Evening star., 1945-09-28
This and That
Bu Charles Z. Trdce,pell
"TAKOMA PARK, Md.

Dear Sir:
Il purchased q home in the suburbs
three years ago. and before I left the
city I bought two houses for wrens. I
first put them on the outside OF the
porch, but after waiting until this ye4r
and meeting with no success, decided to
place them in the inside, one at each
end Of the porch.
Well, along in June I noticed a wren
coming every few days and looking
things over, much to my delight The
holes in the boxes were quite small, and
although he would 60 in and look things
over he did not seem to like it,
Well, finally one day he started to
build nest. While was seated Just
beneath him he few down and lit on
my right leg AS had my feet on the
railing. Then he few to my left leg
and looked at me, and while singing new
away.
I was really happy but much to my
sorrow ne did not seem to stay around
all day. so I took the other birdhouse
down. and cut the hole larger, hoping
then that he would build in that house.
In few days noticed him taking
sticks in 1t. and he kept 1t up for several
days, but finally they left. coming back
only occasionally and then disappearing
altogether.
1T is quiet here. No cats around, and
I have q Paul Scarlet rose growing on
the porch with Heavenly Blue morning
glories, and to me 1t seems q perfect
place for wrens.
Il grew up in the country, and In our
old home we had 50 many birds, among
them wrens, robins, cardinals, mockings;
and one Baltimore oriole came every
year to build his nest on q moving limb
In the old cottonwood tree. -
Can you tell me what to do to entice
my wrens back next year7
Sincerely, J. P. W."
Our correspondents frst mistake was
in putting up two wren houses so close
together
The competition for food Is 80 great
that birds do not like to nest any closer
than they have to, for after the eggs
are Matched out the yawning mouths of
the babies demand food almost every
minute OF the day.
II there are two wren nests close to-
gether. or two nests of any birds, for
that matter, 1t means that in 4 given
time the parent birds must divide be-
tween them the food close at hand.
Since wrens have several babies, this
means that nests too close will force
the parents to scout far afield, and this
takes both time and energy.
We would advise therefore, that Just
one wren house be placed In the porch.
and this preferably just under the roof
on pillar.
1t is not good to put such house over
on the house wall, or near the wall,
although wrens will nest almost any
place, if left undisturbed.
They have been known to select the
sleeve OF coat left out to air.
Our correspondent uses the word he"
Jenny wren does all the real nest build
ing, but before she arrives, the male
often selects small sticks and pokes
them in a nesting site.
When Jenny heaves In from the
South, she usually tears out all the
sticks he has put in, and selects ones to
suit herself.
Often she chooses another site al
together. AT times it seems as if moth
ing the father wren does suits his wife.
She Is the mean one of the pair, and
often pecks the eggs of a rival, or even
Kills another wren's babies.
Wren houses are preferably dark COL
ored, either brown or green. White
houses are not good.
Wrens have q habit of becoming yery
cautious. once the eggs are laid. and for
days at . time will visit the nest 30
rarely that the watcher thinks thev
have deserted 1t. For this reason they
should not be subjected to too much
nor too close scrutiny. The entrance
hole OF the wren house is best made
seven -eighths OF an inch in diameter,
certainly not over an inch wide.
There Is little one can do to attract
these songsters, except to put up wren
houses, but care must always be taken
to place these as far apart as possible
There should not be more than two
such houses on an average lot Of 50 by
$50 feet.