Rufous Spinetail

Overview

The rufous spinetail, Synallaxis unirufa, is a bird species belonging to the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is one of the larger members of the genus Synallaxis and currently holds a status of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Measures 16 to 18 cm in length and weighs between 17 and 21 g, with sexes displaying identical plumage.
• Nominate adults are mostly bright reddish rufous, featuring slightly paler foreheads, sooty blackish lores, and black bill bases.
• Legs and feet range from gray to dark gray, with irises that are dark brown to dark reddish brown.
• Vocalisations vary by subspecies; the nominate sings a single long nasal note, often preceded by short introductory notes, repeated every one to two seconds.

Habitat

Found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, this species inhabits montane evergreen forest, elfin forest, and the undergrowth of cloud forests in the Andes' subtropical and temperate zones. It tends to favour stands of Chusquea bamboo and generally ranges between elevations of 1,700 and 3,700 m, though locally occurring as low as 1,200 m.

Diet

The rufous spinetail feeds primarily on arthropods, typically foraging in pairs or occasionally joining mixed-species flocks. It gleans prey from foliage and small branches within dense cover, usually up to 2 m above the ground but sometimes reaching as high as 4 m.

Did you know?

The four recognised subspecies possess significantly different vocalisations, a trait that hints some may warrant full species status, yet the species remains 'rather poorly known' despite its wide distribution.