Peruvian wren

Cinnycerthia peruana

Photo by Nick Athanas (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Peruvian wren (en); carriça-do-Perú (pt); troglodyte brun (fr); cucarachero peruano (es); sepiazaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Peru, being found in the eastern Andes from Amazonas to Ayacucho.

Size:
These birds are 15,5-16 cm long and weigh about 20 g.

Habitat:
The Peruvian wren is found in mountain rainforests, including forests edges and nearby second growths, at altitudes of 1.500-3.400 m.

Diet:
They forage on or near the ground, possibly taking small invertebrates.

Breeding:
Peruvian wrens possibly breed in June-February. The nest is purse-shaped and made of small roots interwoven with green moss. It is placed hanging from a bamboo. There the female lays 2 creamy-white eggs with reddish-brown spots. There is no information regarding the incubation and fledging periods.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as common. However, the population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Rufous-breasted wren

Thryothorus rutilus

(Photo from PBase)

Common name:
rufous-breasted wren (en); carriça-de-peito-ruivo (pt); troglodyte des halliers (fr); cucarachero pechirrufo (es); rotbrust-zaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found from south-western Costa Rica, through Panama, and into Venezuela, Colombia and the Caribbean island of Tobago.

Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh13,5-18,5 g.

Habitat:
The rufous-breasted wren is mostly found in mois tropical forests, including rainforests and cloud forests, also using second growths and forest edges. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.900 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects, such as beetles, bugs, flies and wasps, but also centipedes and, occasionally, seeds.

Breeding:
Rufous-breasted wrens breed in December-July. The nest is built both sexes, consisting of a bulky, domed structure, with a side entrance, made of grass and leaves. It is placed among tangled vegetation, in the forest undergrowth. The female lays 2-4 white eggs with brown blotches, which she incubates alone. There is no information regarding the length of the incubation period, but the chicks fledge 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Canyon wren

Catherpes mexicanus

Photo by Waldemar Sikorski (Photography on the Net)

Common name:
canyon wren (en); carriça-dos-desfiladeiros (pt); troglodyte des canyons (fr); cucarachero barranquero (es); schluchtenzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is western North America, from British Columbia to Minnesota and South Dakota and south to Mexico as far as Chiapas.

Size:
These birds are 11-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 19 cm. They weigh 10-18 g.

Habitat:
The canyon wren is found in arid areas with canyons and cliffs, rocky areas and boulder piles, as well as dry scrublands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on spiders and insects collected from rock crevices or sometimes in flight.

Breeding:
Canyon wrens are monogamous and pair bonds may last more than one breeding season. They nest on rock crevices and cliff, often under a ledge, where they build a cup made of twigs and grasses, and lined with lichens, plant down, wool, spider webs and feathers. The female lays 4-7 white eggs with reddish-brown and grey speckles, which she incubates alone for 12-18 days while being fed by the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 10 days after hatching. Each pair produces 1-2 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 400.000 individuals. The population has undergone a small decline over the last 4 decades, but it is not threatened as their secluded habitats protect them from most human activities. Recreational rock climbing may disturb nesting areas.

twigs and grasses and is then lined with lichens, plant down, wool, cobwebs, or feathers.

twigs and grasses and is then lined with lichens, plant down, wool, cobwebs, or feathers.

twigs and grasses and is then lined with lichens, plant down, wool, cobwebs, or feathers.

 

 

cliffs, steep-sided canyons, rocky outcrops, and boulder piles

cliffs, steep-sided canyons, rocky outcrops, and boulder piles

Grey-breasted wood-wren

Henicorhina leucophrys

Photo by Hugo Loaiza (Neotropical Birds)

Common name:
grey-breasted wood-wren (en); uirapuru-de-peito-cinzento (pt); troglodyte à poitrine grise (fr); cucarachero pechigrís (es); einsiedlerzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found from north-eastern Mexico south to northern Venezuela and Colombia, and along the Andes down to Bolivia.

Size:
These birds are 11 cm long and weigh 18 g.

Habitat:
The grey-breasted wood-wren is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using nearby scrublands, bamboo stands and second growths. They are are present at altitudes of 400-4.000 m.

