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Wren and Hawks
Name: Diane D.
Status: educator
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999-2001
Question:
We have enjoyed house wrens in our area ( southern
Michigan ) for year. They always come back the first week in May. We
know they are here when we hear their distinctive song and watch them
putting sticks in the ren houses in our yard. This year we have not seen
or heard them and are wondering why. The only change that we have
noticed is a pair of Coper's hawks nesting in the woods behind us. We
know they kill birds but would the wrens somehow sense that they are in
the area? We alsohave had Carolina wrens in this area for the past 5
years. We saw them at our feeder all winter and suddenly about the first
of March they were gne. They have a loud song so I would know if they
were still around. What do you think happened? Thank you for taking my
question.
Replies:
Hi,
Several things are of interest that pertain to your question. First of
all, for South Michigan, you probably are a bit too early to determine that
you do not have wrens about. The male builds a number of homes for the
female to chose from and right now (Mid-May), this process is taking
place. The home may be somewhere else this year. Make your evaluation
around June 1st. However, in my experience, the wrens return to successful
nests, if they survived the winter! or migration.
I am not concerned about the hawks, even if Cooper's are bird
predators. Wrens are small and fast in flight. They are also very
"fluttery" in their movements. Hawks do not have a chance with healthy
wrens for wrens can easily out manoeuvre a hawk. I'm sure that
occasionally they get lucky. Who is to say that the presence of the hawks
is influencing the nesting, but I can not imagine that this is the reason
that you do not hear them. Until we can communicate with wrens, the rest
is speculation.
Steve Sample
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Update: June 2012
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