Wren House Mounting and Care
Selecting a Location
Wrens and chickadees both prefer houses that are located in a sheltered area - under the shade and protection of tree branches is ideal. When possible, hang the house so that the entry hole faces away from incoming weather anywhere from 5-10 feet off the ground. Higher or lower placement can also work as long as there is good cover nearby.
Hanging Your Wren House
A hanging style house is preferred so that it can be placed outward on a branch to help prevent predators reaching the nest. You can utilize the hanging cable that comes attached to your house to hang it as wrens will use a house that freely swings. A box house should be mounted on a pole with space in front of the opening, or can also be mounted under an eave to offer additional protection from the elements and predators.
For best success, we recommend placing your nest boxes by February in the south. In northern regions, place your nest boxes by mid to late March for best results. Don’t be discouraged if birds don’t begin nesting in them immediately. Sometimes it takes time for the birds to discover and start using a house.
House Inhabitants
All Nature's Way wren houses have a 1 1/8" opening to accommodate both house wrens and chickadees while keeping unwanted larger birds out.
A male wren will build a nest out of sticks and perch on the branches above the house to attract a female. These small birds have a very beautiful and distinct song and you will often hear their song before you are able to spot them flitting in the branches near the house.
A pair of chickadees will work together to build their nest with moss, pet hair, or other types of fur-like material. These small birds are very social and are easily and quickly drawn to bird feeders, oftentimes even when people are nearby.
Maintaining a Clean Birdhouse
Birdhouses and nesting boxes should be cleaned at least once each year. All Nature's Way birdhouses feature clean-out doors, making it easy to remove the old nest and any debris that have collected. At minimum, cleaning should be done prior to nesting season in the spring. Some recommend cleaning the nesting boxes after each brood has fledged. This type of maintenance will reduce bird parasite problems and help keep the nest box useful longer.
If you need more detailed cleaning tips, visit our article about the best way to clean out your birdhouse!
Hi Sheri, Wrens prefer houses that are located in a sheltered area – under the shade and protection of tree branches is ideal. Also note that feeders often attract attention of critters like squirrels and raccoons which could disrupt nesting. Good luck!
Will wrenn’s nest in a birdhouse next to a bird feeder? I have a pole with a feeder hanging on one side and I put a bird house hanging from the other side
Hi Ruth, Thanks for checking in about your wren house as well! We recommend hanging your house so would not advise mounting it on the shed. Other than that, we would suggest whatever works best to hang it according to our guidelines in above blog post. Happy birding!
I have a wren house, and my trees are all tall with no low branches. But I have a youngish crape myrtle right in front of a south facing shed. We have squirrels too. Should i mount on the shed just behind the crape myrtle or hanging in the crape myrtle. I live in north/central Texas-DFW area. Thank you!
HI Janet,
We recommend you clean your bird house a minimum of once a year so it just depends if you can thoroughly clean out your houses. Just a note that all Nature’s Way wren houses come with a clean-out door if you are thinking of changing out your houses. All the best!