The banded wren is a small songbird of the wren family. It is a resident breeding species from central Mexico to Costa Rica. It was formerly placed in the genus Thryothorus.
Region
Mesoamerica
Typical Environment
Occurs from western and central Mexico south through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and into northwestern Costa Rica. It inhabits tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, second-growth, and brushy edges, often near arroyos and hedgerows. Frequently uses dense, spiny vegetation for cover and nesting. In disturbed landscapes it persists along field margins, gardens with thick hedges, and riparian thickets.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Banded wrens are noted for elaborate antiphonal duets, with males and females interweaving phrases so tightly that they sound like a single bird. They favor thorny thickets and tropical dry forests, where they build domed nests with side entrances. The 'banded' name refers to the bold black-and-white barring on the tail, wings, and flanks.
Temperament
skulking but vocal, strongly territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct between cover
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs or small family groups, maintaining year-round territories. Pairs engage in coordinated duets and cooperative defense of territory. Nests are domed structures placed in thorny shrubs or dense tangles, with both sexes participating in breeding duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Rich, ringing whistles and trills delivered in complex sequences. Pair duets are tightly timed, with male and female alternating phrases to produce a seamless song.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with bold black-and-white barring on wings and tail; underparts pale buff to whitish with fine dark barring on the flanks and lower belly.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other small arthropods such as spiders, beetles, and caterpillars. Gleans from foliage, twigs, and bark, and probes crevices and leaf litter. Occasionally snaps at small prey in short sallies and may take a few small berries when available.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense brush, thorn scrub, forest edges, and second-growth thickets from the ground to lower midstory. Often forages along hedgerows and riparian vegetation where cover is abundant.
