warm. Wrens used the box, year after year, but whether it was the same pair, I cannot say - but probably not due to life expectancy
Maybe leave your nest box up over winter & give it a clean once the weather warms a bit but before nesting begins.
Anybody else seen this happen?
Valmc
One Life - Live It!!
Gracious me, Val - it's no wonder I never see any wrens - you've got them all! (wink)
Squirrel
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Thanks for the tip Valmc ! That must have been a fantastic sight!
I'd love to have see that - sounds like a wren tardis!!
Make the boy interested in natural history if you can; it is better than games [Robert Falcon Scott]
That has just conjured up a picture in my mind comprising wren versions of every police t.v. series I have ever watched - wrens going " 'ello, 'ello, 'ello", wrens with flashing blue lights, etc., etc., .....!
That's a great story Val!! This behavious was mentioned on Springwatch actually! Apparently up to 50 wrens have been spotted in one nest box to keep warm!! Never seen it myself but would love to! :-)
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Many birds roost communally outside the breeding season mainly because there is safety in numbers, but also to conserve heat in cold winter nights. The smaller the bird, the more important it is to find a warm, sheltered spot where to spend the night. A bird can lose a significant proportion of its fat reserves during a frosty night, just to keep warm.
Many birds huddle together for warmth, often on branches, but also in cavities, including nesting boxes. Wrens are well know for roosting communally in a sheltered cavity, although people are rarely lucky to witness the birds entering or leaving the roost.
The number of birds at a communal roost can vary greatly depending on the species, size of the roosting cavity and the weather. 20+ wrens in the same cavity is very high, although it is still short of the world record of 61 that managed to squeeze themselves into one nestbox!
I would suggest cleaning out the box now and placing a few handfuls of woodshavings or clean hay (not straw) inside for insualtion. Replace the box and you may find they roost there over winter. Information on cleaning out nestboxes can be found here.
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Thanks for the info!
Squirrel B said: "That has just conjured up a picture in my mind comprising wren versions of every police t.v. series I have ever watched - wrens going " 'ello, 'ello, 'ello", wrens with flashing blue lights, etc., etc., .....!" Squirrel
"That has just conjured up a picture in my mind comprising wren versions of every police t.v. series I have ever watched - wrens going " 'ello, 'ello, 'ello", wrens with flashing blue lights, etc., etc., .....!"
ROFL :-D