Wrens are tiny birds with big personalities. Though their loud trilling calls are familiar sounds in many parts of the world, these shy birds often try to stay out of sight of humans. Part of how they do this is by choosing safe, sheltered places to roost. What are some of these places? Where do wrens sleep at night? Do they sleep in the same spot every night? What do they do during rain and periods of cold weather? Keep reading! In this article, we’ll answer all of these questions and more!
What You'll Learn Today
Do Wrens Roost at Night?
Wrens are known for roosting wherever they can find a safe, sheltered spot. They are diurnal birds, which means they are active during the day and they sleep at night.
It is far more common to hear wrens than to see them, as they are small birds that tend to stick to more sheltered areas; though if you have a birdfeeder you might see them visiting it from time to time. When roosting, wrens often reach their overnight posts after dusk and leave before dawn.
Wrens roost in a variety of different spots that can vary based on the weather, nearby food sources, and predators. Throughout this article, we’ll discuss some of these various roosting spots.
Do Wrens Sleep in Their Nest?
Many wrens do sleep in their nest. Of course, they will sleep in the nest during nesting season, when they are incubating eggs, but they may return to the nest outside of nesting season for purely practical reasons as well.
Wrens build nests in many different spots: under awnings, in barns, in the pockets of farm clothing, under potted plants. Some will also build nests in nesting boxes and sheltered parts of trees and shrubs.
They choose these nesting locations based on how much shelter they provide, and they often return to the same nest year after year. The nests are generally warm, safe, and hidden from view, so they make excellent roosting spots even long after nesting season has ended.
Check out this detailed video to learn more about the Carolina wren’s nesting habits.
Do Wrens Sleep in the Same Place Every Night?
As mentioned above, wrens tend to roost in lots of different places. Sometimes they will return to the same roosting spots night after night; other times, they will move on to new spots.
Where a wren decides to roost can depend on where it happens to be when the sun sets. These birds typically stick to the same small territories (though some are migratory), but they may have several preferred roosting spots throughout that territory so they don’t have far to go when it’s time to bed down for the night.
They may also sleep in different places when they are searching for new roosting spots or scouting out new nesting territories. If a previous spot has proven to be unsafe or is no longer an option, the wren will have to find a new and better place to sleep.
Some of the places wrens may decide to sleep include crooks and hollows of trees, thick shrubbery, sheltered corners of porches and barns, old abandoned cars, mailboxes, and nests of other birds, squirrels, and even hornets.
Where Do Wrens Sleep When it Rains?
Wrens need a safe, dry place to take shelter when rain and thunderstorms hit. Luckily, they are good at choosing sheltered locations.
When it rains, wrens will sleep in many of the same places they sleep when the weather is clear. Nests and nesting boxes often make ideal spots to escape the rain because they are some of the most sheltered locations a wren may have in their territory.
They may also take shelter from the weather under the eaves of porches and roofs, inside garages and barns, under cars, and in any other spot that keeps them warm and dry during the storm.
Where Do Wrens Roost in the Winter?
Winter is the hardest time of the year for wrens. Many of them migrate to warmer locations, but many attempt to stay in their native habitats and survive the cold and snowy months.
A large part of this survival depends on getting enough food to help keep them warm, but having adequate shelter is also extremely important.
Wrens seem to prefer sleeping in their nests or the abandoned nests of other birds and animals during the winter. These nests provide extra warmth and can help the little birds survive even the harshest of conditions.
On milder winter nights, they may sleep in a variety of other places as well. They will puff up their feathers, often completely covering their head and wings, to provide an extra insulating layer against the cold.
Though wrens tend to be solitary and territorial, they sometimes flock together in small groups during the winter. They will press close together in nesting boxes or other roosting locations, using each other’s body heat to help keep the entire group safe and warm.
Conclusion
Wrens are resourceful little birds who will sleep just about anywhere. They may sleep in different spots depending on the weather, the season, and what’s available to them.
Wrens tend to pick a wide variety of sheltered spots for sleeping. Some of these spots include their nests and the nests of other birds, in hollows of trees, in abandoned cars, in sheltered corners of barns and porches, and even in garages and under awnings.
Informative & concise info, thanks.
Thank you for this good info.
This article answered my questions. I have a wren that comes to roost in the upper corner of my porch. At first I thought it was injured or sick but, now I realize it was just “pulling the blanket” of it’s feathers over itself. It comes every night and has become used to my presence so, doesn’t seem to think it’s necessary to take flight any more. I just don’t bother it or just ignore it. Thank you to the author!
Thanks for the info. I was curious where wrens sleep because I see them on my deck near the covered barbecue and the covered patio furniture-
I also have feeders out that they frequent. Peanuts and peanut butter seem to be the their favorite
Mealworms are also a delicacy for wrens.
There are two wrens that roost in an old phoebe nest on top of a ceiling fan on my back porch. They usually go to bed about an hour before dark, one is still fairly wild and flies when he sees me but the other ones just raises up to look. The nest is deep and lined with moss and goat hair so they have a warm winter roosting spot.
I did not know that 4 little wrens were huddled together sleeping in the upper corner of my front porch portico; therefore when I opened my front door two of them got scared and flew off in the dark onto a nearby tree. Will they come back to where they were sleeping with the other wrens? Can they see to fly at night?
Watched 6 or 7 winter wrens go into what I think was a 3″vent pipe coming out of the side wall of their rental apartment at last light of the day. Temp was close to zero. Juneau. Alaska.