Going birding in Costa Rica? On your way to this fine bio-heavy nation for fantastic avian photography? I hope so. If I had a bouquet of wishes, one would be that all birders and would-be birders experience the avian side of Costa Rica. That you get a hefty, lofty positive, bird friendly dose.
If you haven’t been, get ready for a big change in birding scenery, be ready for living a birding dream. Macaws, parrots, trogons, toucans, a few dozen hummingbirds, and dozens of other bird species, most within easy reach.
There’s also lots of regional endemics, one of which is so unique, it got its very own family! Right, as in toucans and toucanets and aracaris all belong to the Toucan family, and Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Northern Cardinals are in the Cardinal family, the Wrenthrush is in the Wrenthrush family.
Yep, it used to be known as an “aberrant warbler”, like there was something primally wrong with it. Stubby tail, dark plumage and that orange cap/crest? It sort of looked like a wren or a tapaculo or an Asian Tesia but it just refused to fit in. The deal with the Wrenthrush, the Zeledonia, is that its ancestors were an ancient lineage of songbird that eventually evolved to live in cloud forests restricted to Costa Rica and Panama.
It’s the only living, known member of that lineage and since it looks so different from other birds, the Wrenthrush is all Wrenthrush and nothing else. Instead of being “aberrant”, it’s wonderfully unique. There’s everything right about the Zeledonia, especially for birders hoping to see every avian family on the planet.
Whether interested in avian evolutionary history, taxonomy, or just hoping to see cool and different birds, the Wrenthrush is a must-see bird. If you can hear high frequencies, listening to one isn’t too difficult. However, the “seeing one” part of the equation can be a bit more challenging. Even so, with patience in the right birding places, you have a pretty good chance. Try the following tips to connect with this extra special bird.
Where do Wrenthrushes live?
The Wrenthrush occurs in dense, wet understory vegetation more or less above 1,500 meters. They only occur in the mountains of Costa and Panama, north to Volcan Miravalles (but maybe not on Tenorio) and south to west-central Panama.
This pseudo wren likes dense bamboo and especially enjoys low, profuse leafy vegetation that grows in treefall gaps, along streams, or other perpetually wet areas.
That “dense” part of the equation translates to “very difficult to see” and is why, when I hear a Wrenthrush calling, I figure out which direction its moving and then see if there’s a coinciding spot where I can look into the understory/ground. You wait and watch for it to eventually pop into view but, don’t dare take your eyes off that spot!
One false move, one look around for other birds, or taking a picture of a nearby Fiery-throated Hummingbird and that’s when the Wrenthrush hops in and back out of sight. Not always but, quite often, that’s the way the Wrenthrush plays. Think of warblers flitting in and out of sight in the canopy but in dense undergrowth with few viewing opportunities.
The Best Places to See Wrenthrush
Now that you know the Wrenthrush range and its habitat, you also know more or less where they live. Sort of. But honestly, most dense, wet, herbaceous or bamboo understory in or at the edge of forest above 1,500 meters is a good place to check.
EBird sightings give a good idea but those hotspots aren’t the only places to see a Wrenthrush. As long as you bird in its range and habitat, you’ve got a chance at finding one. You probably won’t spot one in the open but, you can tune in to their calls and take it from there. Use the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app to learn its vocalizations before going birding in Costa Rica and, if you think you hear a high-pitched rising call issuing from low, dense vegetation, there’s a good chance you’re near a Wrenthrush.
That all said, these are some easily accessible sites that are good for the bird:
Poas Volcano National Park and nearby. If you enter the national park (by choosing and paying an entrance fee in advance), and slowly walk the cement trail to and near the lake, you have a great chance of seeing a Wrenthrush. Never mind all of those other people, the birds are there too. They also live in suitable habitat on the road up and around Varablanca.
Paraiso Quetzal- I think most visiting birders get their Wrenthrush here. The species seems especially prevalent in high elevation shrubbery and this spot is perfect for it. Check out the entrance road and on their trails.
Dota Valley and Other Areas on Cerro de la Muerte– Wrenthrushes occur in the heavily visited Dota Valley and many birders also see it there, especially the first spot where the descending road sort of flattens out and runs next to a river. Other good sites are the Robles Trail at Savegre and anywhere with appropriate habitat.
Other spots on Cerro de la Muerte include the Providencia Road as well as just about any area or site up there with low, dense,m wet vegetation.
Irazu Volcano– Although there’s a lot of ag. fields on the drive up, there are a couple spots with forest next to the road, especially in the Nochebuena Restaurant area. Speaking of the Nochebuena, their trails are also very good for Wrenthrush, especially the part that goes along a stream (which may be a bit treacherous in places). Note that the bird can also live in shrubby paramo habitat in and just outside the national park.
Monteverde area– Wrenthrushes aren’t as common here as other, higher spots but they do occur. A couple good areas are the Santa Elena Reserve and the Continental Divide zone in the Monteverde Reserve (although your birding may be limited by recent strict visiting times and regulations where you have to pay a separate fee for each trail…).
There’s other places to see Wrenthrush too, remember, as long as you go above 1500 meters in dense, wet cloud forest, you’ll be in the skulking realm of the Zeledonia. Listen, have patience, and you’ll probably see one!
To learn more about the birding sites mentioned in this post, hundreds of other sites, and how to look for other birds in Costa Rica, support this blog by purchasing my Costa Rica birding site guide ebook. I hope to see you here!
