The wrenthrush or zeledonia, is a unique species of nine-primaried oscine, endemic to the Talamancan montane forests.
Region
Central America
Typical Environment
Found in the Talamancan montane and cloud forests of southern Costa Rica and western Panama. It favors dense, shady understory with mossy logs, bamboo (Chusquea), and thickets along ravines and streams. The species is patchily distributed, often localized where intact mid- to high-elevation forest persists. It keeps close to the ground, moving through vegetation rather than crossing open areas. Forest fragmentation limits its presence outside contiguous highland habitat.
Altitude Range
1500–3000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the zeledonia, the wrenthrush is a unique nine-primaried oscine now placed in its own family, Zeledoniidae. It behaves like a wren but is not closely related to true wrens, skulking through dense mossy understory. Its range is restricted to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama, where it is a shy, ground-oriented insect hunter.
Wrenthrush in the Central Highlands of Costa Rica
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low through understory
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, sometimes with a dependent juvenile. Territorial during breeding, with pairs nesting low in banks or mossy embankments, often near streams. Nests are domed, mossy structures hidden in dense cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A high, thin, insect-like series of trills and sibilant notes, often accelerating or delivered in short bursts. Calls include sharp chips given from concealed perches within dense vegetation.
Plumage
Olive-green to olive-brown upperparts with slaty-gray face and underparts; short rounded wings and a frequently cocked, stubby tail. Crown shows a rich rufous-orange patch bordered by darker lateral stripes. Feathers appear soft and moss-toned, aiding camouflage in shadowy understory.
Diet
Primarily small insects and other arthropods gleaned from moss, leaf litter, bamboo stems, and low vegetation. It probes crevices, pecks at mossy surfaces, and occasionally hawks short distances for flushed prey. Spiders and small beetles are common items, with occasional larvae taken from damp substrates.
Preferred Environment
Feeds near or on the ground in shaded ravines, along stream banks, and within dense bamboo or thickets. Prefers intact, humid cloud forest understory with abundant moss and leaf litter.
