Plain-tailed Wren
Pheugopedius euophrys
Bamboo-loving wren of the Andes known for its beautiful song duets. Plumage and song vary geographically. All birds are brown and gray overall with black and white face and mustache stripes. In most of Ecuador and in southwestern Colombia, it has black spots or speckles on its breast. Elsewhere it lacks breast markings and has a black crown. Pairs skulk in dense bamboo, and their loud, whistled song duets carry over long distances.
识别特征
The plain-tailed wren has an unflattened wing of 64–71 mm and weighs from 20 to 36 g. The back, wings, and tail are rufous, with an olive cast on the back. The belly and other underparts are buffy-gray, and the head is gray with black and white stripes (superciliary, malar, and submalar stripes). The bill is gray and slightly decurved. The plain-tailed is large for a wren, but shows the characteristic short tail shared by the family. As the name suggests, it is unique among wrens because its tail lacks any barring.<p>Plain-tailed wrens on the western slope of the Andes tend to have heavy black spotting on the breast, while eastern-slope birds show no such markings.<p>The plain-tailed wren sings a rolling, repetitive song. Singing pairs of plain-tailed wrens coordinate such that the duets between males and females alternate syllables so quickly it sounds as if a single bird is singing. Research finds the brains of both birds process the entire duet, not just each bird's own contribution. Groups of males and females also in groups of up to seven individuals chorus in synchrony. Each bird has a repertoire of roughly 20 phrases, and they, in synchrony, select the same type at the same time as others of their sex. Songs can last up to 2 min, during which individuals join in and drop out. Two-part antiphonal choruses usually take an ABCD form, where the male contributes the A and C phrases and the female sings during B and D. Group choruses are thought to be used in mutual territory defense to intimidate intruding individuals.
分类信息
The plain-tailed wren belongs to the order Passeriformes and the family Troglodytidae. There are four subspecies, T. euophrys euophrys, T. e. longipes, T. e. atriceps, and T. e. schulenbergi.
- 学名
- Pheugopedius euophrys
- 命名信息
- (Sclater, PL, 1860)
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Troglodytidae
- 属
- Pheugopedius
分布与栖息地
The plain-tailed wren prefers chusquea bamboo thickets in tropical moist montane forests. It also frequents recently disturbed areas, such as fresh landslides, presumably because of the increase in insect activity. It is most commonly found at elevations between 2200 and 3200 metres. It is found mainly in Ecuador, but its range extends into southern Colombia and northern Peru.The plain-tailed wren is listed as a species of least concern. It is common within its range.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
The plain-tailed wren is mainly insectivorous, like most other wrens. Its diet can include seeds and berries, but these are not its primary food source. The bird is most often observed foraging on or near the ground in chusquea bamboo undergrowth, in search of invertebrates.<p>Plain-tailed wrens are thought to use song duetting as a form of bonding and/or mate guarding. No other information regarding mating systems or nesting behavior was found.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- unknown
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
White-throated Screech-Owl
Megascops albogularis
Large screech-owl found in temperate forests, typically from around 2,300–3,400 m. Quite dark brown overall with small pale spots and bars covering head, back, and wings. Belly is paler tawny with dark streaks. White throat patch is usually obvious. Sexes similar. Strictly nocturnal and thus more often heard than seen; listen for a fairly short and slow series of toots that descends in pitch, often given as a duet.
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Merops viridis
A bright green insect hunter with a long bill and triangular starling-like wings. Adult has a bright blue throat, orange-brown crown and nape, and long trailing central tail feathers. Sexes are alike. Juveniles have a paler blue throat, no orange-brown coloration, and no long tail extensions. Often hunts from exposed perches such as telephone lines or snags, on which it rubs its venomous quarry so as to disarm it. Call is a bright, inflected “chileep.”
Spot-breasted Lapwing
Vanellus melanocephalus
A chunky lapwing of the Ethiopian highlands. Note the black cap, white eyebrow, black throat, and coarse spots across the breast. Found in both wet and dry montane habitats, including grassland, moorland, and marsh. Often in flocks, which can be large. In flight, looks similar to other lapwings, but easily separated by details of the head and breast pattern. The call is a rough “shrek,” often repeated.
开始您的观鸟之旅
在户外识别鸟类，并在下一次观察时随手查阅鸟类图鉴。