Carolina wrens do not look like they belong in a Midwest winter. This small, rust-colored bird with a prominant white brow stripe and thin, down-curved bill, is reminiscent of those insect hunters that fill our backyards during the warmer months. And, indeed, this active, noisy resident does feed on insects, continuing to search the leaf litter for their eggs and pupae throughout the winter.
But Carolina wrens also consume seed and, like the much larger blue jays, tend to dominate feeding stations at times. Whether digging through the feeder or scavenging the ground, they show an aggressive flare, easily spooking the skittish sparrows as they move about with their thin, sharp bills. And their clear, loud song, delivered throughout the year, seems to send the message that they are not intimidated by anything, let alone the cold, snowy weather.
