Fulvous Wren
Cinnycerthia fulva
Reddish-brown wren with a faint pale eyebrow found in the understory of humid montane forest. Larger and longer-tailed than the tiny Mountain Wren, which also has a bolder eyebrow. Replaced at the northern end of its range by the very similar Peruvian Wren. Forages singly or in pairs low in bushes and near the ground. Listen for its loud song, a flowing series of whistles and trills.
Identification
The fulvous wren is 14.5 cm (5.7 in) long; male weights average 18.4 g (0.65 oz) and female weights 14.8 g (0.52 oz). The nominate adults have a reddish brown crown and back that is redder on the rump. They have a buff supercilium, a dull brown eye stripe, and buffy cinnamon cheeks. The tail is also reddish brown, and has narrow blackish bars crossing it. The throat is buffy white, the chest buffy cinnamon darkening to reddish brown on the flanks and belly. C. f. fitzpatricki has a darker crown and a lighter supercilium than the nominate. C. f. gravesi has a whitish supercilium and its underparts are paler than those of the nominate. The immature is similar to the nominate adult but its crown is grayish.
Taxonomy
The fulvous wren was formerly considered a subspecies of Cinnycerthia peruana, which at that time was called sepia-brown wren and is now called Peruvian wren. Fulvous wren, Peruvian wren, and what is now called sepia-brown wren (C. olivascens) form a superspecies.<p>The fulvous wren has three subspecies, the nominate Cinnycerthia fulva fulva, C. f. fitzpatricki, and C. f. gravesi.
- Scientific name
- Cinnycerthia fulva
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1874)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Cinnycerthia
Range and habitat
The nominate fulvous wren is found in the eastern Andes of Peru, primarily in the Department of Cuzco. C. f. fitzpatricki is found in the Vilcabamba mountain range, which is also in Cuzco. C. f. gravesi is found from southern Peru's Department of Puno south to central Bolivia's Cochabamba Department. The species inhabits wet montane forest between 1,500 and 3,300 m (4,900 and 10,800 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The fulvous wren forages on the ground and in low vegetation, often in small flocks. Its diet has not been described.<p>Virtually nothing is known about the fulvous wren's breeding phenology except that birds in breeding condition were documented in January in Bolivia.<p>The fulvous wren's song and calls have not been formally described. An example of each from Xeno-canto are [1] and [2].
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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