Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus) [XC250576]
by John V. Moore from El Oro: Reserva Buenaventura 9 km WNW Pi\u00f1as, Ecuador (song)
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus) [XC112332]
by Eric DeFonso from Tundaloma Lodge, Esmeraldas, Ecuador (call, song)
Subspecies
Sometimes considered conspecific with Riverside Wren (Cantorchilus semibadius), but differs in plumage and no evidence of intergradation where ranges approach in Costa Rica and western Panama. Separation is also supported by recent DNA analyses. In addition, northern group of unbarred subspecies (costaricensis, castaneus, odicus, reditus) sometimes treated as a separate species. However, in view of intergradation of the two groups in eastern Panama, most authorities merge them into a single species, notwithstanding major plumage differences between the geographical extremes.
The following 7 subspecies are recognised:
costaricensis (Sharpe, 1882) - South-eastern Nicaragua (R Escondido) south through Caribbean drainage to western Panama.
castaneus (Lawrence, 1861) - Western Panama from Veraguas east to Canal Zone.
odicus (Wetmore, 1959) - Escudo de Veraguas I, off north-western Panama.
reditus (Griscom, 1932) - Caribbean slope of eastern Panama.
schottii (Baird, SF, 1864) - Eastern Panama (Darién) and north-western Colombia (Antioquia, Chocó).