Gardeners urged to place 1 common food in the garden to attract wrens this spring
Wrens are a delightful addition to any garden, and attracting them is easier than you might think.
Wrens are delightful birds to attract to your garden, and with nesting season well under way, plenty of these charming creatures will be on the lookout for a suitable place to settle. Nesting season generally runs from March to September, so if you're keen to encourage birds - wrens in particular - to take up residence in your garden, there are several steps you can take.
If you're unsure where to begin, simply consider the type of food you can put out for them to enjoy. Not only do wrens make for a wonderful wildlife spectacle in the garden, but they can also tackle unwanted pests without you even noticing. This is because they have a particular fondness for insects.
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So if you're hoping to draw more of these tiny birds to your outdoor space, the finest food you can offer wrens during spring is mealworms, reports The Mirror.
Sean McMenemy, founder of Ark Wildlife, told Ideal Home: "If you want a chance to spot one out in the open, try offering mealworms.
"Live is best, but even dried mealworms can provide a useful boost and may tempt them into view, if only for a moment."
Mealworms are an excellent source of protein and calories for birds and can be provided throughout the year. They are especially beneficial for wrens during breeding season and in colder conditions.
Simply scatter mealworms into feeders or directly onto the ground. By doing so during spring, you are actively helping parent wrens to nourish their fledglings, supplying essential nutrients for the growth of their chicks.
Gardeners are also advised to provide additional natural food sources. According to horticultural expert Sarah Raven, planting the likes of panicum, myrtle, amaranth, crab apple trees and sunflowers are the best bird-feeding plants you can add to your garden.
Such plants will assist in drawing both predator and prey, including a variety of insects upon which wrens can feed. Sean told Ideal Home: "Planting a mix of foliage and flowering plants helps build a natural food source, encouraging insects that wrens depend on.
"Areas of low growth, leaf litter or even a quiet corner near a compost heap can quickly become feeding grounds."
Really Wild Bird Food clarified that as wrens typically forage at ground level, placing mealworms in bird feeders or mesh ground feeding trays represents the most effective method of enticing them into your garden.
The brand wrote: "If you're feeding your local wrens mealworms, you can also scatter them in a sheltered area under dense vegetation for added security!"
