Cinereous-breasted Spinetail

Overview

The cinereous-breasted spinetail (Synallaxis hypospodia) is a small bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is considered locally common to fairly common across its disjunct range in South America.

Identification

• Size 15 to 16 cm in length with a weight of 15 to 18 g.
• Plumage: Gray-brown face with a faint supercilium, chestnut-rufous crown and nape, dark brown back, and a brownish gray breast.
• Bill: Black maxilla and silvery gray to grayish horn mandible.
• Song: Described as a hurried, loud chatter on the same pitch that accelerates at the end, or a high, sharp 'tut-Drrrrrrruh' with a staccato, slightly descending finish.

Habitat

This species inhabits open landscapes such as seasonally wet grassland, scrublands, campina, and savannah, typically favouring areas near water. It ranges from near sea level to approximately 700 m in elevation and is found in disjunct populations across Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru.

Diet

The specific diet and foraging behaviour are not well documented, but the bird is thought to glean arthropods from foliage and small branches, staying between 1 and 2 m above the ground. It is usually observed foraging in pairs.

Did you know?

The cinereous-breasted spinetail was previously considered a subspecies of Spix's spinetail but is now recognised as a distinct sister species.