Search This Blog

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Carolina Wren


This morning the first bird sound that greeted us was a Carolina Wren singing and giving many calls. For a moment we thought we were in the South, for that is where we hear so many Carolina Wrens. Bird sound can be so evocative of time and place. But this is New Hampshire and a Carolina Wren is not a common bird here. The wren was loud and busy, hopping all over the garden, on the deck and in the shrubs. It investigated a hummingbird feeder, scolded a lot, then got the House Wren scolding too and a Red-eyed Vireo chimed in from the woodland edge. So there was much commotion and it was very entertaining. We sat, drank coffee, and watched the show.

From these photos you can see this bird looked a little ratty, that's because it's in molt. All birds molt at least once a year, usually in fall. After birds have bred and gotten their young independent, they then change their feathers. In fall you can see many molting birds who look like they are missing some feathers, or who have ragged looking feathers. Look for this now in your yard and appreciate the fact these birds may only get one set of clothes for the year!

3 comments:

Kat said...

Our Blue Birds have entertained me this moring from my office window. They also appear to be molting. We too have lots of Carolina Wrens.

Joy K. said...

One of my favorite birds, with more decibels per gram than anything else with feathers.

I recall having a cup of tea out on the deck, not realizing a Carolina wren was sitting behind me, until it opened its mouth and screamed. Tea was spilled that day.

Lillian Stokes said...

Joy, that is particularly funny, since some say it's song sounds like "tea kettle, tea kettle, tea kettle."