House wren (Troglodytes aedon). 

The House wren adds brightness to backyards, woods, and urban forests with its bubbly song that seems to stumble over its own urgency. The house wren can be found in Illinois from spring to fall. A small but bold nester, it takes readily to birdhouses in backyards but will also make do in much smaller and more wild spaces. 

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program. 

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The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

House Wren song by Wil Hershberger (ML508375) 

House Wren hesitant call by Wil Hershberger (ML508386) 

House Wren scolding call by Kevin J. Colver (ML508387) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/overview 
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/house-wren 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film.