Chamaea fasciata (Wrentit)
Credit: Melani McKim-King
about the species
The bouncing-ball song of the Wrentit is a characteristic sound of California scrub and chapparal habitats. A near-endemic species of California, the Wrentit is the only member of the Old World family Sylviidae to breed in North America. The Wrentit is non-migratory with adults spending their lifetime on 1 - 2.5 acre territories and dispersing less than 400 m from their birthplace. Five subspecies are recognized that vary clinally in plumage color, from dark brown plumage in humid coastal Oregon and northern California to pale brown in drier southern California.
why species was selected
Wrentits are primarily restricted to scrub habitats and can be found across all USDA Ecoregions in California, with the exception of desert areas. Although Wrentits are widespread and non-threatened, they are remarkably sedentary birds. This unique ecology is reflected in high levels of population structure. Further investigation of genomic diversity in this species could reveal whether certain populations are particularly susceptible to fragmentation and inbreeding.
