Cistothorus apolinari
Apolinar's Wren (Cistothorus apolinari) is a diminutive and highly specialized songbird, measuring approximately 12.5-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 14-16 grams. Its plumage is a rich, streaky brown above with a paler, buffy-white underside, accented by a dark brown crown, a whitish supercilium (eyebrow stripe), and faint barring on its flanks and tail. The short, stiff tail is often cocked, a classic wren posture, and its slender, slightly decurved bill is perfectly adapt...
This highly specialized wren exclusively inhabits high-altitude Andean wetlands, primarily dense stands of reeds, cattails, and sedges within marshes, bogs, and lake edges, typically between 2,000-3,800 meters (6,500-12,500 feet) elevation.
Apolinar's Wren primarily feeds on small insects and other invertebrates, which it gleans from the stems, leaves, and marshy ground within its dense wetland habitat.
Apolinar's Wren is a notoriously secretive and elusive bird, spending most of its time hidden deep within dense marsh vegetation, making it more often heard than seen. They are diurnal, active during daylight hours, foraging by gleaning insects from plant stems and leaves, occasionally making sho...
Apolinar's Wren is endemic to the high-altitude wetlands of the Eastern Andes of Colombia, exhibiting a highly fragmented and restricted distribution. The nominate subspecies, *C. a. apolinari*, is found primarily in the Bogotá savanna and adjacent areas of Cundinamarca and Boyacá departments, in...
Endangered
- Apolinar's Wren is so elusive that it's often referred to as a 'ghost of the marshes,' with its presence usually revealed only by its distinctive song. - Its scientific name honors Brother Apolinar María (Niceto García), a Spanish zoologist and botanist who settled in Colombia and collected the...