THE WOOD WREN.oak leavesTheWood Wren, or Wood Warbler as it is sometimes called, measures just over five inches in length. On its upper parts it is olive-green tinged with yellow, except in the case of its wings and tail, which are dusky. The chin, cheeks, throat, and breast are yellow, and under parts white. A line of bright yellow runs from the base of the bill over the eye. The bird may be distinguished from its relative, the Willow Wren, by its larger size, broader yellow band over the eye, greener upper parts, and whiter abdomen, also by its longer wings. Its nest is also a safe guide to correct identification, as will be shown presently.The female is similar to the male in her appearance.Illustration: WOOD WREN’S NESTWOOD WREN’S NEST AND EGGS.This species loves woods containingtall beech and other trees, and although of somewhat local occurrence, may be met with in nearly all suitable parts of England and Wales. It is rarer in Scotland and Ireland. It is difficult to study, except at the nest, on account of its habit of hunting for insects amongst the leaves near the tops of trees. However, its plaintive call note and very characteristic song are constantly being uttered, and cannever be mistaken for those of any other bird.Illustration: FEMALE WOOD WRENFEMALE WOOD WREN ABOUT TO ENTER NEST.Its nest is built on the ground amongst thick herbage, is oval in shape, and domed. The outside consists of dry grass, dead leaves, and moss, with an inner lining of fine dead grass and horsehair. Although in general appearance the structure is almost exactly like those of the Willow Wren and Chiffchaff, it may always be distinguished with certainty from them by the absence of feathers.The eggs, numbering five or six, are white, thickly spotted all over with dark purplish-brown and violet-grey.The song, although short, is clear, loud, sweet, oft repeated, and sounds something likesit-sit-sit-sit-sit-see-eeeeeze. Each of the opening notes of the song is uttered more rapidly than that which preceded it, until they develop into a kind of trill, rising in pitch all the time, and finally end in a long, shaky, thin one. The melody is accompanied by rapid vibrations of the wings and tail, as if the loud voice shook the body of the wee singer.The call note is a plaintivetweeortway tway, frequently used as akind of alternative to the song described above.Although such a small bird, the Wood Wren is very courageous at the nest. The individual figured in our illustration repeatedly attacked my hand with bill and wings when I attempted to disturb her in her maternal duties. She was very angry with me when the photograph was secured, and incidentally it shows the great length of wing in this species.This Warbler is a late arrival upon our shores, coming about the end of April and departing again in September. It lives entirely upon insects.woodland scene
oak leaves
TheWood Wren, or Wood Warbler as it is sometimes called, measures just over five inches in length. On its upper parts it is olive-green tinged with yellow, except in the case of its wings and tail, which are dusky. The chin, cheeks, throat, and breast are yellow, and under parts white. A line of bright yellow runs from the base of the bill over the eye. The bird may be distinguished from its relative, the Willow Wren, by its larger size, broader yellow band over the eye, greener upper parts, and whiter abdomen, also by its longer wings. Its nest is also a safe guide to correct identification, as will be shown presently.
The female is similar to the male in her appearance.
Illustration: WOOD WREN’S NESTWOOD WREN’S NEST AND EGGS.
WOOD WREN’S NEST AND EGGS.
This species loves woods containingtall beech and other trees, and although of somewhat local occurrence, may be met with in nearly all suitable parts of England and Wales. It is rarer in Scotland and Ireland. It is difficult to study, except at the nest, on account of its habit of hunting for insects amongst the leaves near the tops of trees. However, its plaintive call note and very characteristic song are constantly being uttered, and cannever be mistaken for those of any other bird.
Illustration: FEMALE WOOD WRENFEMALE WOOD WREN ABOUT TO ENTER NEST.
FEMALE WOOD WREN ABOUT TO ENTER NEST.
Its nest is built on the ground amongst thick herbage, is oval in shape, and domed. The outside consists of dry grass, dead leaves, and moss, with an inner lining of fine dead grass and horsehair. Although in general appearance the structure is almost exactly like those of the Willow Wren and Chiffchaff, it may always be distinguished with certainty from them by the absence of feathers.
The eggs, numbering five or six, are white, thickly spotted all over with dark purplish-brown and violet-grey.
The song, although short, is clear, loud, sweet, oft repeated, and sounds something likesit-sit-sit-sit-sit-see-eeeeeze. Each of the opening notes of the song is uttered more rapidly than that which preceded it, until they develop into a kind of trill, rising in pitch all the time, and finally end in a long, shaky, thin one. The melody is accompanied by rapid vibrations of the wings and tail, as if the loud voice shook the body of the wee singer.
The call note is a plaintivetweeortway tway, frequently used as akind of alternative to the song described above.
Although such a small bird, the Wood Wren is very courageous at the nest. The individual figured in our illustration repeatedly attacked my hand with bill and wings when I attempted to disturb her in her maternal duties. She was very angry with me when the photograph was secured, and incidentally it shows the great length of wing in this species.
This Warbler is a late arrival upon our shores, coming about the end of April and departing again in September. It lives entirely upon insects.
woodland scene