Pacific wren

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Pacific wren
Pacific Wren - Vancouver Is. (6842161146).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Troglodytidae
Genus: Troglodytes
Species:
T. pacificus
Binomial name
Troglodytes pacificus
Baird, 1864
Troglodytes pacificus map.svg
Synonyms

Nannus pacificus

The Pacific wren (Troglodytes pacificus) is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae. It was once lumped with Troglodytes hiemalis of eastern North America and Troglodytes troglodytes of Eurasia as the winter wren.

Contents

It breeds along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California and inland as far as Wyoming and the Black Hills of South Dakota. It migrates through and winters across the western half of the United States and Canada.

The scientific name is taken from the Greek word troglodytes (from trogle a hole, and dyein to creep), meaning 'cave-dweller', and refers to its habit of disappearing into cavities or crevices whilst hunting arthropods or to roost.

Description

Rufous brown above, richly colored below, barred with darker brown and dusky, even on wings and tail. The bill is dark brown, the legs pale brown. Young birds are less distinctly barred.

Taxonomy

By studying the songs and genetics of individuals in an overlap zone between Troglodytes hiemalis and T. pacificus, Toews and Irwin (2008) [2] [3] found strong evidence of reproductive isolation between the two. It was suggested that the pacificus subspecies be promoted to the species level designation of Troglodytes pacificus with the common name of ‘Pacific wren’. By applying a molecular clock to the amount of mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence between the two, [4] it was estimated that Troglodytes pacificus and Troglodytes troglodytes last shared a common ancestor approximately 4.3 million years ago, long before the glacial cycles of the Pleistocene, thought to have promoted speciation in many avian systems inhabiting the boreal forest of North America. [5]

Ecology

The Pacific wren nests mostly in coniferous forests, especially those of spruce and fir, where it is often identified by its long and exuberant song. Although it is an insectivore, it can remain in moderately cold and even snowy climates by foraging for insects on substrates such as bark and fallen logs.

Its movements as it creeps or climbs are incessant rather than rapid; its short flights swift and direct but not sustained, its tiny round wings whirring as it flies from bush to bush.

At night, usually in winter, it often roosts, true to its scientific name, in dark retreats, snug holes and even old nests. In hard weather it may do so in parties, either consisting of the family or of many individuals gathered together for warmth.

For the most part insects and spiders are its food, but in winter large pupae are taken and some seeds.

Breeding

Pacific wren calling Pacific Wren USFWS.jpg
Pacific wren calling

The male builds a small number of nests. These are called "cock nests" but are never lined until the female chooses one to use. The normal round nest of grass, moss, lichens or leaves is tucked into a hole in a wall, tree trunk, crack in a rock or corner of a building, but it is often built in bushes, overhanging boughs or the litter which accumulates in branches washed by floods. Five to eight white or slightly speckled eggs are laid in April, and second broods are reared.

A particular facet of the Pacific Wren is that the males use intricate vocalizations to attract females for mating. Pacific Wrens are songbirds and the songs are used for mating purposes as well as for territorial displays. In British Columbia, Canada, male Pacific Wren have been observed to adapt their songs in the presence of highway noise. Pacific Wrens are widely known for their variety and complexity of song. In adaptation to the noise of freeway traffic, male Pacific wrens were observed to change the overall length of their songs. However, other changes in song variation and individual syllable length could not be concluded. [6]

A variation in reproduction success has been observed at higher altitudes. In the forests of British Columbia, at higher altitudes, in 2003-2004 there was a decline in breeding compared with lower altitudes of habitation for the Pacific Wren. Specifically, the length of breeding season was shorter and the survival rates of nests were lower. However, other factors such as incubation length and the total number of eggs in each nesting attempt showed no variation due to elevation. Although the Pacific Wren overall lacked adaptation to higher altitudes, there was a small percentage of Pacific Wrens that were able to successfully reproduce at these higher elevations. [7]

Adaptations in breeding patterns within urban landscapes were observed in the Seattle, Washington area and its surrounding forests. In the developing urban ecosystems of the city, Pacific Wren fled and relocated to nearby forests. Due to this change of location, breeding success for those Pacific Wren declined significantly. The proportion of wrens returning to the same urban nest in the greater Seattle, Washington area was in some cases observed to be as low as 0%. In this case, the Pacific Wren’s relocation in conjunction with its inability to cultivate a successful new nesting site is what contributed to the decline in reproduction. [8]

In contrast, a close relative of the Pacific Wren, the Bewick’s wren has been highly successful at thriving in certain urban environments. This stands in polarity to the Pacific Wren's diminished numbers in urban areas. Moreover, the Bewick’s Wren, otherwise known as Thryomanes bewickii, has been observed to interact aggressively with the Pacific Wren. However, the exact reasons for Bewick Wren’s success vs. Pacific Wren’s diminishing numbers in urban areas are unclear. Overall, observations are in favor of the hypothesis that urban landscapes foster aggressive and combative interactions between native species. [9]

