Nunavut · Summer breeder

Winter Wrens in Nunavut

When winter wrens are present in Nunavut, when they nest, which native Nunavut plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a yard.

Wrens (Troglodytidae)Winter WrenTroglodytes hiemalis
Status in Nunavut
Summer breeder
Nesting window
May–July
Broods
1–2 per season
Hardiness zones
Canada 0a

When to expect winter wrens in Nunavut

Winter Wrens are summer residents in Nunavut, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent.

Arctic tundra across the mainland and Arctic Archipelago.

Nesting in Nunavut

Across Nunavut, winter wrens typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

A few weeks of summer thaw when tundra birds nest.

  • Winter Wrens don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, chokecherry, white spruce for nest sites.
  • Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Nunavut plants that attract winter wrens

Of the regional native plants we track for Nunavut, these 6 provide food or cover winter wrens use:

Paper birch
Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Chokecherry
Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

White spruce
Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Tamarack
Larix laricina · Tree

Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.

Willow (Bebb)
Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Dwarf birch
Betula glandulosa · Shrub

Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.

Feeding winter wrens through the Nunavut year

  • Top foods: Suet crumbs, Mealworms.
  • In Nunavut's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for winter wrens · Best feeder for winter wrens

Frequently asked

Are winter wrens in Nunavut year-round?

No. Winter Wrens are summer breeders in Nunavut and leave for the winter.

When do winter wrens nest in Nunavut?

Nesting in Nunavut typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–9 eggs, incubated for 14–16 days.

What native plants attract winter wrens in Nunavut?

Paper birch, Chokecherry, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Nunavut that provide food or cover for winter wrens.

Winter Wrens in other regions

Other backyard birds in Nunavut

Sources

  1. Winter Wren — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Winter Wren life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Winter Wren — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
  4. eBird region overview and bar charts — Nunavut
  5. Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
  6. Audubon Native Plants Database

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.