| White-bellied wren | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Troglodytidae |
| Genus: | Uropsila P.L. Sclater & Salvin, 1873 |
| Species: | U. leucogastra |
| Binomial name | |
| Uropsila leucogastra (Gould, 1837) | |
 | |
The white-bellied wren (Uropsila leucogastra) is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. [2]
The white-bellied wren is the only member of genus Uropsila, but its taxonomy at the subspecies level is uncertain. The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) names five subspecies, the nominate Uropsila leucogastra leucogastra, U. l. pacifica, U. l. centralis, U. l. restricta, and U. l. brachyura. [2] The Handbook of Birds of the World adds U. l. musica. [3] The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birds of the World mentions musica in its text but does not list it; it does list two others in addition to the above five, U. l. grisescens and U. l. australis. Cornell qualifies their additions by noting that australis "may be separable" and that grisescens is "doubtfully valid" because it was based on soot-discolored specimens. [4]
The white-bellied wren is 9.5 to 10 cm (3.7 to 3.9 in) long. Males weigh 9.8 to 10.5 g (0.35 to 0.37 oz) and females 8 to 9.1 g (0.28 to 0.32 oz). The nominate subspecies has a medium brown crown, upperparts, and tail; the rump is slightly reddish and the tail has many thin dark bars. It has a gray-white supercilium, a medium brown stripe behind the eye, and gray cheeks mottled with brown. Its throat, chest, and upper belly are gray and the flanks and vent area buff. The other subspecies differ somewhat in the intensity of the brown of the upperparts and the bars on the tail. [4]
The white-bellied wren has two widely separated populations. U. l. pacifica is found in western Mexico from southern Nayarit south into Guerrero. The other subspecies are found from southern Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico south into the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, and northern Guatemala, and (slightly separately) in northern Honduras. [4]
The white-bellied wren inhabits a range of woodland types from the semi-arid forest of western Mexico to the humid rainforest of the Yucatan Peninsula. In northeastern Mexico it frequents thickets of wild pineapple ( Bromelia pinguin ). In elevation it ranges from sea level to 500 m (1,600 ft). [4]
The white-bellied wren forages for insects and spiders in vegetation "from ground level to a considerable height". In the southern part of its range it joins mixed-species flocks following army ant swarms. [4]
The white-bellied wren's breeding season extends from at least late March to June. Its nest is shaped like a chemical retort, an oval ball with a downward pointing funnel entrance. It is woven from fine grass and "decorated" with lichens, moss, and other materials. It is usually placed in a spiny location such as a Bromelia thicket or an Acacia tree. The clutch size is usually four eggs. Both sexes apparently incubate the eggs and both do feed the young. [4]
The white-bellied wren's song is "a short series of 6 rapid up-and-down notes, descending at end", rather bubbly in the eastern population but not the western. Its calls include a "low 'chek', scolding chatter, and hard dry cracking rattle." [4]
The IUCN has assessed the white-bellied wren as being of Least Concern. [1] It is reasonable common in much of its range, tolerates some habitat disturbance, and is found in several protected areas. [4]
The slaty-tailed trogon is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Colombia and Ecuador.
The grey-headed dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a large New World dove. It is found from eastern Mexico to Colombia.
The white-bellied emerald is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The white-bellied chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The grey-cheeked nunlet is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Colombia and Panama.
The Yucatan nightjar is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras.
The maroon-chested ground dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
The grey-chested dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The long-tailed ground dove is a species of bird in the dove and pigeon family, Columbidae. It is found in Bolivia and Brazil.
The grey-breasted wood wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found from Mexico to Bolivia.
The timberline wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Costa Rica and western Panama.
The stripe-throated wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
The spot-breasted wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
Cabanis's wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The speckle-breasted wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The mountain wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and western Venezuela.
The Yucatan vireo is a species of bird in the family Vireonidae.
The Surucua trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The gartered trogon, also known as the northern violaceous trogon, is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, all of Central America, and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The Mexican hermit is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Mexico.
