What do wrens and their nests look like, when do wrens breed and what does the wren do in winter? We answer all the questions in our profile on the wren.
The wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), popularly known as the fence slipper, mouse king or snow king, is - after the firecrest and goldcrest - the third smallest bird in Europe. With its usually upright tail and the penetrating song, it is still an imposing little fellow, as its noble name already suggests. The term "king" comes from an Aesop's fable (600 BC), according to which the birds wanted to choose a king and crown the one who could fly the highest. The wren then is said to have hidden himself in the eagle's plumage and, when the latter was at the end of his strength, stretched his own wings and surpassed the eagle in height. Although the wren was labeled an impostor and imprisoned in a mouse hole at the end of the story, he retained his stately name. You can find out more interesting features and special features of the wren in our profile below.
Wren: Wanted Poster
| Size | About 9 - 10 cm |
| Weight | About 10g |
| Incubation | April - July |
| Lifetime | Average 4 years |
| Habitat | Undergrowth of forests, parks and gardens |
| Food Preference | Ground-dwelling insects, beetles and spiders |
| Threats | Declining food and habitat |
How to recognize the wren
The wren's back and elytra are rust-red in color and clearly banded. The underside is a little lighter and more inconspicuous brownish in color. Its face is characterized by a pointed, dark beak and a light-colored eye stripe. The wren's most distinctive feature is its tail, which is usually erected straight up.
What does the wren's song sound like?
The wren's song begins with a succession of bright, clear tones and then descends into a series of trilling and blaring stanzas. For his stature, the wren has a very loud bird's voice and especially the typical trilling verses resound loudly through the forest.
You can find out what the song of the wren sounds like in this audio recording:
Also characteristic are his warning calls, which can be heard like a metallic "tug" from the undergrowth.
How do you recognize the young birds?
Young wrens already look exactly like their parents. They can therefore be identified very early on by the banded wings, the rusty brown color and the light stripe above the eyes.
How do you recognize wren eggs?
The wren egg measures about 1.6 x 1.2 centimeters and has a whitish basic color with fine red speckles. Females lay about five to seven eggs in a nest made mostly of moss lined with feathers and hair.
Where do they build their nest?
The wren builds a fairly deep, well-hidden nest. Ideal building sites for this are undergrowth and bushes, but wall cracks and building openings are also used. The nest itself is constructed of moist moss and shaped like a sphere with a side entrance. The shape is consolidated as the moss dries, but occasionally the nest is reinforced with small branches or roots.
When do wrens breed?
Wrens begin their first brood in April. The female lays one egg each day just after sunrise until the clutch is complete. The subsequent incubation period lasts 14 to 18 days. During this time, the female has to fend for herself with food and even after the young birds have hatched, the male wrens do not particularly participate in the feeding, as they often mate with several females per season. The boys are born naked and blind, which distinguishes them as so-called nest stools. They depend on their mother's care for over 14 days before they fledge and leave the nest. And even then they usually stay together in small groups and continue to be supplied with food, although the females are already taking care of their second clutch.
Likedo male and female wrens differ?
In the case of the wren, females and males hardly differ in terms of external characteristics. Studies have found that males, on average, have longer wings than females, but this distinction is not helpful to the casual observer. However, if you observe a wren building a nest, you can almost certainly conclude that it is a male. This builds several nests, from which the female can then choose the best.
Which habitat do wrens prefer?
Wrens prefer deciduous and mixed forests with plenty of undergrowth. But they can also be found in parks and gardens as long as there is plenty of dense vegetation near the ground - such as hedges, shrubs or brushwood.
Where do wrens spend the winter?
Even in winter, the wren does not give up its territory and therefore does not migrate south. On the other hand, he loudly defends his ground and soil, his singing can be heard throughout the winter - because of this characteristic, he was also known as the "Snow King" for a long time. Due to its small size, however, the wren is very sensitive to cold temperatures. That's why sleeping communities of up to 20 birds can be found in winter, which spend the night together in tree cavities or nesting boxes and thus defy the cold.
Support Wrens: How it works
Like almost all songbird species, wrens are struggling with the decline in their natural habitat - and with it their food supply. In order to be able to offer suitable alternatives in parks and gardens, the special requirements of the animals must be taken into account. You can find tips on correct feeding and suitable nesting aids for wrens here.
What do wrens eat?
Wrens mainly stay near the ground, looking for insects, bugs and spiders. They also feed their offspring with the protein-rich small animals. If you want to provide additional food for wrens, you should therefore use soft food such as oatmeal, bran, raisins or fruit. Our Plantura hay spread, for example, contains many of these ingredients and can easily be offered in a feed silo or bird feeder in the garden or on the balcony. With this you not only support the wren, but also many other wild bird species.
Tip: If you want to have better control over the components of your feed, you can follow our instructions to make your own bird feed and learn a lot at the same timeUseful information about the preferences of other bird species.
Which nest boxes are suitable for wrens?
Semi-hollow boxes are good for supporting wrens. These do not have a small entrance hole, but a larger opening that should have a height of 14 centimeters. In addition, you should place the nesting aids - according to the wren's preferences - at a maximum height of two meters and concealed in a hedge or behind bushes. The nesting boxes are not only used for breeding in spring, but also occasionally as sleeping caves in winter.
Tip: In our article "Build your own nest box" you will find out everything else you need to know about the construction, installation and maintenance of a nest box.
How can you support wrens?
In addition to offering artificial nesting aids, you can also create natural breeding grounds for the wren by providing enough undergrowth in the form of hedges or bird-friendly shrubs or simply leaving a pile of brushwood lying around. The food supply can also be increased - for example by creating a beneficial insect meadow. Our Plantura beneficial insect magnet offers you the opportunity to create a paradise for numerous small animals, many of which are on the wren's menu and which also enrich your garden in other ways.
In the summer, birds are also happy about a bird bath, which can also simply consist of a flat bowl. In this way you can get to know many other garden visitors, for example the nuthatch or the jay.