Open Wide
by Don Wolf
Title
Open Wide
Artist
Don Wolf
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This article is about the bird family. For other uses of the word wren, see Wren (disambiguation).
Wrens
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Passeri
Superfamily: Certhioidea
Family: Troglodytidae
Swainson, 1832
Genera
Some 20, see text
The wrens are mostly small, brownish passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera. Only the Eurasian Wren occurs in the Old World, where in Anglophone regions it is commonly known simply as the "wren" as it is the originator of the name. The name wren has been applied to other unrelated birds, particularly the New Zealand wrens (Acanthisittidae) and the Australian wrens (Maluridae).
Most wrens are small and rather inconspicuous, except for their loud and often complex songs. Notable exceptions are the relatively large members of the genus Campylorhynchus, which can be quite bold in their behavior. Wrens have short wings that are barred in most species, and they often hold their tails upright. As far as known, wrens are primarily insectivorous, eating insects, spiders and other small arthropods, but many species also eat vegetable matter and some will take small frogs/lizards.
My father made several hundred wren boxes as he loved the melodious music that they produce. They are very territorial and chase away all competitors. They produce two clutches in a summer and then head south for the wintere. My father used a twenty-five cent piece as a template for the entrance of the bird house. However if it is too small, they will enlarge it. It has to be small enough to keep the sparrows out.
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July 28th, 2012
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