Black-bellied Wren

Overview

The black-bellied wren (Pheugopedius fasciatoventris) is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae found in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Identification

• Males weigh 23.5 to 34.5 g and females 19.5 to 28.5 g.
• Adults possess a rich chestnut back and tail with black bars on the tail.
• Features a white supercilium above a grayish face, with white on the chin, throat, and breast.
• The black belly is unmarked in one subspecies but has thin white bars in the other two.

Habitat

The species inhabits the interior and edges of primary and secondary forest and is often associated with streams. Its range extends from the Gulf of Nicoya in western Costa Rica through western Panama to the Canal Zone, and into Colombia's Chocó Department and northwestern and central regions.

Diet

The black-bellied wren forages mainly in the canopy and sub-canopy, though it occasionally visits the understory or ground, always within dense cover. It preys on small arthropods, though specific details are scant.

Did you know?

Both sexes possess large song repertoires, with one male recorded having 38 different songs and a female having 19.