Wrenthrush
Zeledonia coronata
A strange little understory bird, unmistakable if seen well. Plump and very short-tailed, like a small antpitta or wren. Mostly gray with olive back; most distinctive feature is orange crown. Sexes alike. Found in high-elevation forests from 1500m to treeline, often around bamboo, and always close to the ground. Listen for high, thin calls.
Identification
The wrenthrush is 10 to 11.5 cm (3.9 to 4.5 in) long and weighs about 21 g (0.74 oz). It is short-tailed and rather plump, with a short thin bill somewhat like that of a Parulidae warbler. The sexes are alike. Adults have a large yellow-orange patch with black borders on their crown. Their face and the sides of their neck are leaden gray. Their upperparts, tail, and flanks are dull olive bronze. Their underparts are leaden gray with an olive tinge to the undertail coverts. Juveniles do not have the orange crown and their upperparts are more brownish than those of adults.
Taxonomy
The wrenthrush is the only member of its genus and family. Despite its name, it is neither a wren (Troglodytidae) nor a thrush (Turdidae), and is not closely related to either of those families. Over time it has been treated as related to thrushes and Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae) and by the late 20th century was placed as a member of the New World warblers (Parulidae). Phylogenetic studies of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA after that date led to reassessment of several genera and in 2017 the wrenthrush was moved to its own family. The exact placement of that family is still not firmly settled, but most taxonomic systems agree that it is closely related to the spindalises (Spindalidae), Cuban warblers (Teretistridae), and several other small Caribbean families, and more distantly related to New World sparrows (Passerellidae) and New World blackbirds (Icteridae). BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World places it much closer to the New World sparrows and blackbirds than do the others.<p>The wrenthrush's genus name commemorates José Castulo Zeledón, a Costa Rican ornithologist. It is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Zeledonia coronata
- Authority
- Ridgway, 1889
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Zeledoniidae
- Genus
- Zeledonia
Range and habitat
The wrenthrush is found from the Cordillera de Guanacaste in northern Costa Rica discontinuously through that country into western Panama's Chiriquí and Veraguas provinces. It inhabits montane evergreen forest and elfin forest, landscapes characterized by constant wetness and fog. It particularly favors dense vegetation near streams, including stands of Chusquea bamboo. In elevation it ranges from about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) up to treeline; in Costa Rica it mostly occurs around 2,500 m (8,200 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie
Urocissa flavirostris
The southwestern counterpart of the Red-billed Blue-Magpie, this colorful long-tailed corvid also forages in noisy flocks. Similar in coloration to Red-billed, but Yellow-billed is paler blue overall, with a small white patch at the back of the crown instead of an extensive white stripe, and a bright yellow bill instead of a scarlet one. Primarily found in Himalayan hill forest, with disjunct populations in northwestern Myanmar and northern Vietnam.
Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah
Vidua obtusa
Lays its eggs in the nests of Orange-winged Pytilia. The distinctive breeding male has a long, broad tail. Non-breeding males and females are nondescript sparrow-like birds with striped heads and pale underparts. Found in broadleaf woodland, mainly miombo. Most records are of the conspicuous and easily identified breeding-plumaged males. Mimics the inconspicuous vocalizations of its host Orange-winged Pytilia. Breeding male is similar to Eastern Paradise-Whydah, but has a shorter and broader tail, and darker buff and rufous coloration on the nape and breast. Non-breeding male and female are very similar to Eastern, but have a paler bill and lack strong “comma” marks on the cheek. Also similar to female and non-breeding male indigobirds, but larger.
Amazonian Antpitta
Myrmothera berlepschi
Lowland rainforest antpitta of secondary growth. Typical antpitta shape, with long legs, almost no tail, and a plump body. Light brown above, white with diffuse brown streaking below, and a tawny wash on the face and breast. Lighter and more orangey than the similar Thrush-like Antpitta, which prefers more mature forest habitat. Does not have a strong facial pattern like other lowland antpittas. Secretive and difficult to see; listen for its song, a series of 3-5 loud “coop” notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.