Wren Nesting Habits
And Behavior

By Richard Worden

Wren nesting habits are specific and regular, almost like clockwork every breeding season. When they reach maturity, and the males’ breeding plumage comes in, wrens are on a mission to find a mate. So, what are the wren nesting habits and behavior?

Wren males perform a spectacle of singing and decorating cavities to convince a female to nest there and reproduce with him. If she agrees, she’ll lay a clutch or two with him and potentially other males. They care for the chicks until maturity, and then move on.

The reproductive life of the tiny wren is fascinating, and is full of complex interpersonal relationships and interior design. This article will explore the nesting habits of the wren in greater detail.

Wren Mating and Courtship Habits

As is customary in the animal kingdom, wren males take the initiative and make the first move. A male wren finds a suitable cavity and begins construction to the best of its ability. 

Taking a closer look at wren nesting habits, males will build numerous nests to better their chances of finding a mate, as the females choose their favorite nest. 

Females arrive at the site, and what ensues is a free-for-all. Females go around and inspect potential nesting locations. 

Once a female approves of a nest, she continues building the soft nest cup where she will lay her eggs. Wrens aren’t the type to commit, and pairs don’t stay together for very long after breeding. 

Male wrens have multiple mates. They breed within different nesting locations, ensuring that the many nests they have built do not go to waste. On the other hand, wren females are known to sometimes leave their brood with the male and move to another male’s territory to breed with him.

The reason wren males are so promiscuous is to spread as much of their genetic material as possible, and females oblige if they feel the male is the strongest in the territory. This gives the offspring a better chance of survival and finding mates later in life.

What Month Do House Wrens Nest?

House wrens lay their eggs quickly after completing their nests, but their nesting period takes up a good part of the year.

House wrens nest in late April or early May and finish raising their chicks in late August. Two separate clutches of eggs and broods are often raised within one nesting period. Males typically have multiple partners and broods at once.

April is soon after the beginning of spring, so wrens take advantage of the increasingly warm weather and an abundance of plant matter to build their nests and stock up on much-needed nutrients to feed their new babies. 

Outside of breeding, wrens are daily solitary, but during the breeding period, wren couples stay close and defend their territory fiercely. 

Males build the foundation for the nest using sticks and other coarse materials. The females then make a cup in the rough base and settle down to lay their eggs. wren nesting habits and behavior

How Wrens Choose a Nesting Location

Wrens are cavity-nesting birds, meaning they make nests inside hollow cavities or chambers, such as inside tree trunks. They find a cavity as a form of shelter and build their nests inside of it. However, they don’t build elaborate shelter nests like some other bird species. 

Because they don’t excavate cavities or create their own sheltered holes and crevices, they need to nest in an area with abundant nesting locations. 

Wrens are most suited to open woods, thickets, and gardens with trees. They often use woodpeckers’ cavities and are eager to nest in nesting boxes put out by humans. 

What Month Do Wrens Lay Their Eggs?

Wren nesting habits are highly regular, beginning in April and ending in August. They lay their eggs a couple of days after finishing their nests.

House wrens typically lay their eggs in late April. Egg incubation lasts more or less 12 to 18 days. They lay four to seven eggs per clutch, one per day, and each female produces two clutches per season. 

Wren eggs are white or greyish and heavily speckled with reddish-brown spots. They’re usually 0.4 by 0.6 inches (1.02 to 1.52 cm) big, just under half the size of a matchbox.

The incubation period differs but could be anywhere from 9 to 18 days, most often 12 to 18 days. Once hatched, the chicks nestle with their parents for 15 to 17 days. 

This is what happens during the nesting period:

• The female sleeps in the nest with the chicks, providing primary care. 
• Meanwhile, the male spends his days foraging and providing food for his mates and offspring. At night he sleeps in his own cavity, which is separate from the females and young. 

Wrens are somewhat competitive with their offspring once they reach maturity. Female wrens drive their female chicks away, which is now considered competition. 

Male wrens tolerate their sons as long as they only grow out their breeding plumage after he does, thereby not threatening his dominance. 

What Do Wrens Use for Nesting Materials?

Wrens are dynamic nest builders and must adapt their nest shape to conform to the shape of whatever cavity they’ve chosen as their home for the nesting period.

Males build a sturdy base from sticks, and the female later lines this with softer materials. She chooses things like feathers, moss, grasses, animal hair, and other soft organic matter that will accommodate her clutch of eggs. 

These materials cushion the eggs and provide breathable insulation, making the mother more comfortable until her chicks arrive. The feathers and other materials lining the nest have antimicrobial properties that defend the nest against disease and pests. wren nesting habits and behavior

Do Wrens Use the Same Nest Twice?

Wrens are extremely busy during the nesting period, but they make time to build multiple nests if need be. Wren nesting habits are methodical and specific. 

Male wrens assess the condition of a nest after their first brood has left, and if it’s still in good condition, they’ll touch it up and reuse it. If the nest is in disarray, the males will dismantle it and build a new one out of fresh materials.

Wrens are known to reuse their nests for different clutches within one nesting season but won’t use the same nests across multiple seasons.

Will Wrens Ever Abandon Their Nests?

Wrens are avid nest recyclers, but they only reuse nests for consecutive broods, sometimes using old news made by other wrens. That is, only if the nests are durable enough.

If the breeding season is over, wrens abandon their nests and don’t use them again in the next breeding season. They prefer to build new nests each year. Sometimes they’ll leave their nests if they can’t care for their young or if they feel threatened. 

• Predators and human interference are common reasons birds leave their young completely. Still, note that bird parents are ferocious and dedicated to their young, so the threat has to be significant for them to abandon their chicks. 
• If the wren has little to no access to food or the chicks are ill, they might decide they’re beyond saving and simply leave them to die. 

The general rule of nature is to interfere as little as possible, but you may be compelled to get involved if you find an abandoned wren chick. In that case, read here for more information on how to care for an abandoned baby bird.

What Do Wren Nests Look Like?

The sturdy bed of sticks and twigs that the male wren builds has a depression in the center, a bed for the wren mother and her chicks. Sometimes this is mounded up in front of the entrance as an extra layer to protect from harsh weather. 

A wren nest resembles a vortex of sticks with a deep central depression from above. This kind of nest is called a cup-shaped nest. This cup is distinctly different from the rest of the nest and is lined with feathers and other soft, organic materials. 

Wren nests are astonishingly well-made and distinctly shaped, with the center cavity usually in a smooth elliptical shape, perfect for the mother wren and her eggs to rest in. 

The shape of a wren nest isn’t exactly like that of a finch or robin. Wrens have to build their nests according to the shape of their chosen cavity or hole, so the end result depends on the already existing shape. 

Though not as precise as other species’ nests, wren nests are still regular and easily recognizable in the wild.

Wren Nesting Habits and Behavior.... Conclusion

Wrens are fiery and territorial and are rather solitary for the most part. When the breeding season comes around, they put all their effort into building a strong and lasting nest and raising chicks. With this many blended families, the wren mating season is busy, and each wren is likely to produce multiple families from April to August. 

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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