THE BEWICK'S WREN. 



[Thryothorus bewickii.) 



At length the daybreak in the east, 

 My heart from fear in part released. 

 The small fly-catcher first awakes. 

 The second part the robin takes ; 

 And then the wren and vireo 

 Begin with song to overflow. 



— Thom.'VS Hill, "Sunrise." 



Though the range of Bewick's Wren 

 is quite extensive, its distribution is some- 

 what erratic. In many districts within 

 its range it is rare or entirely unknown, 

 though the locaHties may seem to be per- 

 fectly adapted to its habits. It is a native 

 of the eastern United States, from the 

 AUeghanies westward to the plains and 

 eastern Texas. On the Atlantic coast it 

 is rare north of Maryland, while in the 

 interior it is common in most localities. 

 Though a somewhat southern species, it 

 nests and is quite abundant as far north- 

 ward in the Mississippi valley as the 

 state of Minnesota. It is a resident 

 throughout the year except in the more 

 northern portion of its range. 



In many localities it is not only abun- 

 dant, but entirely replaces the house 

 wren. In fact, it is often called the House 

 Wren, or the Long-tailed House Wren. 

 Where both birds are found Bewick's 

 Wren is more truthfully the house 

 species, for it nests in available places 

 about houses, barns and sheds, while the 

 house wrens will often choose the hollow 

 trees of orchards. It has the excitable 

 nature of the other w-rens and like them 

 seems full of energy. 



Mr. Robert Ridgway has said of this 

 interesting Wren : "No bird more de- 

 serves the protection of man than Be- 

 wick's Wren. He does not need man's 

 encouragement, for he comes of his own 

 accord and installs himself as a member 

 of the community whenever it suits his 

 taste. He is found about the cow-shed 

 and barn, along with the pewee and barn 

 swallow ; he investigates the pig-sty. then 

 explores the garden fence and finallv 



mounts to the roof and pours forth one 

 of the sweetest songs that ever was 

 heard. Not a voluble gabble, like the 

 house wren's merry roundelay, but a fine, 

 clear, bold song, uttered as the singer sits 

 with head thrown back and long tail 

 pendent — a song which may be heard a 

 quarter of a mile or more, and in com- 

 parison with which the faint chant of the 

 song sparrow sinks into insignificance. 

 The ordinary note is a soft, low plit — ut- 

 tered as the bird hops about, its long tail 

 carried erect or even leaning forward and 

 jerked to one side at intervals." 



Bewick's Wren seems to possess a song 

 that includes several variations. Mr. 

 Amos Butler gives the following inter- 

 pretation of one of its songs : Chip, chip, 

 te-da-a, te-dee. To him another sounds 

 like cheep, cheep, che-we-e-e-e, while in a 

 third the bird seems to sing to-weet, 

 a-her, cha-chee. Mr. Butler thinks, how- 

 ever, that its most common efifort may be 

 expressed by click, click, for-me-e, for 

 you. 



Any site, so long as it is a hole or some 

 secluded niche or corner, seems to be a 

 suitable place in which this bird can build 

 its house. Bird or other small boxes, holes 

 in fence posts and roof beams, holes in 

 old stumps, knotholes and hollow trees 

 and many other odd places are alike ac- 

 ceptable. A pair of Bewick's Wrens was 

 knowm to have nested in an old mantel in 

 an unoccupied house for three successive 

 years. Previous to this period the same 

 pair had nested for two years in an old 

 tin can. Without doubt thev would h'lve 

 continued using the can if it had not 

 been removed. Mr. Ridgwav has re- 



146 



