Whiskered Wren
Pheugopedius mystacalis
Fairly large wren, found in foothills and subtropics from Venezuela to western Ecuador. More often heard than seen; listen for rich whistled song usually given in widely spaced repeated phrases. Rufous above and pale grayish below, with striped black-and-white face pattern. Black bars on tail, unlike similar Plain-tailed Wren, which is found at higher elevations. Sexes similar. Skulks in thickets and tangles at the forest edge, usually in pairs.
Identification
The whiskered wren is 16 cm (6.3 in) long; a specimen from Venezuela weighed 29 g (1.0 oz). The nominate adult has a grayish-black crown, olivaceous gray nape, bright chestnut shoulders, back, and rump, and a reddish brown tail with dull black bars. It has a grayish white supercilium, a black line through the eye, blackish cheeks with a white line below and a black malar stripe below that. The chin and throat are off-white, the chest gray darkening to olivaceous gray on the belly, and the flanks reddish gray. The juvenile is duller than the adult with less prominent facial markings and a buffy throat.<p>The other subspecies have small differences from the nominate. P. m. saltuensis has a grayer chest and less distinct bars on the tail. P. m. yanachae has a slate-gray crown. P. m. macrurus' tail is dingy brown. P. m. amaurogaster is much darker with a sooty brown crown and ochraceous tawny underparts. P. m. consobrinus has a buffy tinge to the supercilium and a buffy neck and chest. P. m. tachirensis is darker than consobrinus with a dusky olive crown and white throat. P. m. ruficaudatus has more buff on its face and no bars on the tail.
Taxonomy
The whiskered wren was at one time treated as conspecific with the moustached wren (Pheugopedius genibarbis). It has eight subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Pheugopedius mystacalis
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1860)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Pheugopedius
Range and habitat
The subspecies of the whiskered wren are found thus:<p>The whiskered wren inhabits dense undergrowth such as is found at the edge of humid forest and in regrowing clearings. It shuns the forest interior. In elevation it generally ranges between 1,200 and 2,400 m (3,900 and 7,900 ft) but can be found as high as 2,800 m (9,200 ft) and in Ecuador almost down to sea level.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The whiskered wren forages in pairs as high as 10 to 12 m (33 to 39 ft) above ground. Its diet has not been described.<p>The whiskered wren appears to have a long breeding season; nest building has been observed from December to May. The nest is a large ball of roots and grass with a side entrance, usually placed in the fork of a small tree or in ferns.<p>Both sexes of whiskered wren sing in duet, "a splendid series of loud gurgling whistles" [1]. The call is "a deep throaty 'bong bong'" [2].
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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