340

RUFOUS-BREASTED WREN  Pheugopedius rutilus 12–13cm. Handsome,

distinctive wren of humid foothill forest edge, second growth, bamboo thickets,

especially with vine tangles. Forages low to high in tangles. Note spotted and

streaked face and throat contrasting with rusty breast, bright rusty crown. Juv.

duller overall, especially crown, face less distinctly marked. SOUNDS: Similar to

congeneric Spot-breasted Wren. Song of (usually 4–6) rich slurred whistles,

seee’ch-úwhee..., or see’wee si-wee-ch’wee..., 1–1.2 secs, every few secs; longer and

more complex in duets. Springy rising trill, more musical than Spot-breasted;

bursts of staccato churring. STATUS: Fairly common on Pacific slope, mainly

300–1800m, locally lower. (Costa Rica to nw. S America.)

SPOT-BREASTED WREN  Pheugopedius maculipectus 12.5–13.5cm. Humid

lowland thickets and second growth, forest edge with leafy and viny tangles.

Tends to be rather skulking, low to high. Distinctive, with striped face and

dense black spotting on underparts. Juv. has dusky face and underparts, traces

of adult pattern. SOUNDS: Similar to congeneric Rufous-breasted Wren. Song

a bright series of (usually 4–6) slurred rich whistles, such as swee chur-tili-

wheechu, 1.2–1.5 secs, every few secs; longer and more complex in duets.

Springy, drawn-out rising trill; dry, gruff rapid chatters. STATUS: Fairly common

locally in n. Caribbean lowlands; disjunct population found late 2010s in Río

Chirripo drainage, 600–1200m. (Mexico to Costa Rica.)

STRIPE-BREASTED WREN  Cantorchilus thoracicus 11–12cm. Fairly small,

distinctive, rather short-tailed wren of humid forest and edge, streamside

thickets, second growth. Forages at all levels in tangles, dead-leaf clusters, along

branches. Note boldly striped face and breast, barred wings, relatively short tail.

Juv. has more-muted striping, soon like adult. SOUNDS: Song a fairly simple

chant of rich loud whistles, usually 4–13× in almost continuous flow, such as

to-wee-te-chur, to-wee-te-chur...; more complex in duet, but typically less vari­

ation in pitch than Spot-breasted Wren. Clipped cheuk and low, gruff, slightly

rolled chert, often in short bursts; slightly plaintive whistle repeated steadily,

peeh, peeh..., 10 notes/8 secs; might suggest a slow pygmy owl. STATUS: Fairly common to common on

Caribbean slope, to 1000m; spills over locally to adjacent n. Pacific slope. (Honduras to Panama.)

BAY WREN  Cantorchilus nigricapillus 14–15cm. Distinctive, boldly patterned

wren of humid thickets, second growth, especially streamsides and around

lagoons, also roadsides, forest edge. Note striking head pattern, bright rusty

body. Juv. duller overall, with less distinct whitish head markings; soon like

adult. SOUNDS: Song notably rich, powerful, and varied. Short phrases, 0.5–1

sec, every few secs, such as a quick, rich pee-chu-churree, a slower whuh

chee’huhrr, sometimes ending with rapid staccato rolls; duets typically involve

rapid 4–12× repetition of short, often complex phrases, whee-chwíchiti whee-

chwíchiti..., can include staccato rolls. Calls include rough, low rasping zzzeh

often repeated steadily; spluttering raspy chatters; burry beeihr; and rich rolled chehrrr. STATUS: Fairly

common to common on Caribbean slope, to 1200m. (Honduras to w. Ecuador.)

BLACK-THROATED WREN  Pheugopedius atrogularis 14.5–15.5cm. Rela­

tively large, dark chestnut-brown wren of dense second growth at forest edge,

along streams, in adjacent overgrown plantations. At low to mid-levels in

thickets, vine tangles. Note black face and breast, vestigial white face streaks,

barred undertail coverts but relatively plain wings and tail; could suggest an

antbird. Juv. duller overall with olive-brown upperparts, dusky face and breast.

SOUNDS: Song rich and powerful, typically a few slurred rich whistles run into

a staccato roll or mellow trill, such as wheeu cheu’whee’h’h’huhuhu, 1.5–2.5 secs,

every few secs; less hurried and vigorous than shorter songs of Bay Wren; longer

and more complex in overlapping duets. Calls include a slowing dry churr, 1 sec, faster-paced than

Canebrake Wren. STATUS: Fairly common on Caribbean slope, to 1100m; spills over locally to adjacent n.

Pacific slope. (Honduras to nw. Panama.)