Carolina Wren

Description:

The Carolina Wren is a common species of wren, resident in the eastern half of the USA, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico. Typically 6–7 in, it is a fairly large wren; among the United States species. The head has a striking pure white eyebrow and a whitish throat. The Carolina Wren is noted for its loud song, popularly rendered as "teakettle-teakettle-teakettle". They eat insects, found in leaf litter or on tree trunks; they may also eat small lizards or tree frogs. In winter, they occasionally eat seeds, berries, and other small fruits.

Habitat:

These birds prefer sites with dense undergrowth, either in mixed forests or in wooded suburban settings, in a natural or artificial cavity, but can also be found at feeders.

Notes:

It is easiest to confuse with the Bewick's Wren, a fairly close relative, which differs in being smaller but with a longer tail, grayer-brown above and whiter below. The Carolina Wren is sensitive to cold weather. Since they do not migrate and stay in one territory the northern populations of Carolina wrens decrease markedly after severe winters. Because of this sensitivity to weather, gradually increasing temperatures over the last century may have been responsible for the northward range expansion seen in the mid-1900s.