White-breasted Wood-Wren
Henicorhina leucosticta
Very small, stub-tailed wren of humid tropical lowland forest. Favors forest understory, where usually found near or on the ground. Heard far more often than seen, and is notably elusive, even in fairly open understory. Common call is a metallic “peenk”; rather froglike and difficult to trace. Varied whistled songs rather short, usually introduced with a quiet whistled hiss. Note the boldly striped face, white bib, rich dark brown upperparts, and short tail. Gray-breasted Wood-Wren occurs in highlands.
Identification
The adult white-breasted wood wren is 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and weighs 16 grams (0.56 oz). It has chestnut brown upperparts with a darker crown, pale supercilia, and black-and-white streaked sides of the head and neck. The underparts are white becoming buff on the lower belly. The wings and very short tail are barred with black. Young birds have duller upperparts and grey underparts.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Henicorhina leucosticta
- Authority
- (Cabanis, 1847)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Henicorhina
Range and habitat
H. leucosticta breeds in lowlands and foothills up to 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea level in tropical wet forest and adjacent tall second growth. Its neat roofed nest is constructed on the ground or occasionally very low in undergrowth, and is concealed by dense vegetation. The eggs are incubated by the female alone for about two weeks to hatching, and the young fledge in about the same length of time again. This species may build a “dormitory nest” for individuals or family groups, which is typically higher, than the breeding nest, up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) off the ground.<p>The white-breasted wood wren forages actively in low vegetation or on the ground in pairs in family groups. It mainly eats insects and other invertebrates
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Toxostoma redivivum
Long-tailed with long, slender bill that is sharply downcurved. Drab grayish-brown without any markings. Paler on throat; warmer orangey color on belly. Often hard to see when lurking in dense shrubs. Sings from prominent perches. Song is seemingly endless and complex. Forages primarily on the ground. Range restricted to dense brush and woodland in California and Baja California.
Rusty-barred Owl
Strix hylophila
Uniform buffy-brown owl with dark eyes. Mottled brown and white above and lightly barred on the breast. Found in montane, lowland humid and second growth, preferring areas with dense understory. Both sexes give a high-pitched meow and low harsh “grugrugru, grugrugru.”
Jamaican Euphonia
Euphonia jamaica
A very small and active inhabitant of most wooded habitats and gardens where it forages mostly on fruits and flowers. Note this species’ short, stubby bill, and mostly gray head and underparts. The Orangequit is somewhat similar but is readily distinguished by its longer and slightly curved bill. Additionally, male Orangequits are darker gray and have an orange throat, while female Orangequits have brown upperparts. Song is rapid-fire jumble of squeaks, whistles, and buzzes. The call note is a sharp “tseet.” Jamaican Euphonias also give a scratchy, squeaky “bao,” which is given singly, in series, or interjected into songs.
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