Plain-tailed wren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plain-tailed wren |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pheugopedius
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| Species: |
euophrys
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| green: year-round | |
| Synonyms | |
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Thryothorus euophrys |
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The plain-tailed wren (Pheugopedius euophrys) is a small songbird that belongs to the wren family. It has a reddish-brown body and a head with cool gray, black, and white stripes. You can find this bird in the Andes mountains, especially in southern Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. These wrens love living in warm, wet mountain forests. They are known as "bamboo specialists" because they almost always live in thick bamboo plants called chusquea. Like other wrens, they mostly eat insects, but sometimes they also snack on seeds and berries.
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About the Plain-tailed Wren Family
The plain-tailed wren is part of a large group of birds called Passeriformes, which includes most songbirds. It belongs to the family Troglodytidae, which is the wren family. Even though wrens from the eastern and western sides of the Andes mountains look a little different, they are still considered the same type of bird.
What the Plain-tailed Wren Looks Like
Physical Features
The plain-tailed wren is about 16 to 16.5 centimeters (about 6.3 to 6.5 inches) long. Its back, wings, and tail are a reddish-brown color, with a slight olive tint on its back. Its belly and other lower parts are a light grayish-brown. The bird's head is gray with cool black and white stripes around its eyes and cheeks.
Its beak is gray and curves slightly downwards. This wren is quite large for a wren, but it has the short tail that is common for its family. What makes it special is that its tail does not have any stripes, which is why it's called "plain-tailed." Wrens living on the western side of the Andes often have dark spots on their chest. However, wrens from the eastern side do not have these spots.
How Plain-tailed Wrens Sing
Plain-tailed wrens sing a song that sounds like a rolling, repeated tune. Both male and female wrens often sing together in what are called duets. Sometimes, even groups of wrens will join in. In a duet, the male usually sings the first and third parts, while the female sings the second and fourth parts.
When groups of wrens sing together, it is thought to be a way to protect their territory. They use their loud songs to tell other wrens to stay away. Scientists have found that these wrens are amazing at singing together. They can switch back and forth so quickly that it sounds like only one bird is singing!
Researchers studied wrens in the bamboo forests of Ecuador. They discovered that both birds' brains process the entire song, not just the part they sing. This shows how closely they work together when they sing.
Where Plain-tailed Wrens Live
The plain-tailed wren loves to live in thickets of chusquea bamboo. These bamboo plants are found in warm, wet mountain forests. You might also see them in areas that have recently been disturbed, like after a landslide. This is probably because there are more insects there for them to eat.
These wrens are most often found at high elevations, usually between 2,200 and 3,200 meters (about 7,200 to 10,500 feet) above sea level. They are mostly found in Ecuador, but their home range also reaches into southern Colombia and northern Peru. The plain-tailed wren is considered a species of "least concern," which means it is common and not currently in danger.
Behavior
Diet
Like most other wrens, the plain-tailed wren mainly eats insects. Sometimes, it might also eat seeds and berries, but insects are its main food. You can often see these birds looking for bugs and other small creatures on or near the ground. They usually search for food among the thick chusquea bamboo plants.
Reproduction
Scientists believe that plain-tailed wrens use their duet singing to strengthen their bond as a pair. It might also help them protect their mate. Not much other information is known about how they find mates or build their nests.
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In Spanish: Cucarachero coliliso para niños
