Gray-barred Wren
Campylorhynchus megalopterus
Large, noisy wren of pine-oak and conifer forests in mountains of south-central Mexico; endemic. Usually found in groups, foraging low in brushy tangles or high in tall trees. Clambers along branches and pokes into bromeliads, often in mixed-species feeding flocks with orioles and woodcreepers. Plumage is distinctive, with boldly spotted breast and boldly banded back, wings, and tail. Juveniles (seen in summer) are very different, with streaked buffy back and plain whitish breast.
Identification
The gray-barred wren is 17 to 19.5 cm (6.7 to 7.7 in) long and weighs 32.8 to 33.5 g (1.16 to 1.18 oz). Both sexes of the nominate have a grayish crown with a black center, a black and white striped nape, and black shoulders and back barred with white. Their throat and chest are white with black spots and the flanks buff with blackish bars. C. m. nelsoni is the smaller of the subspecies and its underparts' spots and bars are grayish brown. The juvenile has a solid brown cap and is buff and brownish overall with no bars on the back and no spots on the chest.
Taxonomy
The gray-barred wren has two subspecies, the nominate Campylorhynchus megalopterus megalopterus and C. m. nelsoni. The latter has been suggested as a separate species but there are only small differences between the subspecies in size and plumage and no apparent differences in their voices.
- Scientific name
- Campylorhynchus megalopterus
- Authority
- Lafresnaye, 1845
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Troglodytidae
- Genus
- Campylorhynchus
Range and habitat
The ranges of the two subspecies of gray-barred wren do not meet. The nominate is found in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt from Jalisco and Michoacán east to western Puebla. C. m. nelsoni is found in the southern Sierra Madre Oriental from west-central Veracruz through eastern Puebla into northern Oaxaca. It inhabits several types of montane forest including humid pine-oak and stands of Abies fir. It occurs in both primary and secondary forest. In elevation it ranges between 2,100 and 3,150 m (6,890 and 10,330 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Though the gray-barred wren's diet has not been documented, it is probably small invertebrates. It does not forage on the ground but probes epiphytes, mosses, and lichens.<p>The gray-barred wren's breeding season appears to be May to June. Its nest is a domed structure with a side entrance constructed of moss and placed high in a tree. Little else is known about the species' breeding phenology.<p>The gray-barred wren's song is "a rapid harsh chatter" [1]; both sexes sing in duet. Its call is "a harsh 'karrr'" [2].
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Huet's Fulvetta
Alcippe hueti
Noisy flocking bird of a wide range of hilly and montane forested habitats. Modestly colored, with a brown body (darker above, paler below), white throat, and gray head marked by a sharp black stripe above the brow extending from the bill to the nape. Often a major component of mixed-species feeding flocks. Chatters loudly and constantly when foraging.
Mountain Plover
Anarhynchus montanus
Medium-sized, plain buffy plover that favors flat open areas with little or no vegetation. Plain whitish underparts with no breast band. Look for black forehead and white eyebrow in breeding plumage. Nonbreeding birds have a plainer face. Also note slender dark bill and upright posture. Rare and local. Rather poorly-named; essentially never seen in mountainous regions. Breeds on shortgrass prairies, often with areas of bare ground. Winters in flocks in barren fields, from the southwestern U.S. to central Mexico.
Sedge Wren
Cistothorus stellaris
Tiny, bubbly, buffy-colored wren of damp grassy areas. Brighter cinnamon wash on flanks. Compared to similar Marsh Wren, note head pattern: Sedge has streaky crown and much less obvious pale eyebrow. Sedge also has barred wings and lacks plain dark brown shoulder patch. Also note habitat differences: prefers damp weedy fields and meadows, not cattail marshes. Generally secretive, but perches up when singing. Like most wrens, small size contrasts with large voice: one or two introductory notes followed by a loud, sharp, metallic trill of varying speed. Breeds mainly in the central U.S. and Canada; winters to northeast Mexico.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.