365 Urban Species. #345: Carolina Wren

[urbpan]

Photos by cottonmanifesto. Location: Olmsted Park.

Urban species #345: Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

It wasn't until the late 1800's that someone noticed Carolina wrens nesting in New England. Now they're found in southern New England year round, picking through the leaf litter in the shrubby understory of the forests, and in wooded city parks. The Boston area in winter can be a hard place for an animal like the Carolina wren to eat all the insects it needs to survive. Other invertebrate-eating birds like the American robin thrive in northern cities, because of the ornamental trees and shrubs provide copious fruit in winter. The Carolina wren eats vastly more animal than plant food, and so must find larvae, pupae, and sluggish adult insects under the leaves in the bushes, and on the bark of trees. Severe winters push this bird south, so its range fluctuates. Future warming may expand the range of North America's most common wren further north still.

Comments

[zipotle.livejournal.com]

I know you're looking for more stuff to put on here-I can get pics of Yucca if you like. It's all OVER the place here.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

My rule is that either cottonmanifesto or I have to have taken the picture for it to count. I'm not sure why I made that rule, but it seems silly to break it now. Feel free to post them, though, either in my comments or in urban_nature.

[sebastian-tombs.livejournal.com]

What wonderful pictures! I have spent quite a bit of time looking for these wonderful birds, and have had nowhere near such a good look. I spent a good chunk of a day at Corkscrew Swamp in Florida being taunted by Carolina Wrens, gently serenading me while hiding out of sight!

[(Anonymous)]

I occasionally get rewarded with a glimpse of one of these little guys as they go for the grubs under the bark of all the wood in my wood-piles. Sometimes creepers, more often these wrens. They have to be one of the more delicate-looking and fascinating birds that I ever see.
There is something loveable about them, more so than most birds.

Dwight

[by-steph.livejournal.com]

I like the strategically placed twig for modesty.

[mysticchyna.livejournal.com]

wow, that's a very pretty bird. wonder if they hang out in maryland too.