The Mérida wren (Cistothorus meridae), or paramo wren, is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is endemic to Venezuela.[2]
The Mérida wren is monotypic.[2] Apolinar's wren (C. apolinari), grass wren (C. platensis), and it form a superspecies.[3]
The Mérida wren is 10 cm (3.9 in) long. Adults have a medium brown crown and nape with darker brown streaks, blackish brown shoulders and upper back with off-white streaks, and a blackish and brown streaked rump. Their tail is medium brown with crisp black bars. They have an off-white supercilium that is wider to the rear, cheeks mottled with brown, and off-white chin and throat. Their chest is buffy and the flanks a darker buff.[4]
The Mérida wren is found in the Andes of Venezuela from Trujillo south to northeastern Táchira. It inhabits wet páramo with scattered bushes at elevations between 3,000 and 4,100 m (9,800 and 13,500 ft). It is mostly sedentary but may move altitudinally and is thought to leave some areas during the rainy season.[4]
The Mérida wren forages low in the vegetation for arthropods; no details have been published.[4]
Very little is known about the Mérida wren's breeding phenology. It is polygamous and uses "dormitory" nests for roosting but not breeding.[4]
The male Mérida wren has a repertoire of 20 to 25 songs that vary geographically and even among individuals in a region.[4] Some examples are [1], [2], and [3].
The IUCN has assessed the Mérida wren as being of Least Concern.[1] "Despite its small global range, the harsh nature of its habitat does not invite much human interference. Some areas of its range are protected."[4]
The Mérida wren (Cistothorus meridae), or paramo wren, is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is endemic to Venezuela.
