Yesterday afternoon, I heard the buzzy call and liquid song of a house wren, the first I have encountered this spring. Though named for its use of man-made structures as nest sites, this tiny songbird may be found in a wide variety of habitats throughout the U.S. and Southern Canada; most winter in the southern States or in Mexico. House wrens are permanent residents throughout South America.
Males arrive first in spring and begin to establish several nests; as in human society, the female will select which site to use. Insects and other small invertebrates are their primary food source, gleaned from bark or vegetation as they busily move about their territory; brush piles are favored hunting grounds and may be used for nesting as well.
Just the latest sign that winter has lost its grip on the Midwest, our new tenant (and his prospective bride) are more than welcome to stay for the summer. Their energy is infectious, a fair reimbursement when heat and humidity immobilize their landlords.
