Cobb's Wren - BirdForum Opus

Photo by StrikingSlug
Carcass Island, Falkland Islands; November 2009

Troglodytes cobbi

Identification

Length 13-14 cm, weight 17-20 g.

• A small wren
• Short tail, often held cocked over the back
• Dusky brown above
• Slightly paler below, with no distinctive markings
• Known to get paler during summer due to bleaching by the sun
• Juveniles in fresh plumage are rich chestnut on tail and rump, and has dark lores and ear-coverts
• Leucistic birds (with irregular white feathers) are frequent

Similar species

Differs from the Tierra del Fuego subspecies of House Wren Troglodytes aedon chilensis in being larger (House Wren only 11.5-12.5 cm), and slightly paler and greyer. House Wren is not recorded from the Falklands, but the Tierra del Fuego subspecies is migratory and could occur as a vagrant on the Falklands.

Distribution

Originally found throughout the Falkland Islands, but now confined to around 30-35 small offshore islets free of introduced sheep, rats, mice, and cats.

Taxonomy

Photo by Alan Henry
Falkland Islands

This is a monotypic species.
It is closely related to, and was formerly included, in House Wren.

Habitat

It is adapted to live in areas with dense, ungrazed tussock grass just above the high tide line, and forages onto the beach. It is not likely to occur around houses or in areas with farmed animals.

Behaviour

Often feed on invertebrates in the littoral zone of rocky beaches.

Breeding

The nest is cup shaped, made of sticks, grass and lined with feathers. 5-8 white, brown-speckled eggs are laid. The nest is placed between rocks or below tussock grass clumps.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2005. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334726
3. Second half of this thread was mostly about House Wren taxonomy
4. Birdforum thread discussing Cobb's Wren

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Cobb's Wren. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cobb%27s_Wren

External Links

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