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Veracruz Wren | Campylorhynchus rufinucha
Veracruzwinterkoning | Matraca nuca rufa
The Veracruz Wren is a medium-sized Campylorhynchus with a black crown, rufous nape and white supercilium. It was long treated as a form of a single widespread species that has now been split into three species. This species is endemic to central Veracruz.
Voice
Loud, rhythmic, musical phrases, often as a duet between the partners, and harsh, rasping calls.
Recording: Manuel Grosselet — CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · shortened to the first 60 s, mono · xeno-canto
Identification
16–18 cm. Crown and eyestripe black, broad white supercilium. Nape and upper back rufous; back with black and white markings. Wings and tail with black bars. Underparts whitish to dull buffy white. Bill fairly long and slightly decurved.
Confusion species
Until recently Veracruz Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha, Russet-naped Wren Campylorhynchus humilis and Rufous-backed Wren Campylorhynchus capistratus were treated as a single species; their ranges do not overlap, so location is the best guide. Band-backed Wren Campylorhynchus zonatus has a barred back and a black-spotted breast.
Habitat
Dry and semi-dry forest, thorn scrub, forest edges and semi-open country with trees and bushes in the lowlands and foothills. Pairs or small groups search for insects and spiders. Builds a domed nest in a tree or bush.
Where the bird is most at home, classified by the vegetation units of Mexico and Central America.
Range and movements
Endemic to central Veracruz in eastern Mexico, mainly in the dry lowlands and foothills inland from the coast. Does not occur outside the guide area.
- Resident
- Passage (Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov)
- dark = core range, pale = thinly spread
How and when to look
Search dry scrub and semi-open country in central Veracruz; the loud duet often gives the birds away.
Conservation status
Assessed by the IUCN as not threatened. The range is small and much of the original dry forest has been converted to farmland.
Scientific name
Campylorhynchus rufinucha | (Lesson, 1838)
Lesson described the species in 1838 as Picolaptes rufinucha; because it was later moved to another genus, the author and year stand in brackets. The genus Campylorhynchus was introduced in 1824 by Spix. Campylorhynchus is Greek, from kampulos 'curved' and rhunkhos 'bill', after the slightly decurved bill. rufinucha is Latin, from rufus 'rufous' and nucha 'nape', after the rufous nape. The specimen the first description was based on came from Veracruz, Mexico.