Rufous-breasted Wren

Sightings
Rufous-breasted Wren Pheugopedius rutilus proved to be a very elusive bird with three generally poor sightings along the Trace Gilpin Trail of the Tobago Forest Reserve. The bird was moving rapidly through the dense undergrowth on each occasion and we were lucky to have an almost clear view for a very short period of time.

Species
The subspecies Pheugopedius rutilus tobagensis found on Tobago, is larger and has darker underparts than the nominate subspecies P. r. rutilus of Trinidad and northern Venezuela. There are five other mainland forms to the west of these. The breeding habitat is forest undergrowth and thickets, also utilizing fragmented forest and secondary growth.

Status and Distribution
Of least concern, Rufous-breasted Wren is found in the tropical New World from Costa Rica and Panama east to Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago. A common Trinidad resident of cultivated estates and forests, less common on hillside forests on Tobago.

References
BirdLife; Wikipedia; Kenefick, M., Restall, R., and Hayes, F. (2015) Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Bloomsbury Publishing, page 214.

Photographs
Taken at medium range in dark forest with the bird moving in deep shade. The camera settings were 1/100th second, f5.6 and ISO 4000.