Cultural depictions

The 1999 U.S. postage stamp Pacific Coast Rain Forest sheet features a stamp with a "winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)"; this bird was subsequently classified as the Pacific wren. [10] The narrator of "The White Seal" story of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling is Limmershin, a "winter wren", [11] actually the Pacific wren.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wren</span> Family of birds

Wrens are a family, Troglodytidae, of small brown passerine birds. The family includes 96 species and is divided into 19 genera. All species are restricted to the New World except for the Eurasian wren that is widely distributed in the Old World. In Anglophone regions, the Eurasian wren is commonly known simply as the "wren", as it is the originator of the name. The name wren has been applied to other, unrelated birds, particularly the New Zealand wrens (Acanthisittidae) and the Australian wrens (Maluridae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter wren</span> Species of bird

The winter wren is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae. The species contained the congeneric Pacific wren of western North America and Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) of Eurasia until they were split in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tundra swan</span> Species of bird

The tundra swan is a small swan of the Holarctic. The two taxa within it are usually regarded as conspecific, but are also sometimes split into two species: Bewick's swan of the Palaearctic and the whistling swan proper of the Nearctic. Birds from eastern Russia are sometimes separated as the subspecies C. c. jankowskii, but this is not widely accepted as distinct, with most authors including them in C. c. bewickii. Tundra swans are sometimes separated in the subgenus Olor together with the other Arctic swan species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-rumped warbler</span> Species of bird

The yellow-rumped warbler is a regular North American bird species that can be commonly observed all across the continent. Its extensive range connects both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the U.S. as well as Canada and Central America, with the population concentrated in the continent's northern reaches during the breeding season and migrating southwards to southern North and Central America in the winter. It generally prefers coniferous forests or mixed coniferous-deciduous forests as its breeding habitat, while during the winter it can be found inhabiting more open areas such as shrublands that offer food resources. The yellow-rumped warbler is primarily insectivorous, though the species does eat fruits such as juniper berries as well, especially in winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sedge wren</span> Species of bird

The sedge wren is a small and secretive passerine bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is widely distributed in North America. It is often found in wet grasslands and meadows where it nests in the tall grasses and sedges and feeds on insects. The sedge wren was formerly considered as conspecific with the non-migratory grass wren of central and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern house wren</span> Species of bird

The northern house wren is a very small passerine in the wren family Troglodytidae. It found in southern Canada, the USA and Mexico. It occurs in most suburban areas in its range. It formerly included many subspecies resident in South America and in the Caribbean that are now considered as separate species. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina wren</span> Species of bird

The Carolina wren is a common species of wren that is a resident in the Eastern United States, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico. Severe winters restrict the northern limits of their range, while favorable weather conditions lead to a northward extension of their breeding range. Their preferred habitat is in dense cover in forest, farm edges, and suburban areas. This wren is the state bird of South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashy prinia</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bewick's wren</span> Species of bird

The Bewick's wren is a wren native to North America. It is the only species placed in the genus Thryomanes. At about 14 cm (5.5 in) long, it is grey-brown above, white below, with a long white eyebrow. While similar in appearance to the Carolina wren, it has a long tail that is tipped in white. The song is loud and melodious, much like the song of other wrens. It lives in thickets, brush piles and hedgerows, open woodlands and scrubby areas, often near streams. It eats insects and spiders, which it gleans from vegetation or finds on the ground.

<i>Troglodytes</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Troglodytes is a genus of small passerine birds in the wren family. These wrens are around 11–13 centimetres (4.3–5.1 in) long. They are brownish above and somewhat paler below, with strong legs. Their short rounded wings and frequently cocked tail have a dark barred pattern. The flight is direct and buzzing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochraceous wren</span> Species of bird

The ochraceous wren is a small songbird of the wren family. It is a resident breeding species in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-backed wren</span> Species of bird

The rufous-backed wren is a songbird of the family Troglodytidae. It is a resident breeding species from southwest Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band-backed wren</span> Species of bird native to South and Central America

The band-backed wren is a small songbird of the wren family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whistling warbler</span> Species of bird

The whistling warbler is a species of bird in the New World warbler family. It is monotypic within the genus Catharopeza. It has a dark back that fades into a lighter gradient going towards the chest. It also has a dark head, a dark strip on the breast, and a light orbital. Both male and female have the same plumage. It is endemic to the island of Saint Vincent in the Lesser Antilles. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. This habitat loss is due to volcanic activity and deforestation. Whistling warblers have cup-shaped nests, and spotted eggs. Their diet primarily consists of insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-browed wren</span> Species of bird

The rufous-browed wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Central America from Mexico south into Nicaragua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socorro wren</span> Species of bird

