Carolina Wren

October 24, 2025

This past summer we had the delight of watching a pair of Carolina Wrens raise their family in a hanging Fuchsia basket right by our back deck gate. The nest was quite fascinating and thankfully built high above the top of the planter so I could keep the flower watered for the Hummingbirds without causing the nest or young any harm. (I was still very careful and only watered a little at a time. 

When we started hearing tiny cheeps and peeps from the hatched chicks the adults were coming up every few minutes with worms in their beaks. The one adult, we think was the male, would come up the railing along the steps, hopping and calling the whole way. At the same time he was wagging his head back and forth making the worm flop up and down, until he got to the top of the railing. Then he flew up towards the ceiling of the overhang and did a little high dive into the middle of the nest. The chicks erupted with their hungry peeping until he zipped out, and they became quiet again. The other adult, Mom, was quiet and secretive. She slipped into the nest from the opposite side, where only the young’s peeping gave away her presence as she brought in more food. 

The day I decided to bring out the big camera to see if I could catch any of the adorable behavior, one of the young had climbed its way up the plastic hangers of the flower basket and clung there precariously crying out for a parent. I was worried about it dropping onto the deck – which it did – right in the middle with our three dogs! One of the dogs trotted towards the chick (even though I was saying No!) and THANKFULLY the chick zipped out from underneath the deck railing and made its first flight to the chain link fence where it clung hollering even more for a parent. 

Dad was close by and landed on the fence next to the chick frantically calling it to follow him over to a nearby shed. He flew to the shed and back to the chick several times until the chick finally flew and landed at the edge of the tall grasses and disappeared. Dad kept calling and I could hear it moving further and further into the woods. I can only assume the chick was following and learning how to be a Carolina Wren. 

The next day the nest was still active in the morning with the two remaining chicks but by the time we came home at the end of the day it was so quiet. They were all gone. 

Thankfully we still hear them daily. Sometimes far out in the woods and other times in the nearby brush. Is that Dad or is it one of the chicks learning to use its own beautiful voice?