The songbird wren has long been famous for its unusual voice. In our area, only a nightingale is able to get around it in this art. In addition, it is one of the smallest birds that live in the vastness of the CIS countries. Perhaps that is why for a long time people could not make out what this unusual singer looked like.
Area
Scientists believe that the first wrens appeared on the territory of North America. Here their number is the greatest, and many paleontological findings support this theory. But since the climate on the planet often changed, some families of these birds decided to migrate to more favorable regions. Due to this, the range of this species has expanded significantly. Today, the wren bird (photos taken by scientists, this certainly confirms) lives almost throughout Eurasia, North Africa and a small part of South America. Residents of Russia can also enjoy its beautiful singing, because in our area their population is extremely large.
Appearance
Wren is an extremely small bird. Even the largest individuals rarely grow more than 10 cm in length. And if we talk about babies, then they can even fit in a small thimble. Throughout Russia, only one species of bird has much smaller body sizes - it is a kinglet. Another hallmark of the wren is the tail. It consists of several feathers sticking out almost vertically. As for coloring, males and females have a monotonous, chestnut plumage. It is because of such a nondescript color that many do not know what the wren looks like. The bird merges with the environment and is almost impossible to notice.
Habitat
This is a very unusual look. It is equally well suited for living in the desert, as well as for living in tropical forests. As a shelter, the wren uses undergrowth, fern thickets, small bushes and grass. And if there is no dense vegetation in the district, then feathered crumbs can settle in small minks or on ledges of rocks. In addition, the wren is a bird accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle. Even in harsh winters, she prefers to stay at home. Only prolonged droughts and famines can make it fly away to other lands. Which is true, there is an exception: two or three American subspecies of the wren nevertheless fly away to warmer climes with the advent of winter.
Food
Wren is an omnivorous bird. But, given its size, it can not swallow every prey. Nevertheless, the basis of her diet is animal food. So, the wren gladly feasts on small bugs, larvae, butterflies and moths. If there is a pond nearby, then this predator can catch a small fish in it. With the advent of the first cold weather, the bird's diet changes, since all insects hide from impending frosts. During this period, the wren looks for seeds of cereals, autumn berries, and even roots. And if the winter is especially harsh, then the birds can move closer to people and steal the remnants of food from them.
Skillful builder
The construction of nests is always done by the male. As a real man, he carefully approaches this process. Gathering branches and moss throughout the district, he builds a spherical nest with a round hole for entry. The hive pitches the bottom of the future home with its own feathers and down, so it is always warm and cozy in it. It is curious, but only recently, scientists learned that the wren hid a wonderful secret. Photos taken by a hidden camera showed that the same male constantly appears near two nests distant from each other. Continuing the study, ornithologists found that males are not limited to building only one nest. So, having completed the construction of the house, they immediately take up new work. But this is necessary in order to lure as many females as possible.
Mating and hatching
With the advent of March, the bird wren, whose voice is already always spreading around, begins to sing even louder. This indicates that the males are ready to invite the females to their nest. Moreover, the louder the voice of the gentleman sounds, the higher the chance that a lady will fly to him. After a short mating dance, they immediately fly to the nearest nest. There, a young mother eventually lays a small clutch of 5-7 eggs. Moreover, only females hatch offspring, while gentlemen only occasionally bring them food. Fortunately, in two weeks the first chicks appear.
