Song Wren

Overview

The song wren, Cyphorhinus phaeocephalus, is a small passerine bird in the family Troglodytidae found across Central and South America. It is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is thought to be declining due to habitat disturbance and fragmentation.

Identification

• Nearly uniform brown body, sometimes paler on the breast, with a distinct chestnut throat.
• Measuring 11.5 to 12.5 cm in length and weighing 25 to 26 g, it features black bars on its wings and very short tail.
• Possesses a patch of bare blue skin around the eye.
• Song is characterised by clear, melodious whistles superimposed on harsh, henlike clucking.

Habitat

The species inhabits the interiors of lowland primary and secondary forests, favouring areas with dense undergrowth while shunning dry landscapes and well-lit zones. Its range spans from southeastern Honduras and eastern Nicaragua southwards to southern Ecuador, including parts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia.

Diet

The song wren forages almost exclusively on the forest floor, where it tosses and probes leaf litter. Its diet consists predominantly of small invertebrates, with spiders accounting for almost half of the prey items.

Did you know?

The bird constructs gourd-shaped dormitory nests for roosting in addition to its breeding nests, maintaining this nesting behaviour almost year-round.