St Kilda Wren | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Troglodytidae |
Genus: | Troglodytes |
Species: | T. troglodytes |
Subspecies: | T. t. hirtensis |
Trinomial name | |
Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis Seebohm, 1884 |
The St Kilda Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis, is a small passerine bird in the wren family. It is a distinctive subspecies of the Winter Wren endemic to the islands of the isolated St Kilda archipelago, in the Atlantic Ocean 64 km west of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Its Gaelic name is “Dreathan-donn”.[1]
The St Kilda Wren is distinguished from the mainland form by its larger size and heavier barring, as well as its generally greyer and less rufous colouration. It differs from other Scottish island sub-species by its heavy barring, long and strong bill, and its greyer and paler plumage.[2]
The St Kilda Wren is a fairly common breeding resident on St Kilda. The population was estimated at about 230 breeding pairs in 2002.[3]
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