42 Nebraskaland • May 2025
he northern house wren
(Troglodytes aedon) presents
remarkable gusto in a small
package.
The tiny, energetic bird, with its
inconspicuous brownish-gray plumage,
is the most common of at least nine
wren species observed in Nebraska. It
quickly fl its among dense vegetation as
it feeds on small invertebrates such as
millipedes, spiders and snails. It's often
heard before seen, making its loud,
chattering, exuberant call that seems
impressive for such a small animal to
make. It's a lot of music coming from a
bird weighing about half an ounce and
measuring just 5 inches long.
House wrens have an expansive
breeding range, spanning across
the northern United States and into
Canada at locations from sea level to
elevations of 10,000 feet. After the
wrens spend winter in the southern
United States and Mexico, nesting
season occurs from late April through
July. Females usually produce one or
two broods, but sometimes produce
as many as four, as one Scottsbluff
birdwatcher observed.
The male of the species is especially
busy early in nesting season when he's
trying to impress the female with his
ability to choose and develop prime real
estate. The wren is an opportunistic
cavity nester that uses old woodpecker
holes, fabricated boxes and about any
other hole they can fi nd. At multiple
locations, the male wren collects and
piles twigs in the cavities, topped with
a soft bed of grass or other small fi bers.
If he does a suitable job, the female
chooses one of the sites for laying eggs
and raising young with him.
In fi nding locations, wrens often
T h e
B o i s t e r o u s ,
B u s y H o u s e
Wr e n
Story and photos by Justin Haag
T
A house wren makes a brief stop along the Jim MacAllister Nature Trail at
Smith Falls State Park.
A N a t u r a l H i s t o r y w i t h
N e s t i n g H a b i t s
