Whatbird.com

I have a small bird nesting on my porch and I can't figure out what it is! She built her nest on top of another nest made of mud from last year. This new nest is made of moss, hair, grass- a lot of different stuff but mainly moss and hair. The two birds I see coming to and from it are small and have long tails. The female (I'm assuming) is brown and grey on top and even a little black, and a buff color underneath. The male is more black and grey while buff underneath. They have pointy beaks and come to my feeder often. There were 5 very small white eggs in the nest, which have been there some time. Today when I went outside, I made a horrible discovery; a tiny dead baby bird on the porch in front of where the nest is. It was so sad. The nest itself is on top of the old mud nest on one of my porch lights. What do you think this bird is and what do you think happened to the baby bird? I live in the southern most part of Ohio in a very wooded area with a pond nearby. Thank you for any help you can give me!

Sounds like a type of wren

Agreed that it sounds like wrens...of wrens, the ones with the darker males are marsh or winter. As for the fallen baby, that can be a result of many things, and a sad part of nature. Hopefully the others will survive and thrive.

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"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress."
Mahatma Gandhi

Sounds like a Carolina wren.

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with wrens. Wrens have pretty short tails, both the carolina and house wren are pretty much brown. House wrens build the ugliest, most uncomfortable nest I've ever seen next to dove nests. The few carolina nests I've seen have been low and pretty well hidden, and their eggs are pinkish in color.

 I think someone posted a few pics of pewee nests not too long ago. Seems to me they used moss and stuff that you're describing.

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Don't cry because it's over, smile because you were there.