Chipmunks and Squirrels are omnivores so they eat bird eggs. The wren was
saving its babies.
Not to worry.
If the chipmunk got one or two or even the whole clutch they would be able
torenest. I have seen wrens (and chickadees) produce 2 clutches in a summer.
each with more than 5 young...very tiring but proficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipmunk[1]
Rob in DC
[2]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "WILLIAM Brown" <billbr50@xxxxxxx>
Reply-To: billbr50@xxxxxxx
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [va-bird] Aggressive Wren in Herndon
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 15:50:16 +0000
Visitors to our backyard pond yesterday included a Chestnut-sided Warbleremail to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
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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