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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Perching Birds (Order Passeriformes)

-Wrens Family (Troglodytidae)

-Genus Uropsila

-White-bellied Wren (Uropsila leucogastra)


The White-bellied Wren (Uropsila leucogastra) is a small bird found in the dry grasslands and scrub of Central and South America. Their diet consists of insects and other small invertebrates which they forage for in the undergrowth, and they are known to feed in pairs or small groups. The White-bellied Wren is a shy and retiring bird, often keeping hidden in the vegetation and rarely seen in the open. It is a brown and grey bird with a white belly, and its distinct long tail makes it easily identifiable.

White-bellied Wren

Uropsila leucogastra

Diet

  • Primarily small insects and other invertebrates, including ants, beetles, termites, caterpillars, flies, spiders, and insect larvae.

  • Occasionally feeds on small berries and other soft fruits.

  • Forages actively in dense undergrowth, vines, shrubs, and low tree branches, probing bark, leaf litter, and foliage for prey.

Range

  • Found from eastern and southern Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.

  • In Mexico, it occurs from Tamaulipas south through the Yucatán Peninsula and along the Pacific slope from Jalisco through Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.

  • Common in the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a year-round resident.

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, woodland edges, secondary growth, dense brush, and shaded plantations, generally from sea level to about 1,500 m.

Male / Female

  • Male: Warm rufous-brown upperparts, bright white throat and belly, buff flanks, long barred tail usually held cocked, fine white eyebrow, and a slender slightly down-curved bill. Slightly larger than the female.

  • Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally a little smaller and duller.

  • Juveniles: Similar to adults but with duller underparts and less distinct tail barring.

  • Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences or breeding behaviour.

Size

  • Length: 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)

  • Wingspan: 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 in)

  • Weight: 7–10 g (0.25–0.35 oz)

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