Tufted Tit-Spinetail

Overview

The tufted tit-spinetail (Leptasthenura platensis) is a small, slender bird belonging to the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is primarily a year-round resident found in South America, with a population believed to be stable and of Least Concern.

Identification

• A small, long-tailed bird measuring 15 to 17 cm in length with a short crest and short bill.
• Plumage is dull grayish brown with a thin pale supercilium, a dark brown crown and crest with paler streaks, and a graduated, spiny-looking tail.
• Legs are dark olive-green and the bill is black with a pale base to the mandible.
• Song is described as an accelerating, descending trill introduced by sharp notes, such as 'tsi, tsirrrrr'.

Habitat

Found in northern and central Argentina, western Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and most of Uruguay, with hypothetical presence in Paraguay. It inhabits a variety of landscapes including gallery forest, riparian zones, arid scrublands, dry woodlands, and brushy areas of the Monte Desert. The species ranges in elevation from sea level to 1,000 m.

Diet

The bird feeds on arthropods, foraging in pairs or small groups from the forest understorey to the canopy. It usually gleans prey from foliage, twigs, and branch bark, and sometimes hangs upside down to reach food.

Did you know?

The tufted tit-spinetail is opportunistic in its nesting, reusing natural cavities, woodpecker holes, and even the abandoned 'mud ovens' built by horneros.