Itatiaia Spinetail

Overview

The Itatiaia spinetail, also known as the Itatiaia thistletail, is a small ovenbird species found exclusively in southeastern Brazil. It belongs to the Furnariinae subfamily and is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Size: 18 to 19 cm long, weighing 10 to 11 g, making it one of the smaller members of its genus.
• Plumage: Adults feature a dull brown face, uniformly dark brown upperparts, and pale buffy underparts with a tawny ochraceous patch on the throat.
• Tail: Tail feathers lack most barbs at the end, giving them a distinct spiny appearance.
• Song: An accelerating series of extra-high, slightly rising notes described as 'you-tee-wiwiwiwi', accompanied by a low 'piuw' call.

Habitat

Endemic to the mountains of southeastern Brazil's Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo states, specifically above the tree line at elevations between 1,850 and 2,800 m. It inhabits semi-humid to humid montane scrublands, Chusquea bamboo thickets, and areas of tall grass near scrub.

Diet

The species feeds mostly on arthropods but also includes small fruits in its diet. It usually forages in pairs or occasionally in groups of three near the ground, gleaning prey from foliage and branches in a sometimes acrobatic manner.

Did you know?

The bird makes an oval nest constructed from moss with some twigs around the outside, though little else is known about its breeding biology.