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NW Georgians..house wrens?

16 years ago

Much to my horror, the little brown demons arrived today. I checked my notes and I have never had them this early.

And I made a big mistake. I tried a wren guard when Mama was in the process of laying the eggs and she didn't want to accept it and I was not patient enough to get her to.

Therefore, I am NOW trying to get her to accept a wren guard and she's incubating 5 eggs. I've been trying all day to get her to go into the box. She finally did fly up and under the wren guard but wouldn't go in. daddy did the same but he didn't go in.

Anyway, there're here in Acworth. Darn it.

Linda...

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Comments (6)

craftylady6
16 years ago
what did you do? did you take it off? how long do you try before letting them back in the house? My momma didn't go in either... she got to the hole too, but didn't go in.

I'm not sure if I have them or not, but I "thought" I heard them.. I'm in southern Indiana..
lcmoore99
Original Author
16 years ago
I tried several things like I made a brand new wren guard out of light cardboard so it was so obvious. I made it so I could tape back the front flap so she could see the hole...it looks like an extension of the roof. She STILL wouldn't go in.

Daddy seemed a bit peeved with her. He'd go to the hole and move aside as if to make room for Mama to look in the hole with him there. There were lots of vocalizations between then.

Again, she would go TO the hole but would not go in. The temps here have dropped from the 80s to the 60s so I guess I'm stuck. If she doesn't keep those eggs warm, there could be problems.

I will be watching the video so I know when she goes out of the box. But I can't watch all day. Daddy Blue saw and chased the house wren several times so I guess we have to depend on him.

As far as whether you have them, do you have a field guide? They have maps in there where you can see the range of birds. If you don't have one, I'll look it up in mine.

Linda...
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Anita, I have a similar situation in that my bluebirds are back for a second brood. The house wrens didn't bother the box during nest building (and the box had been empty for about a month and there were no sticks). Mama laid her 1st egg this morning and this evening, a house wren took out that egg and smashed it at the base of the box. I think that now I'd say "the rule is that there are NO RULES!" I've had house wrens attack several eggs or several chicks, never just one egg. As far as putting up a wren guard, the problem you have is that the house wren has been in the box. And where there is one house wren, there are usually more near by. The reasoning behind the general rule of putting the wren guard on the box when the 1st egg is laid is that the female is less likely to abandon the nest if she can't figure out the wren guard. It's also hard to say whether your female is 'with egg' and I'd hate to see her not be able to get into the box to lay her 1st egg, if that makes any sense. You could wait till it's afternoon and the bluebird hasn't laid an egg and put it on. If she can't figure it out, I'd take it off till the afternoon of the next day, etc. Good luck, Linda in NW GA...
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craftylady6
16 years ago
Im in southwest indiana about 5 miles north of the ohio and about 30 miles west of the border of Il. I looked on the internet and it looked like they occupy just about everywhere! What do you have in your book?

Sandra
bandjzmom
16 years ago
Hi Linda, I am in NW GA, and I have never had House Wrens here. All we get is the Carolinas. I just have to battle the HOSP for the BB box. I affix a spooker once the first blue egg is laid.
fairychick
16 years ago
I live in Smyrna and have a Carolina Wren nesting on my deck. Are you positive the ones you have are House Wrens? Carolina's are adorable to watch.
lcmoore99
Original Author
16 years ago
I am POSITIVE they are House Wrens. They are smaller than Carolina Wrens (which I love), do NOT have the white eye stripes, and dart around rather than coming out in the open like the CAWR.

There's a video of a HOWR taking day old BB chicks out of my nest box several years ago. Believe me, I am positive.

So far Daddy Blue has kept the HOWR away. I don't know why I still hear them in my yard since there are no available boxes and they are constantly being hassled by Daddy blue.

Linda...

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