Why Do Carolina Wrens Sleep in Corners?
Have you ever seen a Carolina Wren sleeping in a corner? You might be wondering why do Carolina wrens sleep in corners.
Carolina Wrens sleep in corners due to two main reasons. The first and most common reason is to protect themselves from predators while they are sleeping. The second reason is to keep themselves warm during their sleep as corners are usually warmer than open areas.
However, that’s not all and there’s definitely a lot more to learn about Carolina wrens and their sleeping habits. If you are interested in learning all about them then you have come to the right place.
In this article, I will not only explain why do Carolina wrens sleep in corners but will also tell you some other interesting facts related to these tiny cute fellows.
So without any further ado, let’s get into it and discover some interesting facts about them!
Why Do Carolina Wrens Sleep in Corners?
As mentioned earlier, Carolina wrens sleep on the ground or even in trees. They prefer to sleep in places where they can hide from predators such as owls.
However, when they need to rest for a long time, they often choose to sleep in a corner of their resting area. This is because they feel safer in corners.
The reason behind this is simple; corners are darker than open spaces. Therefore, if an owl comes near them, they would be able to see it easier. So by choosing to sleep in a dark corner, they can avoid being spotted easily.
Moreover, corners don’t provide a full cover which means they aren’t 100% protected even in corners. Therefore, to add an additional layer of cover these tiny birds fluff their bodies. By doing so they perfectly camouflage themselves.
Point To Ponder – After fluffing its body and due to the small size of the bird it is extremely difficult to distinguish them from pinecones especially on dark nights. How cool is that isn’t it?
Another advantage of sleeping in a corner is that it keeps them warm while they are asleep. As we know, Carolina wrens are diurnal birds, they don’t have good eyesight at night. Therefore, they won’t be able to fly to warm places at night if the temperature becomes unbearable.
Apart from that, the temperature produced by their bodies gets reflected by the corners which allow them to stay warm.
Do Carolina Wrens Sleep Together?
Now that you’ve learned the basic reasons due to which Carolina Wrens sleeps in the corner. You might have another question on your mind: Do Carolina Wrens sleep together? Well, yes they do. However, they prefer to sleep alone.
This is mainly because they want to maintain their privacy and independence. Moreover, they also tend to sleep in different parts of their territory. For example, one may sleep in the tree branches while the other one stays close to the nest box.
Furthermore, Carolina wrens also like to sleep with their heads up. In fact, they use their head feathers to create a barrier between them and the cold air.
How Long Does It Take Them to Wake Up?
If you’re wondering how long does it take Carolina Wrens to wake up after they fall asleep. Then here’s what you should know. These little guys wake up within 10 minutes of falling asleep. That’s pretty fast considering their size.
They usually wake up around sunrise. However, sometimes they wake up before sunrise and sometimes after sunset. The only thing that matters is that they will always wake up during daylight hours.
Do Carolina Wrens Sleep in the Same Area Every Night?
Carolina Wrens sleep in the same place every day. However, they change their sleeping spots depending upon the weather conditions.
If there is no rain then they’ll spend most of the time in the nest boxes. However, if there is heavy raining then they might be forced to leave their nests.
Sometimes they will have to move to a new area where they can find more food. This is why you need to check out their sleeping areas regularly.
Can Carolina Wrens Fall Off their Sleeping Spots?
Well normally if I sit on a branch of a tree and fall into sleep there is a 100% chance that I am going to fall off of that branch. However, this isn’t the case with birds. If you are thinking can a Carolina Wren fall off from their sleeping spot then don’t worry I will tell you why.
The bones in the body and in the legs of the bird have evolved and developed specifically. This allows them to keep their body in a stable position even if they are sleeping. Unlike us, birds can go to sleep while sitting on a wire or a branch of a tree.
Besides that, they don’t sleep too deeply like humans and are usually on alert mode even if they are sleeping. This is because of the fear of predators and other dangers.
How Can You Attract Carolina Wrens to Your Backyard?
Now that you have learned about the sleeping habit of these cute little birds. You might be wondering how to attract more of them to your backyard so that you can watch them every day.
Well, let’s learn how to attract Carolina Wren to your backyard in the easiest possible way.
Provide them Space to Live
So first of all, you need to make sure that you have enough space for a Carolina Wren to live comfortably. If you have an open lawn then you definitely won’t need any help to attract them.
However, if you have a small garden then you need to plant some bushes near your home as well as in your backyard. This will allow Carolina Wrens to come closer to your yard.
Another important thing that you need to do is not feed Carolina Wrens. They will naturally want to eat insects especially when they are young but feeding them may cause them stress. Having some trees in your yard will help increase the chances even more.
Create Shelter for Them
However, since they love to sleep in corners therefore I highly recommend leaving some birdhouses in your yard. They will use them to create their nests inside which will help them stay safe. The safer they feel in your backyard. The more time they will spend there
Put Some Food Out for Them
Birds spend most of their time searching for food since they don’t have food panda service (aww poor little birds). However, you can be their food panda service if you wish to. This is actually quite an easy and fun way. You can simply buy a bird feeder and hang it in your yard.
Speaking of the feeder, have you checked my guide on the best bird feeder for sunflower seeds? Well, you can fill the feeder with different types of seeds and nuts which will help them find food easily.
Doing so will make the birds think that your garden is the best place they will ever have. They won’t leave it until you scare them off or they feel threatened
What does Carolina Wren Love to Eat?
Speaking of feeding the birds most people may be confused about what to feed them. You would want to make sure that the birds actually love it so that they can come again next time.
First of all, you should provide them access to freshwater. This will ensure that they will always drink whenever they need to. Speaking of drinking water, you should also make sure that the birds are provided with clean drinking water at all times.
If you see that your birds are eating dead insects such as beetles. Then you might want to try planting butterfly-friendly flowers to attract butterflies instead. Butterfly caterpillars are actually quite delicious and many birds such as Carolina Wren enjoy eating them.
Other than this, you can also throw some fruits such as grapes out for them to eat. These fruits will give them energy since they can eat while flying around.
Do Not Let the Birds Get Sick
Now that your Carolina Wren has found its new home. It’s now up to you to take care of them by making sure that they are healthy and happy. Most importantly, you need to make certain that they aren’t getting sick at all.
Try your best to keep the birdhouses in a safe and warm place if it is winter. Also, make sure that it is fully covered from rain and snow so that they can live there happily. As long as you take good care of your birds, they will definitely return to visit you soon.
Last Minute Thoughts
So why do Carolina wrens sleep in corners? well, as you read above there are actually different reasons behind such sleeping habits. First of all, they are small birds and are most active during the day.
Therefore, at night, during their rest time, they usually prefer to sleep in corners to sleep peacefully. Apart from that, corners are a perfect way to hide from not only predators but also from cold during the winters.
However, I hope that you enjoyed reading this article. If you did, then please share it with your friends who love birds!
Happy Birding!
