Maybe not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about the little wren. One of the UK’s tiniest birds, its scientific name, Troglodytes troglodytes means "cave dweller" in Greek, as wrens are known for exploring holes and crevices whilst searching for food and they often roost in cavities.
The wren is the UK’s most numerous breeding bird but despite this, it is listed as Amber on the BTO’s Birds of Conservation Concern as, like many other species, it is susceptible to population change with challenges such as habitat loss and climate change.
It is estimated that 1 in 8 of UK breeding birds is a wren with around 11 million territories and it is common garden visitor. Wrens populations really suffer in severe weather and cold snaps so I was delighted when my regular visitor appeared in my garden yesterday, especially considering the recent snowfall and low temperatures we had seen, minus 8 being recorded on my garden thermometer on the coldest night. A video of this magic moment is below and shows it catching a juicy snack.
For its small size the wren has a loud song and is often the bird you will hear calling most on a woodland walk. Its melodious call truly is one of the quintessential sounds of an English woodland.
Although I’ve focused on the wren in today’s blog, it is just one of the frequent visitors to my garden. I regularly spot garden favourites such as great, blue and coal tits, robins and house sparrows. I have occasionally seen more infrequent garden visitors such as willow warbler, blackcap and whitethroat, although these appear to have been one-offs during severe weather. Attracting smaller birds to your garden can often attract larger predators such as the sparrowhawk which preys on smaller species, as its name would suggest and I have been lucky to have this beautiful bird visit my garden on a couple of occasions.
It’s important we feed our birds throughout the year, particularly during the winter months when food can be scarce. It also gives us the opportunity to enjoy watching the antics of many of our favourite species from the warmth of our homes. I spend many a happy moment leaning on my kitchen worktop looking out of the window in anticipation of who will visit my feeders that day.
With this in mind, the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, the world’s largest garden wildlife survey takes place between the 24-26 January. You need to sign up online for your guide and spend one hour watching the birds in your garden, between recording the birds that land. The results help build a picture of how garden birds are faring.
Watching the birds in your garden is great fun whether you are young or old, it’s great to get the kids involved too but I also find it good for my mental well being.
Please remember to regularly clean your feeders to stop the spread of disease and infection.
Happy spotting!
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