[2] The white-bellied wren is the only member of genus Uropsila, but its taxonomy at the subspecies level is uncertain.

Cornell qualifies their additions by noting that australis "may be separable" and that grisescens is "doubtfully valid" because it was based on soot-discolored specimens.

[4] The white-bellied wren inhabits a range of woodland types from the semi-arid forest of western Mexico to the humid rainforest of the Yucatan Peninsula.

[4] The white-bellied wren forages for insects and spiders in vegetation "from ground level to a considerable height".

Its nest is shaped like a chemical retort, an oval ball with a downward pointing funnel entrance.

The white-bellied wren's song is "a short series of 6 rapid up-and-down notes, descending at end", rather bubbly in the eastern population but not the western.

Its calls include a "low 'chek', scolding chatter, and hard dry cracking rattle.