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Carolina Wren

Carolina Wrens are resident birds in Florida and seem to be almost everywhere. They feed extensively on insects and spiders on or near the ground – and sometimes even in homes and sheds left with open windows or doors. These small birds will even nest indoors – building their nest of small twigs and bits of debris in space between items stored on a shelf – or even in an empty, topless container. Garages are notorious places for spiders and having a pair of Carolina Wrens nest in your garage helps reduce the spider population. These are birds that usually stay within a few feet of the ground and if you can leave your garage door just a few inches open, these wrens will find a way in and out.

Only the female Carolina Wren is known to incubate the usual 4-5 eggs, but the male visits her often and will bring food to her and to the young. A pair of Carolina Wrens stays together through the year and may have 2-3 broods in a year. The sexes are similar in appearance: both have a dark rusty brown back, a paler light tan breast and belly, and a white streak over each eye that extends well beyond the eyes. Their short tail is often cocked upwards. Sexes of Carolina Wrens are very similar, but males are often a bit larger with a longer bill.