Wrens
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Guest
My question is how do Wrens and Martins get along in a persons back yard? We have had wrens nesting in wren houses for many years and enjoy their song and activity. djeich
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Guest
I hung a really cute decorative bird house on my front porch(covered) and really just hung it there because it was pretty. Before I knew it, a wren had moved in, built her nest and laid eggs. We would carefully take the house down & peek inside & watch the baby wrens growing, they are soooooo tiny!!!!
I never noticed any problems between my martins & the wren. My martin housing is in the back yard, and the wren house is on the front of the house. I have a tree near the front porch & the wren house & sometimes she would sit in the tree & fuss at us if we were walking by, or while I would be working in my flower beds in the front of the house.
I have heard sometimes wrens are pesky & will peck other birds eggs, but she was so busy with her own eggs and babies, I never saw her bothering, or going near the martin house.
I never noticed any problems between my martins & the wren. My martin housing is in the back yard, and the wren house is on the front of the house. I have a tree near the front porch & the wren house & sometimes she would sit in the tree & fuss at us if we were walking by, or while I would be working in my flower beds in the front of the house.
I have heard sometimes wrens are pesky & will peck other birds eggs, but she was so busy with her own eggs and babies, I never saw her bothering, or going near the martin house.
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Guest
Competition between any two species in similar geographic areas is a possibility. However, competition between these two species is not likely to be great. The ecology, which include all interactions of a particular species with other organisms and it environment limits direct competition between two species.
In this case martins are ariel insectivores and spend the vast majority of their time high in the air feeding, or perched high off the ground. Most wrens forage along the ground or in the bases of trees. Most wrens never fly as high as martins fly low, with the exception of water skimming of course.
Another difference can be found in the openness of the habitat wrens and martins are found in. Wrens are often associated with thick underbrush or ground cover. You may even see them scampering around in your potted plants. Martins on the otherhand like the openness that allow for that feeding strategy that they have perfected.
Again, I won't tell you that the wren won't find your martin house, or even explore it, but it is not as likely as say a House Sparrow or European Starling. So enjoy both if you can.
In this case martins are ariel insectivores and spend the vast majority of their time high in the air feeding, or perched high off the ground. Most wrens forage along the ground or in the bases of trees. Most wrens never fly as high as martins fly low, with the exception of water skimming of course.
Another difference can be found in the openness of the habitat wrens and martins are found in. Wrens are often associated with thick underbrush or ground cover. You may even see them scampering around in your potted plants. Martins on the otherhand like the openness that allow for that feeding strategy that they have perfected.
Again, I won't tell you that the wren won't find your martin house, or even explore it, but it is not as likely as say a House Sparrow or European Starling. So enjoy both if you can.
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Guest
Thanks to you who have written in concerning Wrens and Purple Martins. My mind is set at ease.
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Guest
djeich,
Last year I believe I had a wren ruin the nesting of an SY pair that nested in a Big Bo gourd. Unfortunately, I was out of town for a week so I don't know for sure what happened. The SY pair had 3 eggs and had been sitting for a little over a week when I left town. I had seen the wren flying over to the gourd rack and had even seen the wren go inside some of the gourds but I didn't realize there was any danger to this.
When I returned, all 3 eggs had disappeared and the SY pair was no longer nesting. This was in June. The egg shells were not on the ground under the rack and no other nest was bothered. The SY male did visit many times after this and I think the female did as well but she is harder to pick out individually. Did the House Wren do this? After checking into this I suspect the Wren is responsible. It could also have been another SY male. I wasn't there so I must speculate.
I just wanted you to know there can be potential for problems.
Last year I believe I had a wren ruin the nesting of an SY pair that nested in a Big Bo gourd. Unfortunately, I was out of town for a week so I don't know for sure what happened. The SY pair had 3 eggs and had been sitting for a little over a week when I left town. I had seen the wren flying over to the gourd rack and had even seen the wren go inside some of the gourds but I didn't realize there was any danger to this.
When I returned, all 3 eggs had disappeared and the SY pair was no longer nesting. This was in June. The egg shells were not on the ground under the rack and no other nest was bothered. The SY male did visit many times after this and I think the female did as well but she is harder to pick out individually. Did the House Wren do this? After checking into this I suspect the Wren is responsible. It could also have been another SY male. I wasn't there so I must speculate.
I just wanted you to know there can be potential for problems.
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Joe Zorn
I wonder what kind of predator invades the nest and takes the egg, shell and all. And then only one nest site. A snake?
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Joe Zorn
I wonder what kind of predator invades the nest and takes the egg, shell and all? And then only one nest site. A snake?
Possibly the babes had hatched, and mama carried the shells away before the invasion.
Possibly the babes had hatched, and mama carried the shells away before the invasion.
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Guest
No and no. No snakes seen (my wife was at home and the nest with live baibies were not disturbed). Also, I had snake netting and a predator guard in place on this pole. I also knew the exact date all 3 eggs were laid and they weren't ready to hatch.Joe Zorn wrote:I wonder what kind of predator invades the nest and takes the egg, shell and all? And then only one nest site. A snake?
Possibly the babes had hatched, and mama carried the shells away before the invasion.
Mama is probably more likely to eat the shells than carry them away.