Red-shouldered Spinetail

Overview

The red-shouldered spinetail (Synallaxis hellmayri) is a monotypic species of ovenbird endemic to Brazil. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population is believed to be decreasing due to habitat conversion and exploitation.

Identification

• Size: 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) in length with a mass of 25 to 26 g.
• Plumage: Uniform fuscous brown upperparts, dull chestnut wing coverts, and blackish tail with blunt tips; underparts are brownish gray with a buffier belly and black chin and throat.
• Features: Orange to rufescent iris, black to blackish-brown bill, and gray legs and feet.
• Song: A loud, fast, accelerating series that fades towards the end, often introduced by quiet, dry notes.

Habitat

Found in eastern Brazil, bounded roughly by Piauí, western Pernambuco, and extreme northern Minas Gerais, at elevations between 200 and 400 m. It inhabits arid scrubby woodland within the caatinga biome, favouring areas dense with terrestrial bromeliads.

Diet

The species feeds mostly on arthropods but also consumes seeds. It forages in pairs, gleaning prey mainly from leaf litter on the ground but also from foliage and small branches up to about 2 m above the ground.

Did you know?

The one known nest constructed by this species was a bulky mass of cactus spines, roughly twice as long as it was wide, featuring an upward-slanting entrance tube.