What bird is this?

[TaleWgnDg]

Is it a finch? a warbler? The location is a suburb just north of Boston along the ocean. I've checked Peterson's Eastern Birds and come up with zero. Help!


Nest inside hanging geranium . . .



Nest with eggs . . .



Bird in question . . .



Another shot of bird in question . . .

[TaleWgnDg]

1. Oh, and did I mention that this hanging potted plant w/ its

nest is in an area that's trafficked by humans quite a bit too? It's in a backyard area.

[baby_bear]

2. Doesn't look like a finch to me

Last summer I had finches in my hanging basket. It was wonderful. But, at least
in this part of the country (Seattle), house finches have very small beaks. The
picture you included was one of a bird with a pretty substantial beak.

Do the male and female look alike or different? That can help.

I'm a new birder since last year. So I'd like to follow what happens with those eggs and
the experience of having these "tenants" in the plant.

I considered myself privileged when the finches created a nest in what was actually a fake plant.

cheers
b_b

[LunaSea]

3. it's a Wren

sometimes called a house wren.
They build their nest right next to you , and then bitch at you for being nearby.

[Sal Minella]

4. That's not a wren. There are wrens here who are friends of mine,

and that bird, sir, is no wren.

Edit: In follow-up thread, if that is a Bewick's wren, then all wrens are not brown-all-over with tiny straight beaks like I thought. Sokay, I've been wrong before, have gotten used to it.

[seriousstan]

5. Troglodytes troglodytes

also known as a wren. :evilgrin:

[Catbird]

6. Carolina Wren

The wrens with marked eye stripes and plain backs are the Carolina Wren and the Bewick's Wren. Carolina Wrens are more likely in your area. They also have pinkish legs, shorter tails, and no white at the tip of the tail. I don't see much white in the picture. But if the bird does have noticeable white markings at the end of the tail, it might be a Bewick's.

Carolina Wrens will nest about anyplace that's not moving at the time. Flower pots are a favorite. They also build extra nests, possibly to confuse predators.

The bird in your yard does not look exactly like the pictures in most of the field guides, but there is a lot of variation.

Carolina Wrens incubate for about 14 days. So keep watching for the young.

[semillama]

7. yup, a carolina wren alright

and you are in for such a treat when the young fledge. Such a charismatic bird! Really fun to watch.

[japple]

10. A pair of Carolina Wrens raised 2 families in our

utility room 2 years ago, using the pet door for ingress/egress. They started early in the spring, March, I think, when we still had suet hanging in the trees. They were so fond of the suet, that I kept making it for them until July. They fed both families peanut butter and rendered fat suet. During the summer, the parents cleaned all the spiders and other bugs from around the windows and doors and really earned their suet. When the babies were fledging, one hopped right into my kitchen, with it's parent not far behind. They hopped back out the door, and then the baby took off and landed not-too-gracefully in a bush. I think the parents raised 10 babies with only 1 fatality. You're lucky to have the wren family on your porch. They will fuss and fuss, but they're a lot of fun.

[vireo]

11. That's a great story, japple!

Wrens are a joy. "My" house wren was singing like crazy today, while the other birds are starting to fall silent.

[TaleWgnDg]

8. Oh, wow, thanks everybody. Yes, with that beak, it sure looks

like a wren. I agree. A finch's (including sparrow) beak would be thicker, I believe. Now, to find out which wren.

It's a few miles north of Boston, along the ocean. So it limits the wren ID somewhat to a House Wren or a Carolina Wren. I'd guess it's a Carolina Wren. Peterson Field Guides, Eastern Birds (1980 edition) says that both sexes are alike in the wren family. The guide book indicates that either the House Wren or the Carolina Wren may nest w/i the Greater Boston area. Whereas, Bewick's Wren does not nest nor habitat this area in the northeast.

Again, thanks to all who responded.

[japple]

12. Another thing about wrens that I think is interesting:

the males build 2 or 3 houses, then take the female around to let her choose which location she prefers. We have construction projects going on around our house: will she choose the peanut butter jar (plastic) screwed under the eaves, or the old iron pot hanging on the car port, or the old bird condo that's sitting on the work bench in the workshop? Decisions, decisions....

[Submariner]

9. Yummmmm! Tastes like chicken n/t

[TaleWgnDg]

13. And the wren saga continues . . .

Here's more photos:


parent, Carolina Wren




both parents feeding the babies




hey, there's babies !!




baby flapping its wings (and still w/ fuzz)



Again, I want to thank all DUers that helped ID these birds.