Banded Wren

Overview

The banded wren (Thryophilus pleurostictus) is a small songbird belonging to the wren family. It is a resident breeding species found from central Mexico to Costa Rica.

Identification

• 13.5 cm long and weighs 20 g.
• Chestnut brown upperparts with strong white supercilia, a brown stripe through the eye, and black streaking on white cheeks.
• White underparts featuring heavy black barring on the lower belly and flanks, with black-barred wings and tail.
• Song consists of a mix of clear whistles and musical trills, accompanied by a nasal 'cherrrt' or rattling call.

Habitat

Breeds in lowlands and foothills from sea level up to 800 m altitude in open or scrubby woodland, including forest clearings and second growth. It mainly occurs on the Pacific side of the central mountain ranges.

Diet

Forages actively in low vegetation or on the ground in pairs or family groups. Its diet consists mainly of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.

Did you know?

The flask-shaped nest has a long, downward-angled entrance tube and is constructed in a fork of a thorny tree or shrub, often close to a wasp nest.