Rufous-fronted Thornbird

Overview

The rufous-fronted thornbird, also known as the common thornbird (Phacellodomus rufifrons), is a species in the family Furnariidae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a very large but disjunct range and a stable population.

Identification

• 16 to 17 cm long, weighing 18 to 31 g, with identical plumage in both sexes.
• Forehead is dark rufous and the crown is dark brownish with paler streaks; upperparts are slightly lighter dark brown.
• Underparts are brownish white with darker brownish sides and flanks; undertail coverts have a rufescent tinge.
• Song is a rather unstructured series of very high, mewing 'stjew' notes that rise, fall, and repeat.
• Calls include an extremely high, sharp 'sipsipsip-sip-', or a sharp 'chip'/'chek', or a metallic 'tsi'.

Habitat

Found across Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru, with a disjunct distribution. It inhabits diverse landscapes featuring dense thickets and trees, including arid scrublands, tropical forests, cerrado, and savannah. Elevation ranges from below 1,300 m in Brazil to locally as high as 2,000 m elsewhere.

Diet

Feeds on arthropods, usually foraging in pairs or small groups that include nest helpers, though rarely joining mixed-species flocks. Primarily glean prey from leaf litter on the ground, but may search dead foliage in bushes up to the forest's mid-level.

Did you know?

It constructs an extremely large nest for its size, forming a cylinder of thorny sticks that can reach 2.5 m (8 ft) in length and containing several chambers and entrances. Young from previous broods often remain to assist with nest building, maintenance, and defence.