Grenada wren

Grenada wren
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Troglodytidae
Genus:	Troglodytes
Species:	T. grenadensis
Binomial name
Troglodytes grenadensis (Lawrence, 1878)
Synonyms [1]
Thryothorus grenadensis Lawrence, 1878 Troglodytes martinicensis grenadensis (Lawrence, 1878) Troglodytes musculus grenadensis (Lawrence, 1878) Troglodytes aedon grenadensis (Lawrence, 1878)

The Grenada wren (Troglodytes grenadensis) is a very small passerine bird in the wren family Troglodytidae that is found on the Caribbean island of Grenada. The name troglodytes means "hole dweller", and is a reference to the bird's tendency to disappear into crevices when hunting insects or to seek shelter. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the house wren, now renamed the northern house wren (Troglodytes aedon).

Taxonomy

The Grenada wren was formally described in 1878 by the American ornithologist George Newbold Lawrence based on specimens collected by the naturalist Frederick A. Ober on the island of Grenada. Lawrence coined the binomial name Thryothorus grenadensis. ^[2] The Grenada wren was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the house wren, now renamed the northern house wren (Troglodytes aedon). It is now recognised as a separate species based on differences in morphology and genetics. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]} The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. ^[6]

Etymology

The Grenada wren is classified in the genus Troglodytes; this name means "cave dweller" in Greek. The specific name, grenadensis, means of Grenada. ^[7]

Description

The Grenada wren is a small, reddish brown songbird. The wings and tail are marked with dark bars and there is no supercilium. The song is loud and consists of trilling and chattering, with harsher, scolding calls. ^[8]

Distribution and habitat

The Grenada wren is endemic to the main island of Grenada and appears to be uncommon on the offshore islands. It prefers to be near human habitation and will nest in cavities in buildings. In unbroken native forest this species is found at lower densities than in areas of habitation. ^[9]

References

1. "Grenada Wren Troglodytes granadensis (Lawrence, GN 1878)". AviBase. Denis Lepage. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
2. Lawrence, George Newbold (1877). "Descriptions of supposed new species of birds from the islands of Grenada and Dominica, West Indies". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1 (published 1878): 160-163 [161].
3. Wetten, Kimberley Nicole (2012). Morphological divergence in the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) species complex: A study of island populations with a focus on the Grenada House Wren (T. a. grenadensis) (MSc thesis). University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
4. Klicka, J.; Epperly, K.; Smith, B.T.; Spellman, G.M.; Chaves, J.A.; Escalante, P.; Witt, C.C.; Canales-del-Castillo, R.; Zink, R.M. (2023). "Lineage diversity in a widely distributed New World passerine bird, the House Wren". Ornithology. 140 (3) ukad018. doi: 10.1093/ornithology/ukad018 .
5. Chesser, R.T.; Billerman, S.M.; Burns, K.J.; Cicero, C.; Dunn, J.L.; Hernández-Baños, B.E.; Jiménez, R.A.; Johnson, O.; Kratter, A.W.; Mason, N.A.; Rasmussen, P.C.; Remsen, J.V.J. (2024). "Sixty-fifth Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds". Ornithology. 141 (3) ukae019. doi: 10.1093/ornithology/ukae019 .
6. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Dapple-throats, sugarbirds, fairy-bluebirds, kinglets, hyliotas, wrens & gnatcatchers". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
7. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. p.  391. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
8. "Grenada Wren Troglodytes grenadensis". eBird. Cornell Lab of Ornithology . Retrieved 14 July 2025.
9. Kimberley Nicole Wetten (2021). Morphological divergence in the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) species complex:A study of island populations with a focus on the Grenada House Wren (T. a. grenadensis) (Master of Natural Resources Management thesis). Winnipeg: University of Manitoba.