The Socorro wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is endemic to Socorro Island, Mexico. It was formerly placed in Thryomanes but was moved to Troglodytes considering "manners, song, plumage, etc." and by biogeography and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis of the MT-NADH dehydrogenase protein 2 gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cactus wren</span> Species of bird found in North America

The cactus wren is a species of wren that is endemic to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. It is the state bird of Arizona, and the largest wren in the United States. Its plumage is brown, with black and white spots as markings. It has a distinctive white eyebrow that sweeps to the nape of the neck. The chest is white, whereas the underparts are cinnamon-buff colored. Both sexes appear similar. The tail, as well as flight feathers, are barred in black and white. Their song is a loud raspy chirrup; akin in the description of some ornithologists to the sound of a car engine that will not start. It is well-adapted to its native desert environment, and the birds can meet their water needs from their diet which consists chiefly of insects, but also of some plant matter. The cactus wren is a poor flier and generally forages for food on the ground. Ornithologists generally recognize seven subspecies, with the exact taxonomy under dispute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian wren</span> Species of bird

The Eurasian wren or northern wren is a very small insectivorous bird, and the only member of the wren family Troglodytidae found in Eurasia and Africa (Maghreb). In Anglophone Europe, it is commonly known simply as the wren. It has a very short tail which is often held erect, a short neck and a relatively long thin bill. It is russet brown above, paler buff-brown below and has a cream buff supercilium. The sexes are alike.

The San Clemente wren(Thryomanes bewickii leucophrys) was a subspecies of Bewick's wren. It was mainly distributed on San Clemente Island, off the southern coast of California. The San Clemente wren is extinct, with the last sighting in 1941.

The Guadalupe wren, also known as the Guadalupe Island wren, was a subspecies of Bewick's wren native to the island of Guadalupe, off the western coast of Baja California. It is potentially extinct; it has not been seen since 1897.

References

  1. "BirdLife International Species factsheet: Troglodytes troglodytes". BirdLife International. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
  2. Holt, Ben G.; Lessard, Jean-Philippe; Borregaard, Michael K.; Fritz, Susanne A.; Araújo, Miguel B.; Dimitrov, Dimitar; Fabre, Pierre-Henri; Graham, Catherine H.; Graves, Gary R.; Jønsson, Knud A.; Nogués-Bravo, David; Wang, Zhiheng; Whittaker, Robert J.; Fjeldså, Jon; Rahbek, Carsten (2013). "An Update of Wallace's Zoogeographic Regions of the World". Science. 339 (6115): 74–78. Bibcode:2013Sci...339...74H. doi:10.1126/science.1228282. PMID   23258408. S2CID   1723657.
  3. Toews, David P. L.; Darren E. Irwin (2008). "Cryptic speciation in a Holarctic passerine revealed by genetic and bioacoustic analyses". Molecular Ecology . 17 (11): 2691–2705. Bibcode:2008MolEc..17.2691T. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03769.x. ISSN   0962-1083. PMID   18444983. S2CID   8488125.
  4. Drovetski, S. V.; R. M. Zink; S. Rohwer; I. V. Fadeev; E. V. Nesterov; I. Karagodin; E. A. Koblik; Y. A. Red'kin (2004). "Complex biogeographic history of a Holarctic passerine" (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences . 271 (1538): 545–551. doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2638. ISSN   0962-8452. PMC   1691619 . PMID   15129966. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-16.
  5. Weir, J. T.; D. Schluter (2004). "Ice sheets promote speciation in boreal birds". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 271 (1551): 1881–1887. doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2803. ISSN   0962-8452. PMC   1691815 . PMID   15347509.
  6. Gough, Danielle C; Mennill, Daniel J; Nol, Erica (June 2014). "Singing seaside: Pacific Wrens (Troglodytes pacificus) change their songs in the presence of natural and anthropogenic noise". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 126 (2): 269–278. doi:10.1676/13-088.1. S2CID   54045990.
  7. Evans, Ogden; Lesley, J.; Martin, Michaela; Martin, Kathy (June 2012). "Mating and Breeding Success Decline with Elevation for the Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) in Coastal Mountain Forests". The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 124 (2): 270–276. doi:10.1676/11-186.1. S2CID   34166630 via BioOne Complete.
  8. Marzluff, John M; DeLap, Jack H; Oleyar, M. David; Whittaker, Kara A; Gardner, Beth (December 2016). "Breeding Dispersal by Birds in a Dynamic Urban Ecosystem". PLOS ONE. 11 (12): e0167829. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1167829M. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167829 . PMC   5193330 . PMID   28030559.
  9. Farwell, Laura; Marzluff, John M (May 2013). "A new bully on the block: Does urbanization promote Bewick's wren (Thryomanes bewickii) aggressive exclusion of Pacific wrens (Troglodytes pacificus)?". Biological Conservation. 161: 128–141. Bibcode:2013BCons.161..128F. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2013.03.017 via Science Direct.
  10. 33c Pacific Coast Rain Forest pane of ten at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum website. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  11. The Jungle Book