70birds
That Nest in Birdhouses70birds
That Nest in BirdhousesFeeding birds will not attract birds to nest and raise a family in a bird house.
Nesting, egg laying birds need seclusion and are unlikely to nest in a bird house near throngs of birds flocking to bird feeders.
See each species page for habits, geographic ranges and optimum locations and placement.
Put the right nest boxes in the right place.
Keep nest boxes clean.
Protect birds from pests and predators.
More than 70 North American bird species live in nest boxes or on platforms.
See which birds live near you. Learn about those birds and how to make birdhouses for them.
Carolina Wren
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Troglodytidae
Genus: Thryothorus
Species: ludovicianus
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. trogle hole or hollow
Gr. dutes burrower
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. troglodutes cave dweller
Gr. thruon a reed
Gr. thouros leaping
La. ludovicius Louis
La. anus belonging to
La. ludovicianus for the Louisiana Territory named for Louis XIV
Largest wren, just a little larger than the house wren, five to six inches long, about four inches upright.
Brownish upper, darker finely barred wings and tail. Cream-buff under side and whiter throat. Thin white streak from the beak, over the eye, to the back of the head. Thin, slightly downward curved beak. Typical hunkered down wren stance with upright tail when alerted.
Carolina wrens inhabit woodlands, groves, farms and small towns from the southeastern corner of South Dakota, throughout the lower Great Lakes to parts of Maine and from the southern tip of Texas and northeastern Mexico to southern Florida.
A variety of Carolina chickadee songs thought to have been imitations gave them the mocking wren nickname. They are one of the few bird species that sing at night.
Carolina wrens are curious, nervous and almost too quick to notice. They investigate every nook and cranny in foliage, fallen timber and rock mounds in search of insects, seeds and berries.
They nest anywhere about houses and sheds, sometimes on beams, in crevices and in bird houses.
They build bulky nests of leaves, grass and feathers lined with finer grasses and hair often in shady ravines, wooded and rocky banks of streams, in log piles, brush heaps, natural or abandoned tree cavities.
Carolina wrens are devoted to their mates.
Females lay around three to six speckled white or pinkish eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
The Carolina Wren Birdhouse has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 8″ inside ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof secured with shutter hooks.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount or hang from tree limbs at chest level or higher if necessary in secluded locations with partial sun and shade in the vicinity of thick underbrush.
Male wrens will build several nests for the female to choose from so hanging several nest boxes may make an area more attractive.
Carolina wrens will also nest on platforms.
Other wrens, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and sparrows may use this box.
US Quarter with the South Carolina State Bird, Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Troglodytidae
Genus: Thryothorus
Species: ludovicianus
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. trogle hole or hollow
Gr. dutes burrower
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. troglodutes cave dweller
Gr. thruon a reed
Gr. thouros leaping
La. ludovicius Louis
La. anus belonging to
La. ludovicianus for the Louisiana Territory named for Louis XIV
Largest wren, just a little larger than the house wren, five to six inches long, about four inches upright. Brownish upper, darker finely barred wings and tail. Cream-buff under side and whiter throat. Thin white streak from the beak, over the eye, to the back of the head. Thin, slightly downward curved beak. Typical hunkered down wren stance with upright tail when alerted.
Carolina wrens inhabit woodlands, groves, farms and small towns from the southeastern corner of South Dakota, throughout the lower Great Lakes to parts of Maine and from the southern tip of Texas and northeastern Mexico to southern Florida.
A variety of Carolina chickadee songs thought to have been imitations gave them the mocking wren nickname. They are one of the few bird species that sing at night.
Carolina wrens are curious, nervous and almost too quick to notice. They investigate every nook and cranny in foliage, fallen timber and rock mounds in search of insects, seeds and berries.
They nest anywhere about houses and sheds, sometimes on beams, in crevices and in bird houses.
They build bulky nests of leaves, grass and feathers lined with finer grasses and hair often in shady ravines, wooded and rocky banks of streams, in log piles, brush heaps, natural or abandoned tree cavities.
Carolina wrens are devoted to their mates.
Females lay around three to six speckled white or pinkish eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
The Carolina Wren Birdhouse has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 8″ inside ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof secured with shutter hooks.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount or hang from tree limbs at chest level or higher if necessary in secluded locations with partial sun and shade in the vicinity of thick underbrush.
Male wrens will build several nests for the female to choose from so hanging several nest boxes may make an area more attractive.
Carolina wrens will also nest on platforms.
Other wrens, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and sparrows may use this box.
US Quarter with the South Carolina State Bird, Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Troglodytidae
Genus: Thryothorus
Species: ludovicianus
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
Gr. trogle hole or hollow
Gr. dutes burrower
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. troglodutes cave dweller
Gr. thruon a reed
Gr. thouros leaping
La. ludovicius Louis
La. anus belonging to
La. ludovicianus for the Louisiana Territory named for Louis XIV
Carolina wrens are the largest of the North American wrens, just a little larger than the house wren, five to six inches long, about four inches upright. Brownish upper, darker finely barred wings and tail. Cream-buff under side and whiter throat. Thin white streak from the beak, over the eye, to the back of the head. Thin, slightly downward curved beak. Typical hunkered down wren stance with upright tail when alerted.
Carolina wrens inhabit woodlands, groves, farms and small towns from the southeastern corner of South Dakota, throughout the lower Great Lakes to parts of Maine and from the southern tip of Texas and northeastern Mexico to southern Florida.
A variety of Carolina chickadee songs thought to have been imitations gave them the mocking wren nickname. They are one of the few bird species that sing at night.
Carolina wrens are curious, nervous and almost too quick to notice. They investigate every nook and cranny in foliage, fallen timber and rock mounds in search of insects, seeds and berries.
They nest anywhere about houses and sheds, sometimes on beams, in crevices and in bird houses.
They build bulky nests of leaves, grass and feathers lined with finer grasses and hair often in shady ravines, wooded and rocky banks of streams, in log piles, brush heaps, natural or abandoned tree cavities.
Carolina wrens are devoted to their mates.
Females lay around three to six speckled white or pinkish eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another two weeks.
Carolina Wren Birdhouse
Carolina Wren Birdhouse Plans
The Carolina Wren Birdhouse has a 4″ by 4″ floor, 8″ inside ceiling, 1 1/2″ diameter entrance hole located 6″ above the floor, ventilation openings and hinged roof secured with shutter hooks.
Assemble with corrosion resistant screws fit to pre-drilled countersunk pilot holes.
Mount or hang from tree limbs at chest level or higher if necessary in secluded locations with partial sun and shade in the vicinity of thick underbrush.
Male wrens will build several nests for the female to choose from so hanging several nest boxes may make an area more attractive.
Carolina wrens will also nest on platforms.
Other wrens, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and sparrows may use this box.
US Quarter with the South Carolina State Bird, Carolina Wren
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home