Spot-breasted Wren

Overview

The spot-breasted wren (Pheugopedius maculipectus) is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is distributed across Central America and Mexico, including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Identification

• Adults of the nominate subspecies feature a reddish brown crown and upperparts, with a chestnut rump and a dull brown tail with narrow dark bars.
• A white supercilium is present, while the rest of the face and neck are streaked with black and white.
• The throat, chest, and center of the belly are pale gray with black spots, contrasting with orange-buff, unspotted flanks and lower belly.
• The species measures 12.5 to 14 cm in length, and its song consists of a cheerful series of clear whistling gurgles sung by both sexes.

Habitat

The species inhabits a wide variety of environments, including humid and dry forests (intact, disturbed, and regrowing) as well as cocoa and citrus plantations. It ranges in elevation from sea level up to 1,300 m in Mexico and Honduras, but only up to 200 m in Costa Rica.

Diet

Foraging occurs at low levels within dense vegetation, typically in pairs or family groups. Although its specific diet is not well defined, it is probably composed mostly of invertebrates.

Did you know?

The spot-breasted wren builds a dome-shaped nest with a side entrance, typically placed in the crotch of a tree or in ferns up to 6 m above the ground.