Austral Canastero

Overview

The austral canastero (Asthenes anthoides) is a species of bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is the southernmost canastero, found in parts of southern Argentina and Chile.

Identification

• Length of 15.5 to 16.5 cm with a weight of 21 to 23 g, featuring a shorter tail than many other canasteros.
• Drab, sandy brownish plumage with conspicuous blackish streaks on the upperparts and a whitish or pale buff supercilium.
• Blackish-brown streaks on the breast and sides in juveniles, while adults have whitish throats and bellies.
• A black bill with a whitish base and legs that range in colour from pink to dusky grey.

Habitat

Inhabits a disjunct range in southern Chile and Argentina, preferring mesic shrub-steppe with tallish shrubs and tussock grass. It also occupies open scrublands and Nothofagus woodlands, while shunning grasslands without shrubs or trees. Elevation is typically between sea level and 200 m, though occasional records reach 1,750 m.

Diet

Feeds on arthropods, foraging singly or in pairs by gleaning prey from the ground and shrubs. It occasionally pushes into grass clumps to locate food.

Did you know?

The species name anthoides refers to its strong resemblance to pipits of the genus Anthus.