Diet:
The hunt small invertebrates among the vegetation.

Breeding:
Grey-breasted wood-wrens breed in March-July. The nest is a globular structure with an antechamber and a downwards entrance, made of dark rootlets and green moss. It is usually placed in overhanging vegetation in a gorge or by a road-side. The female lays 2 white eggs, which are incubated for 19-20 days. The chicks fledge 14-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 0,5-5 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Rock wren

Salpinctes obsoletus

Photo by Erik Breden (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
rock wren (en); carriça-das-rochas (pt); troglodyte des rochers (fr); chivirín saltarroca (es); felsenzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found from south-western Canada, through the western United States and Mexico and into Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica. The more northern populations migrate south to winter along the southern parts of the range.

Size:
These birds are 12-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 23 cm. They weigh 15-18 g.

Habitat:
The rock wren is mostly found in scrublands and rocky areas, especially in mountainous areas, but occur from sea level up to an altitude of 3.500 m.

Diet:
They feed on various insects and spiders.

Breeding:
Rock wrens are monogamous and nest in a loose cup made of grass, bits of wood, bark, moss, hair, and occasionally fresh plant material in shallow space; lined with rootlets, hair, wool, spider silk. It is placed in a cavity or crevice amongst rocks, usually with a foundation of stone and often with pavement of small stones extending from nest to entrance of nest cavity and sometimes beyond. The female lays 3-10 white eggs with fine reddish brown spots, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-16 days after hatching. They continue to receive food from parents for another week.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as widespread and common. The population has undergone a small decrease over the last 4 decades, but ir is not considered threatened.

Fasciated wren

Campylorhynchus fasciatus

Photo by Manolo Arribas (ASEDI)

Common name:
fasciated wren (en); garrincha-zebrada (pt); troglodyte fascié (fr); ratona franjeada (es); bindenzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformmes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species in only found in western Ecuador and north-western Peru.

Size:
These birds are 19 cm long and weigh aroud 30 g.

Habitat:
The fasciated wren is mostly found in arid and semi-arid areas, including scrublands, dry tropical forests and forest edges, but also in orchards and plantations. In Ecuador they also use rainforests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.600 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on invertebrates, but also take some plant matter.

Breeding:
Fasciated wrens breed in May-August. They can breed in monogamous pair, or more often in co-operative groups with a dominant pair and up to 10 helpers, mostly young from previous years. The nest is a domed structure with side entrance, made with grass and lined with feathers, which is placed on a tree or tall cactus. They can also nest on old ovenbird mud nests. The female lays 4-7 eggs which are incubated for 17 days. There is no information regarding the length of the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Black-capped donacobius

Donacobius atricapilla

Photo by Ralf Lukovic (Trek Nature)

Common name:
black-capped donacobius (en); japacanim (pt); donacobe à miroir (fr); angú (es); rohrspotter (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found in northern South America, from Venezuela south to Bolivia, southern Brazil and north-eastern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 23 cm long and weigh 24-30 g.

Habitat:
The black-capped donacobius is mostly found in inland wetlands, such as freshwater marshes, bogs, swamps, rivers, streams and oxbow lakes with tall dense aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation, as well as in moist scrublands. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 600 m.

Diet:
They feed on insects.

Breeding:
Black-capped donacobius are territorial and can breed cooperatively with the offspring from previous years helping the adults tend the eggs and chicks. The nest is a cup made of dry grasses and reeds, interwoven with spider webs and attached to tall grasses or reeds, usually near water. There the female lays 2-3 pale rust-coloured eggs, which are incubated for 16-18 days. The chicks fledge 16-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Cactus wren

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

Photo by Mark Wagner (Wikipedia)

Common name:
cactus wren (en); carriça-dos cactos (pt); troglodyte des cactus (fr); ratona desértica (es); kaktuszaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae

Range:
This species is found in south-western North America, from California and Nevada to Texas, in the United States, and south to central Mexico.

Size:
This large wren is 18-22 cm long and weighs 32-47 g.

