Band-backed Wren

Band-backed Wren

Campylorhynchus zonatus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
at Guatemala City

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

2,369 Verified sightings at Guatemala City
1,187 In all 18 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Band-backed Wren

The band-backed wren (Campylorhynchus zonatus) is a small songbird of the wren family. The band-backed wren is a resident breeding species from south-central Gulf Coast Mexico to northwestern Ecuador. It occurs in five disjunct areas, the central region being in southern Central America, in Costa Rica and northern Panama. The next two regions are northern Colombia adjacent to Panama, and 800 km to the south in northwestern Ecuador.

This large wren breeds in lowlands and foothills from sea level up to 1700 m altitude in thinned forest or open woodland, scrub, second growth and groves around houses. It mainly occurs on the Caribbean side of the Central American mountain ranges. Its large spherical nest has a wide side entrance and is constructed 2 – 30 m high in a tree or shrub, often hidden amidst bromeliads. The female alone incubates the three to five unmarked or lightly brown-spotted white eggs for about two weeks to hatching, and the young fledge in about the same length of time again. After breeding, families sleep together in dormitory nests like those used for breeding throughout the year.

The adult band-backed wren is 16.5 cm long and weighs 29 g. It has a... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:15

Ecuador · 2010

© Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela · XC1162229 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:34

Guatemala · 2024

© Peter Boesman · XC880004 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Recording0:10

Colombia · 2022

© Fabian Cote Navarro · XC742094 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
2 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
3 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
4 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
6 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
7 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
8 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
9 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
10 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
11 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
12 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
13 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
14 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
15 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
16 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
17 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Guatemala City 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~50%
2 Tegucigalpa 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Band-backed Wren in Guatemala City?

Likely

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Band-backed Wren sighting in Guatemala City on a given day, based on 2,369 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 13th most-seen of the 220 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Band-backed Wren in Guatemala City?

May

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Band-backed Wren in Guatemala City on a given day, against about 30% in December, the lowest month. That is one of Guatemala City's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain against 5 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Band-backed Wren?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Band-backed Wren sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Guatemala City the best place to see a Band-backed Wren?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Band-backed Wren sightings, Guatemala City has the highest daily chance: about 50%. Next come Tegucigalpa (Honduras, under 5%).

Where does the Band-backed Wren sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Band-backed Wren is recorded against all the birds logged in Guatemala City (2,369 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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