The tepui wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela, where it inhabits high tablelands called tepuis.
Region
Guiana Highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs on tepui summits and upper slopes in southeastern Venezuela, western Guyana, and adjacent northern Brazil. It favors elfin and montane scrub, rocky outcrops with scattered shrubs, and edges of cloud forest. The species often forages among bromeliads, mossy boulders, and dense tangles near cliffs. It is typically patchy, tracking suitable microhabitats on isolated mountaintops.
Altitude Range
1200–2600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for the tepuis—ancient tabletop mountains of the Guiana Highlands—this wren is adapted to cool, windswept, rocky plateaus and elfin forests. Its loud, ringing song carries far across the sparse shrublands that cap these isolated summits. The fragmented, island-like nature of tepui habitats has shaped its distribution and likely limits gene flow between populations.
Temperament
skulking and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between low perches
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups, keeping low in dense cover and rocky crevices. Pairs maintain territories and likely remain bonded year-round. Nests are domed or globular and tucked into cavities, dense shrubs, or bromeliad clumps.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, musical series of ringing trills and whistles delivered from exposed rocks or shrub tops. Calls include sharp chips and chatters used in pair contact and territorial exchanges.
Plumage
Compact wren with warm brown upperparts and fine dark barring on wings and tail; underparts buffy with subtle barring on the flanks. Often shows a narrow pale supercilium and faint mottling on the breast. Tail is typically held cocked.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and other small arthropods, including beetles, spiders, and larvae gleaned from moss, leaf litter, and bromeliad axils. It probes crevices and the bases of epiphytes for hidden prey. Occasional small seeds or berries may be taken opportunistically but form a minor part of the diet.
Preferred Environment
Forages close to the ground or on rock faces, among dense tepui scrub, mossy boulders, and the edges of elfin forest. Frequently works through bromeliads and tangled vegetation near cliffs and streams.
