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
Other Birds
Javan Kingfisher
Halcyon cyanoventris
Large kingfisher with a massive lipstick-red bill. Note dark head, dark chestnut throat and chest, purplish body, electric blue wings, and large black shoulder patch. Bright white wing patches revealed in flight. Uses a variety of both wet and dry lowland and foothill habitats, including ponds, mangroves, agricultural fields, open forest, and scrub. Can be close to human habitation. Gives high piping screams, often in series.
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Glyphorynchus spirurus
Very small woodcreeper of evergreen forest in humid tropical lowlands and foothills. Creeps up trunks, often in spirals, picking at the bark for food, then flies low to another tree before hitching upwards again. Forages on fairly large trunks as well as slender trees. Often travels with mixed-species feeding flocks. Note the short, wedge-shaped bill and pale buffy breast spotting.
Collared/Marañon Antshrike
Thamnophilus bernardi/shumbae
Stout-billed antshrike found in arid areas of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Male is brown and white with a black head, throat, and breast; tail is black with a white tip. Female is brown and buff with a black face speckled with white. Both sexes have a bushy crest and bold wing markings. Birds in the Marañon drainage look a bit different; males have paler faces and less black on the underparts; females have whiter underparts. Inhabits deserts, dry scrub, and deciduous forest understory. Song is a very fast, nasal trill that ends on a longer, higher note.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.