Visitors to our backyard pond yesterday included a Chestnut-sided Warbler
and a Black-throated Green Warbler. What really got our attention, however,
was a House Wren attacking a chipmunk in a tree. The wren repeatedly dove
at the chipmunk, which was sitting on a branch about 12 feet above ground.
The wren struck the chipmunk with its bill in at least six separate dives
before the chipmunk scampered down the tree and ran to a brush pile for
cover. The wren has been building a nest in a nestbox in a nearby tree, and
I wonder whether it perceived the chipmunk as a threat to the nest.
I have never observed this aggressive behavior in a wren before. I'd be
interested in hearing if others have.
Bill Brown
Herndon
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