House Wrens in Arizona

House Wrens live in Arizona all year — breeds in the mountains; winters in the low deserts. Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects on wintering grounds in the southern u.s. and mexico.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Across Arizona, house wrens typically nest from April–August. Nest site: almost any cavity — boxes, gourds, even boots and flowerpots; males build several stick-filled dummy nests. Females lay 3–10 eggs, incubate for 9–16 days, and young leave the nest after 15–17 days.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

• Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — house wrens begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
• Use a 1 to 1 1/8 in round entrance on a 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–10 ft near shrubs.
• Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
• Clean out old nests after each brood and again after August.

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover house wrens use:

House wrens rarely visit feeders. They are attracted by brush piles, insect-rich plantings and nest boxes placed near shrub cover.

• Best foods: Mealworms (occasionally).
• Avoid: Seed — house wrens do not eat it.
• In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

Full diet breakdown for house wrens