Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus), like many small songbirds, are rather territorial and singing, especially from a high perch, is one way that males mark and protect their territory. Now that breeding season is over and the fledglings are pretty well grown, it’s time for them to be moving on and finding their own territories.

Loving parents now have to let the young ones know that it’s time to go. That’s often done with shows of dominance. For the wrens, that usually means songs. Lots and lots of songs. Luckily, they have really lovely voices and are surprisingly loud for such small birds. So even though these songs are probably not welcomed by the youngsters, the rest of us can enjoy them tremendously.