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Submitted By
W Tyler L
Illinois, USA
Description
This House wren layed one egg a week ago than layed two more a week latter than another two the next day. Is this normal for a wren?
Category
Species
Why Does This Wren Keep Laying Eggs In Its Nest??
Hi, Generally House Wrens lay up to 8 eggs, and some birds do delay incubation due to a variety of reasons, though it is unusual to have such a staggered egg-laying process like the one you’ve described. Typically, one egg is laid per day, several days in a row until the whole clutch is laid. It’s possible that not all eggs in this clutch will be viable, but unfortunately only time will tell. We’ll send good thoughts your way!
Thanks Ill watch it.
I watched this beautiful little pair of wrens build a nest in the box I provided hanging on the side of my house. They layed eggs and I watched them take food in and feed their babies. Today something knocked the house off the wall and scattered the nesting material and the babies are gone. What on earth could have knocked it off the wall and entered that nest?
The hole is very small.
I am heartbroken. If they should return and build again how can I prevent this from happening again?
Hi Judy, That wren nest was most likely the victim of a predator such as a raccoon or squirrel. Many predators will reach into a box rather than fit their whole body inside. To help prevent predators in the future, we recommend installing the box on a pole and adding predator guards. You can also try mounting on a tree and using a new predator guard which has been shown to help prevent snakes from climbing up the tree to the box, but please note it has not been tested in studies with mammals yet.