Hanging plants look like home to wrens

Birds have built nests in our hanging ferns. I have tried putting plastic snakes in the pots, but they only build on top of them! Any suggestions for keeping them from building in the hanging pots?

Carolina wrens sometimes nest in ferns and other hanging plants.

The birds making a home in your ferns are most likely Carolina wrens, cute little brown birds that eat insects – and lots of them – and feed them to their babies, say bird experts at Wild Birds Unlimited. And there is really not much you can do, since as far as they can tell, you’ve put out the welcome mat and invited them in. The birds are taking advantage of the foliage to provide cover for their nests, and they’re too smart to be scared away by fake snakes.

Continue to water the plants as usual (trying to avoid the nest if you can) and the plants should continue to do well.