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Yesterday Dee and I were on the back deck enjoying the sun when the Carolina Wren returned. This time he perched in a nearby tree and sang. As always, we were amazed by how such a tiny bird can produce such a loud song.


I grabbed my camera and, to make sure he stayed until I got some photos, I whistled his song back at him.

Male Carolina Wrens are extremely territorial and so he immediately looked around for the intruder.


Then he repeated his song, this time even more loudly.


I whistled back again.

Now he was certainly not amused.


It was definitely time to get rid of the competition. He gave himself a preparatory shake.


Then he threw back his head and sang out at the very top of his voice ...


and looked haughtily around as if to say, "Try matching that!"


I sat quietly down. He waited and listened.


Then he flew off to another corner of his patch, satisfied that he had successfully dealt with the challenge to his dominance.
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