Happy wren

It is endemic to the Pacific slope of western Mexico, from the state of Sonora to the state of Oaxaca, and also on islands west of the Mexican coast.

As with other species of Pheugopedius, older sources (e.g. Howell and Webb[2]) classify it within genus Thryothorus.

There is significant geographical variation, and six subspecies are recognized: P. f. sonorae is found in southern Sonora and northern Sinaloa; P. f. pallidus is found in central Sinaloa, western Durango and southwards to Jalisco and Michoacán; P. f. lawrencii and P. f. magdalenae are found on different islands of the Islas Marías; P. f. grandis is found in the Balsas River basin, and the nominate subspecies, P. f. felix in southwestern Mexico from Jalisco to Oaxaca.

They are fairly typical small wrens, with a black and white striped face, a downward curving bill, chestnut upperparts and cream underparts.

Its nest is typical of the Pheugopedius wrens, being roughly spherical with an entrance chute at one end, pointing downwards.

Song recorded near Pluma Hidalgo , Mexico