| Wrenthrush | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Superfamily: | Emberizoidea |
| Family: | Zeledoniidae Ridgway, 1907 |
| Genus: | Zeledonia Ridgway, 1889 |
| Species: | Z. coronata |
| Binomial name | |
| Zeledonia coronata Ridgway, 1889 | |
 | |
The wrenthrush (Zeledonia coronata) or zeledonia, is a unique species of nine-primaried oscine, endemic to the Talamancan montane forests.
The wrenthrush is the only member of its genus and family. Despite its name, it is neither a wren (Troglodytidae) nor a thrush (Turdidae), and is not closely related to either of those families. Over time it has been treated as related to thrushes and Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae) and by the late 20th century was placed as a member of the New World warblers (Parulidae). Phylogenetic studies of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA after that date led to reassessment of several genera and in 2017 the wrenthrush was moved to its own family. The exact placement of that family is still not firmly settled, but most taxonomic systems agree that it is closely related to the spindalises (Spindalidae), Cuban warblers (Teretistridae), and several other small Caribbean families, and more distantly related to New World sparrows (Passerellidae) and New World blackbirds (Icteridae). [2] [3] [4] BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World places it much closer to the New World sparrows and blackbirds than do the others. [5]
The wrenthrush's genus name commemorates José Castulo Zeledón, a Costa Rican ornithologist. [6] It is monotypic. [3]
The wrenthrush is 10 to 11.5 cm (3.9 to 4.5 in) long and weighs about 21 g (0.74 oz). It is short-tailed and rather plump, with a short thin bill somewhat like that of a Parulidae warbler. The sexes are alike. Adults have a large yellow-orange patch with black borders on their crown. Their face and the sides of their neck are leaden gray. Their upperparts, tail, and flanks are dull olive bronze. Their underparts are leaden gray with an olive tinge to the undertail coverts. Juveniles do not have the orange crown and their upperparts are more brownish than those of adults. [6]
The wrenthrush is found from the Cordillera de Guanacaste in northern Costa Rica discontinuously through that country into western Panama's Chiriquí and Veraguas provinces. It inhabits montane evergreen forest and elfin forest, landscapes characterized by constant wetness and fog. It particularly favors dense vegetation near streams, including stands of Chusquea bamboo. In elevation it ranges from about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) up to treeline; in Costa Rica it mostly occurs around 2,500 m (8,200 ft). [6]
The wrenthrush is essentially sedentary, with minimal elevational movement. [6]
The wrenthrush is a weak flier, seldom taking to the wing and then for only short distances. It has short rounded wings and a small keel to which flight muscles attach, and there was early speculation that it is evolving towards flightlessness. [6] [7]
The wrenthrush forages by hopping among branches and along the ground searching for arthropods, especially spiders and Lepidoptera larvae. It mostly forages in dense vegetation, though it occasionally works the edges of it and also hunts as high as 10 m (30 ft) above the ground in vines and epiphytes. [6]
The wrenthrush's breeding season appears to span from March to early July. Few nests have been found. They were domes made of moss, twigs, and leaves with a side entrance and a lining of dried leaves, grass, and moss. They were placed in cavities in earthen banks and were partially hidden by overhanging vegetation. The clutch size in three nests was three eggs. The incubation period is not known; the time from hatch to fledging appears to be at least 18 days. Both parents provision the nestlings. [6]
Both sexes of wrenthrush sing, and often as a duet. They are more vocal during the breeding season, and mostly sing at dawn and dusk though they can be heard throughout the day. Their primary song is described as "ssee-del-deet with emphasis on the ending, deet", and it may be sung in a series for several minutes. Their primary call is "a thin pseee". [6]
The IUCN has assessed the wrenthrush as being of Least Concern. It has a small range and its population size is unknown but believed to be stable. No immeditate threats have been identified. [1] "[H]abitat degradation and destruction could become a concern" but "its specialized high-altitude habitat seems not to be presently under threat". [6]
The unspotted saw-whet owl is a small "typical owl" in subfamily Surniinae. It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama.
The grey-tailed mountaingem, also variously spelled gray-tailed mountaingem, grey-tailed mountain-gem, or gray-tailed mountain-gem, is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.
The bronze-tailed plumeleteer is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The grey-headed dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a large New World dove. It is found from eastern Mexico to Colombia.
The gorgeted puffleg is a Critically Endangered species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to Colombia. It was discovered in 2005 and confirmed as a species new to science in 2007.
The wine-throated hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
The green-tailed emerald is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Venezuela.
The rufous-vented ground cuckoo is a Vulnerable species of cuckoo in the tribe Neomorphini of subfamily Crotophaginae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru.
The Middle American screech owl, also known as the Guatemalan screech owl or the vermiculated screech owl, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found from northern Mexico to western Panama.
The Colombian crake is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
The yellow-headed warbler is one of two species of bird in the Cuban warbler family Teretistridae. It is endemic to western Cuba.
The Cuban warblers are a genus, Teretistris, and family, Teretistridae, of birds endemic to Cuba and its surrounding cays. Until 2002 they were thought to be New World warblers, but DNA studies have shown that they are not closely related to that family. The family consists of two species, the yellow-headed warbler and the Oriente warbler. Both species are found in forest and scrub, with the yellow-headed warbler ranging in the west of the island and the Oriente warbler in the east. The Cuban warblers are 13 cm (5.1 in) long and have similar yellow and grey plumage.
The Oriente warbler is one of two species of bird in the Cuban warbler family Teretistridae. It is endemic to central and eastern Cuba.
The spotted woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The stripe-billed aracari or stripe-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.
The gartered trogon, also known as the northern violaceous trogon, is a 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 vermiculated screech owl, is a subspecies of Middle American screech owl, or possibly separate species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The purple-crowned plovercrest, or violet-crowned plovercrest, is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The Ecuadorian rail is a species of bird according to the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), but other taxonomic systems treat it as a subspecies of the Virginia rail. It is in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The Talamanca hummingbird or admirable hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
