On these cool, late autumn days, when most birds have ceased singing and a hush has fallen over the landscape, the Carolina wren still enlivens our neighborhoods with vibrant, full-throated song.
During spring and summer, the little wren may be outperformed by more vocally diverse songsters such as warblers, mockingbirds, thrushes and orioles. But in winter, the Carolina wren reigns as the diva of songbirds.
While some of our other common wintertime songbirds, most notably white throated sparrows and northern cardinals, also sing occasionally during the cold months, it is the Carolina wren that sings most often and most energetically.
These irrepressible little birds, in fact, apparently don’t know the difference between summer and winter — or between day and night. They may be heard at any time of day, rain or shine, cloudy or clear.
Their loud, repetitious song most often sounds something like tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle tea, a joyful sound on a winter morning. In between singing, there may be numerous other notes, buzzes and chips.
No one knows why Carolina wrens sing year round. After the summer nesting season, singing pretty much stops for most songbirds until spring returns. The primary reason for singing is to attract mates and defend territory, but during winter there is little or no mating taking place and thus little need to sing.
But not for the Carolina wren, a rusty brown bird marked by a prominent white “eyebrow,” slightly decurved bill and upright tail. It is one of Georgia’s most common backyard birds, found throughout the state. It is also South Carolina’s state bird.
Carolina wrens are monogamous; breeding pairs may stay together for years. Pairs work together to build nests, which may be found almost anywhere.
Although the wrens sing during winter, they are sensitive to very cold weather. Many may not survive a severe cold snap. They are primarily insect eaters, but during the winter they will visit feeders with suet, peanuts and peanut butter/seed mixes. Locating the feeders near a brush pile increases chances of attracting the little birds.
In the sky: The Leonid Meteor Shower reaches a peak this weekend of about 15 meteors per hour. Look to the east from about 2 a.m. until dawn, said David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer.
The moon will be first quarter on Tuesday. Venus rises out of the east about two hours before dawn. Mars is low in the southwest just after dark and sets in the west a few hours later. Jupiter rises out of the east a few hours after dark. Saturn rises out of the east just before dawn. Mercury is not easily seen right now.
