What to feed wrens? (1 Viewer)

[JohnJos]

I'd like to attract the Carolina wrens that have been hanging around my house lately. I'm not sure what to put in a feeder that would attract the wrens to it. They are not really seed eaters so fruit of some type may be appropriate. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[KC Foggin]

They absolutely, positively love suet. It's gotten that they are becoming quite the bully when they are eating the suet and another bird approaches

Oh, they do hit my sunflower hearts feeder as well.

 

[jmepler]

I read somewhere that they will eat apple slices and peanut butter. Maybe peanut suet would be a good bet.

Mike

 

[Duane N]

They absolutely, positively love suet. It's gotten that they are becoming quite the bully when they are eating the suet and another bird approaches

I call the Wren's that are on my property "defenders of the suet" becuase like you said, if they're around the suet and another bird approaches it they'll chase off the other birds with a vengence. Quite comical actually and then they'll do the bob and weave as they sing their song in triumph. 3

 

[JohnJos]

Thanks folks.
Very interesting because I have two suet feeders out in the backyard, one with plain suet and one currently is suet with insects or nuts, can't remember which. I get downies all the time at both. I think the wrens visited the second suet feeder once as I recall. I'll keep a sharp lookout, maybe they're there and I haven't seen them and maybe I'll give a peanut butter suet mix a try too.

 

[Robert / Seattle]

Interesting responses. Must be species-specific. My backyard wrens are Bewick's, and I have plenty of suet -- but never the two shall meet. The Bewick's here gleen leaves and all manner of foliage for small insects. Once or twice I've seen them at the seed feeder and was initialy puzzled -- only to discover they were looking for the occasional insect in the mix! Can't tell you how to attract Carolinas, but thought the differences might be of interest to the group.

Robert / Seattle

 

[KC Foggin]

I guess I should have mentioned that I use only the Hot Pepper delight suet which every bird seems to love and the squirrels loathe.

 

[libirder]

I think im gunna try the hot peeper delights since i have a problem with squirrels. What kind of birds does it attract?

 

[JanAltz]

The wrens at my house sit in the weighted feeder and on the perches in the tube feeders, one contains a hearty mix of black oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, various nuts, peanut hearts, a bit of cracked corn & millet. When they get a chance to get into the big platform feeder, they pile up quickly. My suet feeders hang off a long pole which the squirrels can't negotiate but if they could, the suet is in a cage that they can't get to. That being said, the suet feeders are dominated by pileated, downy and a few hairy woodpeckers, nuthatchers and chic-a-dees; the red-bellied woodpeckers would rather hang off the side of the weighted feeders.

 

[YellowBudgie]

I'd like to attract the Carolina wrens that have been hanging around my house lately. I'm not sure what to put in a feeder that would attract the wrens to it. They are not really seed eaters so fruit of some type may be appropriate. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I know someone who's lucky enough to have Bluebirds and Carolina Wrens year round. He feeds them suet pellets and freeze dried Mealworms in the winter. He must feed live mealworms in the spring and summer.

Good luck.

 

[CMB]

Interesting...

We have Carolina Wrens most of the year. We keep blueberry and insect suet out, and we also keep sunflower chip/splits out. The wrens seem to eat a bit of everything (especially peanuts when we put those out).

I haven't noticed the ones in our area being bullies. They seem to get along quite well with all the other birds.