Peruvian Wren
Cinnycerthia peruana
An accomplished songster found in cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes in northern and central Peru. Some birds are almost entirely brown with faint black barring on wings and tail. Other birds have a variable amount of white on the face and forehead. Plumage is very similar to Sharpe’s Wren, which overlaps with it in northern Peru but is found mainly at lower elevations. In the area of overlap, voice is the best way to separate the two species. Peruvian Wren is often encountered in large family groups that move together through the lower and middle levels of the forest. Pairs sing elaborate duets consisting of rich whistles and trills. They also give rapid, frantic rattles when agitated.
Identification
The Peruvian wren is 15.5 to 16 cm (6.1 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 19.6 g (0.69 oz). The adults' upperparts are rich chestnut, with the crown and rump being redder. They have a variable amount of white on the face. The tail is also rich chestnut and has narrow black bars. The chin and throat are orange-brown and the chest, belly, and flanks are the same hue but darker. The juvenile is believed to resemble the adult but with no white on the face.
Taxonomy
What is now the Peruvian wren was formerly called sepia-brown wren and at that time included as subspecies what are now the species Cinnycerthia olivascens and C. fulva. Confusingly, after the split the name sepia-brown wren was transferred to C. olivascens by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), but the South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society (SACC/AOS) and the Clements taxonomy call it Sharpe's wren. C. fulva is named fulvous wren.<p>The Peruvian wren is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Cinnycerthia peruana
- Authority
- (Cabanis, 1873)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Cinnycerthia
Range and habitat
The Peruvian wren is found in the Andes of Peru between the departments of Amazonas and Ayacucho. It inhabits wet montane forest, secondary forest, and their edges. In elevation it ranges from 1,500 to 3,300 m (4,900 to 10,800 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Peruvian wren forages in groups that appear to be extended families. It usually feeds on or near the ground in vegetation and litter, but its diet has not been documented.<p>The Peruvian wren appears to have a protracted breeding season, base on the dates that occupied nests, newly hatched chicks, and fledglings have been observed. One nest has been described; it was a pouch with a down-facing entrance tunnel, constructed of rootlets, moss, and bamboo leaves, and suspended from a bamboo stem.<p>Peruvian wren pairs often sing in duet, "a magnificent series of rich trills and clear whistles" [1]. Its call is "a gravelly, chattering 'ch-d-d-d'" [2].
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-browed Tit
Aegithalos iouschistos
Minute tit with a large round head and rusty orange underparts. Black brow is very thick and shaped like a semicircle; would be a black cap were it not for the bright white crown stripe. Somewhat similar to Black-throated Tit, but that species has a solid black throat, a bright orange cap, and a black mask. Very social, often found in large flocks in temperate forests and forest edges with dense lower levels. Gives a variety of calls, including a short staccato trill.
Bornean Wren-Babbler
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Large, stout wren-babbler. Highly dependent on pristine lowland forests; populations now declining and increasingly fragmented across Borneo as that habitat is rapidly deforested. Shy, foraging quietly under dense cover and amongst fallen trunks, usually in pairs or small groups. Best detected by song, a simple but beautiful two-note series of mournful, clear whistles: “doooo-deeee.” If seen well, note whitish face, white-and-black-streaked underparts, brown back, and pot-bellied appearance.
Wetar Oriole
Oriolus finschi
Brown above and pale below, with a dark mask and black bill. Juveniles are heavily streaked. Singles and pairs can be found in lowland and foothill forest patches, woodlands, mangroves, and cultivated areas. Resembles Helmeted Friarbird, but lacks a casque, naked facial skin, and a prominent nostril on the blunter-tipped bill. Gives a high-pitched “k’yow” and “weeyoo.”
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