Rufous-naped Wren

Rufous-naped Wrens (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) are large wrens commonly found in open woodlands and suburban areas in Costa Rica. This one was busily gathering a bundle of palm fibers for its nest in a garden in Alajuela.

Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) gathering nest material

Rufous-naped Wrens build globular nests in thorny trees or in cacti, and they not only use these large, comfy nests for breeding, but the family groups also use them for sleeping.

Rufous-naped Wrens are quite bold and very easy to locate by sound as the mated pairs and family members use their harsh, rasping calls to keep track of each other as they search for insects or nesting material.

A Rufous-naped Wren is white below and barred with cream and black above, and it has black on the top of the head, a black eye-stripe, reddish eyes, and a rufous nape of the neck and upper back.