Thrush-like Wren
Encyclopedia
The Thrush-like Wren is a South America
n species of bird
in the Troglodytidae family, the wren
s. As suggested by its common
and scientific name, its size and coloration are vaguely reminiscent of that of a thrush
, although the general impression it gives in life is very different and not at all "thrush-like".
are dull amber, maroon or brown.
Unlike most other wrens, it is typically found from mid-levels to canopy
height. Despite its size, it is relatively inconspicuous, and usually revealed only by its loud, complex voice, which is highly characteristic. It feeds primarily on insects, but will also take vegetable matter and small invertebrates. Typically forages in pairs or small groups.
. C. turdinus hypostictus is found in the southern and western Amazon Rainforest
in south-eastern Colombia
, eastern Ecuador
, eastern Peru
, northern Bolivia
and Amazonian Brazil
south of the Amazon River
. The paler, greyer and much more uniform C. t. unicolor is found in the drier and more open wooded habitats in the Pantanal
of Brazil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay
and far northern Argentina
(where range is expanding). The nominate subspecies, C. t. turdinus, resembles C. t. hypostictus both in habitat preference and morphology
, and is found in the narrow coastal belt of Atlantic moist forests
in eastern Brazil from near Salvador da Bahia in north to Espírito Santo
in south. It is relatively common in most of its range.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Troglodytidae family, the wren
Wren
The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
s. As suggested by its common
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
and scientific name, its size and coloration are vaguely reminiscent of that of a thrush
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
, although the general impression it gives in life is very different and not at all "thrush-like".
Overview
With a total length of approximately 20 cm (8 in), it is among the largest species of wrens. The head and mantle are brownish-gray. The wings and upper tail are dull brown with dense blackish barring. The whitish underparts are heavily spotted with dusky, except on the throat. It typically shows a distinctive whitish eyebrow and the relatively long tail is commonly held cocked. The slightly decurved bill is relatively long, and, for a wren, thick. The iridesIris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
are dull amber, maroon or brown.
Unlike most other wrens, it is typically found from mid-levels to canopy
Canopy (forest)
In biology, the canopy is the aboveground portion of a plant community or crop, formed by plant crowns.For forests, canopy also refers to the upper layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and including other biological organisms .Sometimes the term canopy is used to refer to the extent...
height. Despite its size, it is relatively inconspicuous, and usually revealed only by its loud, complex voice, which is highly characteristic. It feeds primarily on insects, but will also take vegetable matter and small invertebrates. Typically forages in pairs or small groups.
Subspecies and distribution
The Thrush-like Wren inhabits three main regions; each with its own subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. C. turdinus hypostictus is found in the southern and western Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
in south-eastern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, eastern Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, eastern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, northern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Amazonian Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
south of the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. The paler, greyer and much more uniform C. t. unicolor is found in the drier and more open wooded habitats in the Pantanal
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
of Brazil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and far northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(where range is expanding). The nominate subspecies, C. t. turdinus, resembles C. t. hypostictus both in habitat preference and morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, and is found in the narrow coastal belt of Atlantic moist forests
Atlantic moist forests
The Atlantic moist forests, also known as the Atlantic coastal forests, are tropical moist evergreen forests, part of the Atlantic Forests complex of eastern Brazil. The Atlantic moist forests mostly lie within 80 km of the Atlantic coast. Restingas, coastal forests which grow on stabilized...
in eastern Brazil from near Salvador da Bahia in north to Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo is one of the states of southeastern Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation "ES". Its capital is Vitória and the largest city is Vila Velha. The name of the state means literally "holy spirit" after the Holy Ghost of Christianity...
in south. It is relatively common in most of its range.
External links
- Thrush-like Wren videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Thrush-like Wren photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res
- Photo-High Res; Article ib.usp.br—"Troglodytidae"
- Photo-High Res; Article justbirds–"Brazil Birds"
