Wrens are tiny, energetic birds with surprisingly loud songs, forever bustling through low cover in search of food. They are insect specialists, which shapes both their diet and how to attract them.
What wrens eat
Wrens are primarily insectivores. They feed on beetles, caterpillars, spiders, bugs, ants and other small invertebrates, which they hunt by poking into crevices, under leaves and through dense low vegetation. In autumn and winter, when insects are scarce, some wrens also eat a few seeds and berries.
Why wrens rarely visit seed feeders
Because they eat insects rather than seeds, wrens mostly ignore standard seed feeders. You are far more likely to see one flitting through a hedge, brush pile or garden border, tail cocked up, hunting for bugs than perched at a feeder.
How to attract wrens
To attract wrens, offer what they eat: mealworms (live or dried) and suet, and leave a brush pile or dense shrubs where insects gather and wrens can forage safely. They also readily use nest boxes with a small entrance hole, so putting one up is one of the best ways to welcome them.