Would Carolina wren go in bluebirds nest box?

[NickNackHummer]

My bluebirds have been building their second nest for at least ten days. She hasn’t laid an egg though. The babies from the previous clutch are hanging out with them and going to the mealworm feeder and bird bath. The male and female are in and out of the nest box all the time. They are there today.

About an hour ago I saw a bird in the nest box removing nesting material. I watched for a minute to be sure what I was seeing and saw a wren fly out. I ran out on my porch to see if I could find it and saw a Carolina Wren (my favorite bird) fly into the mealworm feeder. Then it went to the nest box and sat on top of it singing for a while. The bluebirds weren’t anywhere around.

I sat on my porch for a while, and the Carolina wren flew away. In a few minutes the male bluebird came back and sat on top of the nest box for a while.

I am positive this is a Carolina wren that I saw on top of the bluebird nest box though. They are here year round, and I love them.

I am so surprised a Carolina wren would remove nesting material from a bluebird nest. Is this common? Will it prevent the female bluebird from laying eggs and having a successful 2nd nesting? Would a CAWR destroy their eggs? I’ve never heard of this happening.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by NickNackHummer.

Carol
East Tennessee

[tamsea]

Carol, I don’t have Carolina Wrens here but in my opinion that’s unusual and even rare but possible. They aren’t aggressive birds but if the CAWR builds a nest and lays eggs, it might protect that box. And that would chase your bluebirds away. Interested in what others say.

Tammy

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

I do not have Carolina wrens in my area I don’t believe. Sorry, can’t help. Just read in my Missouri “Birds of Missouri” field guide that they are in Missouri but they like woodland or brushy yards, which I don’t have and Bluebirds do not like.

[NickNackHummer]

Thank you Tammy and Carol. Carolina wrens are here year round. I really love them. As I said, they’re my favorite bird. They come to my mealworm feeder and my other feeders, and I love their song. They’ve never nested in one of my boxes.

I haven’t seen the CAWR since that happened with the bluebird’s nest this afternoon. I’ve seen the male bluebird on top of the box since then but not the female. I definitely don’t want the CAWR to keep the bluebirds from nesting this time though. If it picked the nest box first, I’d be fine with that, but not to kick out the bluebirds.

I’ve tried to find information about this, but I can’t find anything at all about a Carolina wren doing this, just a HOWR.

Carol
East Tennessee

[Skyonitsback]

Since a house wren is a common threat to bluebirds (second only to house sparrows) is it such a stretch that a Carolina wren would be as well? I just googled them and they look about the same. House wrens can destroy bb eggs and definitely compete for the nest boxes.

[NickNackHummer]

Skyonitsback, yes, it’s definitely a stretch to think a CAWR would be a threat to bluebirds. They are a wonderful bird that co-exist well with bluebirds. They share the seed cylinders, mealworms and bird bath year round. They’re a great bird. I’ve never read or heard a bad thing about CAWRs. I’ve had them at my feeders for over 20 years. I was completely stunned to see it in the nest box today. They do use nest boxes occasionally, but not that often.

If you saw one in person, they’re really beautiful birds. They have a very distinctive line over their eye and don’t look ike HOWRs. Their song is beautiful, too.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by NickNackHummer.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by NickNackHummer.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by NickNackHummer.

Carol
East Tennessee

[Julie]

TN Carol, I actually looked this up in March this year b/c a CAWR had built a nest in a window box on our shed. I panicked at first thinking oh, no, potential problem! From what I read, they are not a threat to bluebirds like the HOWR. They are more peaceful and coexist with bluebirds according to everything I researched, and I dug pretty deeply. They tend to nest absolutely anywhere—in a flower pot, old tennis shoe, porch light, propane tank cover, etc. The nest we saw was built in the grasses in the windowbox and had a roof and a porch. That’s how they build.

So I’m not sure what was happening there with the box visit. You could probably distract them by hanging up a flower pot.

I would say to watch the bluebirds and see if their behavior is on track for nesting. If the CAWR doesn’t bother them, if they’re not chasing it off, then I wouldn’t worry. Our blues this year are pretty aggressive, and they chase off any bird they don’t want around, but ignore the tree swallows (now), song sparrows, house finches. The song sparrows and finches sit on the bluebird box often, esp if they see a potential threat nearby (usually me!). It’s like a community effort to protect those eggs!

[NickNackHummer]

Thanks for your input Julie. The bluebirds and CAWRs have always coexisted peacefully here, too. That’s why I was so surprised by what I saw yesterday afternoon. I know they rarely build in nest boxes. I don’t have any hanging plants, but maybe I should buy one. I may go out and do that today. Thank you for the suggestion.

I haven’t seen the CAWR today but see them all the time.

The bluebirds are here today at their nest box, bird bath and mealworm feeder. I’ve seen the female go in the nest box. I haven’t checked for an egg today, but there wasn’t one yesterday. I’ll check this afternoon. It seems like it’s taking a long time, but maybe not. The first time I actually saw her taking nesting material in was on the 19th (today is the 28th).

Carol
East Tennessee

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