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*HOUSE WREN Troglodytes aedon 10.5–11.5cm. Widespread in a variety of
semi-open and wooded habitats, often around human habitation, from ranch
buildings and brush piles in gardens to humid forest edge, second growth,
weedy pastures. Often skulking and mouse-like, but sings from prominent
perch. Distinctive but rather plain: often has pale eyering but no strong eyebrow
or face striping; cf. shorter-tailed and mostly arboreal Ochraceous Wren of
highland forests. Juv. has soft dusky scalloping on underparts, soon attains adult
appearance. SOUNDS: Song a variably complex, fast-paced, ebullient chortling
medley, 2–3 secs; often starts with a few gruff rasps, ends with 2–4 rapid staccato
notes or motifs; repeated every few secs. Calls are varied chucks, mews, and rasps; commonly a gruff chet
and rolled cherr, often in hesitant, fairly slow-paced chatters. STATUS: Common to fairly common to
2700m, locally (increasing?) to 3000m. (Americas.)
OCHRACEOUS WREN Troglodytes ochraceus 9–10cm. Attractive small wren
of humid highland forest and edge, adjacent overgrown pastures with scattered
taller trees. Forages low to high, often at mid-levels on trunks and branches,
amid epiphytes and tangles; joins mixed flocks. Distinctive, with bright buffy
face and broad pale eyebrow, rather short tail; cf. longer-tailed and duller House
Wren. Juv. duller overall, with dusky scalloping on underparts. SOUNDS: Song a
high, fairly rapid, tinkling and jumbled warble, 2–2.5 secs, every 2–8 secs.
High, springy, downslurred trill, t’sirrrrr, fading and slowing slightly at end,
about 0.5 sec. STATUS: Fairly common to common, mainly 900–2400m, locally
to 3000m. (Costa Rica to Panama.)
TIMBERLINE WREN Thryorchilus browni 10–11cm. Small but chunky,
short-tailed wren of thickets and tangles at humid highland forest edge and in
páramo, especially with bamboo. Singles and pairs creep through tangles and
along mossy branches, tail often cocked; can be inquisitive. Distinctive, with
bold white eyebrow, silvery-white wing patch. SOUNDS: Song a high, rambling,
often rather unhurried warble, mostly 6–20 secs, often with slightly tinny or
scratchy quality but nonetheless musical; typically involves multiple repetitions
of a rather complex chanting phrase. Low rasping zzheh, repeated; overslurred
to downslurred, bright ringing tchiih or psiih, often repeated steadily; varied
raspy and squeaky chatters. STATUS: Fairly common to common in Central and Talamanca Mts., mainly
2400–3600m, locally down to 2000m. (Costa Rica to w. Panama.)
*GRASS [SEDGE] WREN Cistothorus [platensis] elegans 11–11.5cm. Small
streaky wren of tall-grass marshes and wet pastures with taller sedges, rushes.
Skulking; moves like a mouse through vegetation, but often sings from prominent
perch, tail cocked and dipped loosely. Note streaked upperparts, plain buffy
underparts. Juv. plainer overall (cf. House Wren), crown unstreaked but wings
boldy barred, tail shorter than adult. SOUNDS: Song a medley of buzzes, trills,
chatters, and chips; song bursts usually 1–2 secs, with pauses of 2–7 secs; same
song often repeated several times before changing to another variant. Low rasping
cherrr and gruff cheht, often repeated steadily. STATUS: Uncommon and local
(declining) around Central Valley, mainly 1250–1800m. (Mexico to w. Panama.)
*ROCK WREN Salpinctes obsoletus 13.5–14.5cm. Distinctive open country
wren, around and above timberline in rocky habitats, grassy slopes and ravines
with rocks and boulders. On or near ground, perching conspicuously on rocks;
often bobs as it calls. Flight low and slightly bounding. Distinctive in habitat,
with variable dark barring on underparts, buff tail corners. Juv. less distinctly
patterned than adult. SOUNDS: Song often prolonged: varied series of trills,
gruff rattles, bright chips, and springy buzzes, each usually repeated 2–8× in
bouts, with 1–10 secs between bouts. Fairly high, springy, rolled trill, trir’rr’rr,
often repeated steadily; downslurred, gruff burry jihrr. STATUS: Uncommon and
local on n. Pacific slope, 500–1600m. (Mexico and w. US to nw. Costa Rica.)
