[2] In 2016 the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and the Clements taxonomy accepted the split of plain wren into three species.

[1][3] However, BirdLife International (BLI) retains C. modestus as "plain wren" with elutus as a subspecies of it rather than as a full species.

It inhabits humid areas, occurring in a variety of surroundings including forest edges, second growth, and gardens.

[5] The isthmian wren usually forages in pairs in low dense vegetation, though it occasionally will hunt higher in trees.

[5] The isthmian wren nests from January to September is Costa Rica and is thought to have a similar span in Panama.

[5] The isthmian wren's song is "a loud motif of 3–4 clear whistles" frequently sung by both sexes [1].