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Bay Wren

Cantorchilus nigricapillus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestDomed nestSmall · 24 g
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 1
Photo: andrew2285 · CC0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 2
Photo: andrew2285 · CC0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 3
Photo: Guy Babineau · CC BY 4.0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 4
Photo: Andre Knocklein · CC BY 4.0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 5
Photo: Andre Knocklein · CC BY 4.0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 6
Photo: russnamitz · CC0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 7
Photo: russnamitz · CC0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 8
Photo: Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN, United States · CC BY 2.0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 9
Photo: TonyCastro · CC BY 4.0
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus), photo 10
Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren · CC BY 2.0

What the Bay Wren sounds like

Sonogram of the Bay Wren: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Beth Cottam · Song · Finca Tres Equis - Farm and Forest (near Tres Equis), Turrialba, Cartago Province, Costa Rica · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Bay Wren: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Beth Cottam · Call · Finca Tres Equis - Farm and Forest (near Tres Equis), Turrialba, Cartago Province, Costa Rica · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Bay Wren: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Beth Cottam · Song · Finca Tres Equis - Farm and Forest (near Tres Equis), Turrialba, Cartago Province, Costa Rica · CC0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Bay Wren

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Bay Wren

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 5 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Costa Rica Ecuador Colombia Panama Nicaragua

Recorded as a rare visitor in Honduras.

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.

Easily confused with

Buff-breasted Wren (Cantorchilus leucotis) Buff-breasted WrenCantorchilus leucotisMale buff-breasted wrens weigh 18.5 to 22.8 g (0.65 to 0.80 oz) and females are lighter at 16.0 to 19.5 g (0.56 to 0.69 oz), but the sexes are otherwise similar. Stripe-breasted Wren (Cantorchilus thoracicus) Stripe-breasted WrenCantorchilus thoracicusThe stripe-breasted wren is 11.5 to 12.5 cm (4.5 to 4.9 in) long and has a mean weight of 17.6 g (0.62 oz). Riverside Wren (Cantorchilus semibadius) Riverside WrenCantorchilus semibadiusThe riverside wren is 13 to 14 cm (5.1 to 5.5 in) long and weighs 17 g (0.60 oz).

Side by side: Bay Wren vs Buff-breasted Wren · Bay Wren vs Stripe-breasted Wren · Bay Wren vs Riverside Wren

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