Bay Wren
Cantorchilus nigricapillus
The Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus) is a uncommon wren found in 6 countries, weighing about 24 g. The bay wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae.
About the Bay Wren
The bay wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is native to southern Central America and northwestern South America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The bay wren is 12.6 to 15.6 cm (5.0 to 6.1 in) long. Eight specimens from Panama weighed 17.7 to 26.3 g (0.62 to 0.93 oz). Adults of the nominate subspecies have a black face with a narrow white supercilium, a partial eyering, and a white patch at the back of the cheek. Their crown and nape are black and the rest of the upperparts are rich chestnut. The tail is a rich brown with bold black bars. The throat and breast are white, transitioning to rufous brown on the lower belly and flanks. Black bars cross the underparts from the breast to the vent area. Voice: The bay wren's song is loud, "a rapid repetition of clear, rich-toned, slurred, ringing whistles, trills, and warbles" sometimes given antiphonally. The species has a number of calls.
What the Bay Wren sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Honduras.
When to see it
The Bay Wren can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Bay Wren?
- The bay wren is 12.6 to 15.6 cm (5.0 to 6.1 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Bay Wren?
- The Bay Wren is a small sized bird weighing about 24 g.
- Where can you see a Bay Wren?
- The Bay Wren occurs in 6 countries, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Nicaragua.
- What does a Bay Wren sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Bay Wren on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Bay Wren?
- The Bay Wren is most easily confused with the Buff-breasted Wren, the Stripe-breasted Wren and the Riverside Wren.
- Is the Bay Wren endangered?
- The Bay Wren is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Bay Wren for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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