Habitat:
The cactus wren in found in arid and semi-arid scrubland habitats, mostly dominated by succulent cacti, spiny trees and scrubs such as yucca, mesquite and saguaro. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.200 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on insects, including ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and wasps. They also eat seeds, fruits, small reptiles and frogs.

Breeding:
Cactus wrens breed in February-June. The nest is a large spherical structure made of dry grasses, often lined with feathers. It is placed in thorny trees and scrubs, particularly cholla cacti. There the female lays 3-5 buff-pinkish eggs with brown speckles, which she incubates alone for about 16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-23 days after hatching. Each pair may raise up to 3 clutches per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common to abundant. The population has undergone a small decline over the last 4 decades in the United States, which represents less than 50% of the population.

succulent cacti and spiny trees and shrubs

Carolina wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

(Photo from Free Desktop Backgrounds)

Common name:
Carolina wren (en); carriça-da-Carolina (pt); troglodyte de Caroline (fr); ratona carolinense (es); Carolinazaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae


Range:
These birds are found throughout the eastern United States, in southern Ontario, Canada, in north-eastern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.


Size:
The Carolina wren is 12-14 cm long and weigh 18-22 g.


Habitat:
These birds are mostly found in dry forest, but also in moist forests, brushy clear-cuts, dense scrublands, wooded swamps and wooded riparian areas. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 2.200 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat spiders and insects, such as caterpillars, moths, stick bugs, leafhoppers, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and cockroaches. They are also known to take small lizards, frogs or snakes and plant matter, such as fruit pulp and seeds from bayberry, sweetgum, or poison ivy.


Breeding:
Carolina wrens breed in March-October. Male and female build the nest together, a bulky cup or dome, made bark strips, dried grasses, dead leaves, pine needles, hair, feathers, straw, shed snakeskin, paper, plastic, or string. It may be placed in a wide variety of natural and artificial sites, including upturned roots, tree stumps, vine tangles, conifer branches, overhangs, abandoned woodpecker holes, boxes, tin cans, old shoes, mailboxes, old articles of clothing and furniture, window sills and coffee pots. The female lays 3-7 white or pinkish white eggs with rusty spots, which she incubates alone for 12-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 12-14 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 4 weeks later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 17 million individuals. The population has undergone a large increase of 16,8% per decade over the last 4 decades.

Winter wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

Photo by Fabio Giarrizzo (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
winter wren (en); carriça (pt); troglodyte mignon (fr); chochín (es); zaunkönig (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Troglodytidae


Range:
These birds are widely distributed in Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America, being found across Europe, including Iceland and the British Isles, into Russia, the Middle East and southern Asia, and through the Aleutian islands into Alaska, Canada and south along the eastern and western coasts of the United States down to Mexico.


Size:
The winter wren is 8-12 cm long and has a wingspan of 12-16 cm. They weigh 8-12 g.


Habitat:
They are found in a wide range of habitats, including coniferous and deciduous forests, riparian vegetation, scrubland, farmland, moorland, heaths, and urban parks and gardens. These birds have beed recorded from sea level up to an altitude of 4.600 m.


Diet:
Winter wrens are insectivorous, taking various insects and their larvae, but also spiders, millipedes and sometimes snails.


Breeding:
These birds breed in March-June. They build a dome-shaped nest in a hole or crevice, using grasses, moss, lichens and roots, and line it with feathers. The female lays 1-9 white eggs with reddish-brown eggs, which she incubates alone for 16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-19 days after hatching, but will continue to receive food from the parents for another 2-3 weeks.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC
The winter wren has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 200-1.000 million individuals. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes, but in Europe and North america populations seem to have undergone a moderate increase.

Bewick's wren

Thryomanes bewickii

Photo from Minette Layne (Wikipedia)

Common name:

Bewick's wren (en); carriça-de-Bewick (pt); troglodyte de Bewick (fr); ratona tepetatero (es); buschzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Troglodytidae

Range:

This species is mostly found in western North America, breeding locally from southern British Columbia, Nebraska, southern Ontario, and southwestern Pennsylvania south to Mexico, Arkansas and the northern Gulf States.

Size:

The Bewick's wren in 12-14 cm long and has a wingspan of 16-17 cm. They weigh 8-12 g.

