Streak-backed Canastero

Overview

The streak-backed canastero (Asthenes wyatti) is a species of bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae, found across South America in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, the species maintains a stable population across an extremely large range.

Identification

• 16 to 18 cm long and weighing 17 to 25 g, with a narrow buff supercilium on a grizzled light brown and blackish face.
• Olive-brown upperparts featuring dark brown streaks that become wider on the back, and dark fuscous wings with rufous edges forming a wingband.
• Light brown breast with almost invisible dark brown flecks, transitioning to a bright tawny-buff belly and rufescent flanks.
• Song is a dry rattling phrase that ascends in frequency and accelerates in amplitude before suddenly fading and dropping, often sung from a perch atop a shrub.

Habitat

The species inhabits páramo and puna grasslands, often arid, characterised by rock outcroppings and usually accompanied by tall tussock grass and low shrubs. In the southern part of its range, it occurs locally in Polylepis woodlands with tussock grass ground cover. Elevations vary by region, typically between 2,000 and 4,500 m, though some populations range as low as 1,800 m or as high as 5,000 m.

Diet

The streak-backed canastero feeds on arthropods, foraging singly or in pairs by gleaning prey from the ground and clumps of grass. It has also been observed leaping into the air to catch insects on the wing.

Did you know?

Despite the species' vast north-to-south range, its song and calls appear to differ little among the subspecies.