Scaly-breasted Wren
NameScaly-breasted Wren
Common NameScaly-breasted Wren
Scientific NameMicrocerculus marginatus
FamilyTroglodytidae
Wingspan (cm)13
Length (cm)10.5
Weight (g)15.5
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are a rich rufous-brown, including the crown, back, and wings. The underparts are paler, grayish-brown, often with a subtle, faint scaling or mottling on the breast, which gives the bird its common name. It has a slender, slightly decurved dark bill and dark eyes.
Vocalization / CallKnown for its remarkably complex and ventriloquial song, which consists of a series of clear, whistled notes, trills, and sometimes buzzing sounds. The song can be quite loud and carries well through the forest.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatsforest
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in humid lowland and foothill forests of Central and South America, ranging from Honduras south through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil.
Identifying FeaturesSmall size (typical wren), Rich rufous-brown upperparts, Paler grayish-brown underparts with subtle breast scaling, Slender, slightly decurved bill, Complex, musical, and ventriloquial song, Secretive behavior in dense forest undergrowth
Description
A small, secretive wren of the forest understory, known for its rich, rufous-brown plumage and complex, musical song. It typically forages on the ground among leaf litter, often near streams or in dense vegetation.