Habitat:

This species is mostly found in thickets, underbrush, gardens, but also in many brushy or wooded habitats at lower elevations, including undergrowth in woods of oak and pine, streamside groves, chaparral, desert washes and suburban areas.

Diet:

Bewick's wrens mostly forage in the trees, but also on the ground, taking a wide variety of insects, including beetles, ants, wasps, hemipterans, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and many others. They also eat many spiders, and occasionally some berries and seeds.

Breeding:

These birds breed in April-July. They nest in a cup made of sticks, leaves, moss, spider egg cases, feathers, and hair, often lined with snake skin. The nest cup is usually placed in a cavity or on a shelf, although they can also use nest boxes. There the female lays 3-8 white eggs with brown and grey blotches, which she incubates alone for 14 days. Both parents feed the chicks which fledge 14 days after hatching. Each pair produces 2 broods per season.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

Bewick's wrens have a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 6 million individuals. Populations in the eastern United States have declined severely and are nearly gone, with only a few scattered breeding locations left. However, this species has greatly increased in number and range in the western United States, so the overall population trend was stable over the last 40 years.

Marsh wren

Cistothorus palustris

Photo by Christopher Dodds (Nature Photography Blog)

Common name:

marsh wren (en); carriça-dos-paúis (pt); troglodyte des marais (fr); ratona de los estuarios (es); sumpfzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Troglodytidae

Range:

This North American species is found breeding west from the Atlantic coast to Nebraska and north from southern Illinois to southern Canada. In the western United States this species is a year round resident and there are also breeding and resident populations along the coasts of the southern Atlantic and Gulf states. The wintering range extends south from the southwestern states of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas and into Mexico. Florida is also a wintering ground for the marsh wren.

Size:

The marsh wren is 10-14 cm long and weighs 9-14 g.

Habitat:

Marsh wrens use a variety of wetland habitats, showing some preference for cattail and bulbrush dominated vegetation. They occurs in salt and brackish marshes in addition to freshwater sites. The winter habitat is similar to that of the breeding range.

Diet:

These birds eat various invertebrates, especially insects like bees, ants, wasps, beetles, and moths, as well as spiders and aquatic invertebrates in freshwater marshes.

Breeding:

Marsh wrens are polygynous, with males mating with several females. The male builds several domed nests using grasses and sedges, before the females arrive in his territory. Each female uses one nest, laying 3-10 brown eggs with dark spots, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are brooded by the female alone, but males will sometimes feed older young. The young fledge 13-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population of 8 million individuals. Degradation and destruction of marshes and other wetland habitats is the main threat affecting this species, both during the breeding season and in winter. This population is slowly declining in the eastern portion of their range, but increasing in the western parts due an increase in the extent of favourable habitat.

Riverside wren

Cantorchilus semibadius

Common name:

riverside wren (en); carriça-ribeirinha (pt); troglodyte des ruisseaux (fr); cucarachero ribereño (es); uferzaunkönig (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Troglodytidae

Range:

This American species in only found in Panama and southern Costa Rica.

Size:

The riverside wren in 13-14 cm long and a wingspan of 26-30 cm. They weigh 18-22 g.

Habitat:

They are found in tropical and sub-tropical moist lowland forests, particularly along rivers and creeks. They are also found in densely forested gorges and along the edges of swamp forests. this species occurs from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:

The riverside wren feeds on a variety o invertebrates, including spiders, ear-worms, beetles and roaches. They often follow army ants in order to steal their prey.

Breeding:

These birds breed in December-August. Both parents build the nest, a complex globular structure suspended with a deep indentation in the lower part which divides the building into two approximately equal parts: one part of the brood chamber, secondly the hall that leads to an entry declining downwards. Between the two rooms, there is a threshold or sill. The nest is placed at a height of 1,5-2 m often above moving water. There the female lays 2 white eggs finely speckled with cinnamon or brown. The female incubates the eggs alone for 18-19 days and the chicks fledge 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species has a small breeding range and is described has uncommon and patchily distributed. The population size has not been quantified and the population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes. Overall the species is believed not to be threatened at present.