Speckled spinetail

The speckled spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae.^[2] It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.^[3]

Speckled spinetail
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Furnariidae
Genus:	Thripophaga
Species:	T. gutturata
Binomial name
Thripophaga gutturata (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1838)
Synonyms
Cranioleuca gutturata

Taxonomy and systematics

The speckled spinetail was previously place in genus Cranioleuca but a study published in 2011 places it in Thripophaga.^[4] BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World made the change by 2018 and the International Ornithological Committee and the Clements taxonomy followed suit in 2023.^[5][2][6] The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society retains the old genus but acknowledges the need for the change and is seeking a formal proposal for it.^[7]

The speckled spinetail is monotypic.^[2][5][6] However, there are plumages differences across its range. At least two subspecies in addition to the nominate have been proposed, and "reanalysis of variation throughout range is required".^[8]

Description

The spectacled spinetail is 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 13 to 17 g (0.46 to 0.60 oz). Adults have an ochraceous brown supercilium, ear coverts, and malars; the last two have dark brownish speckles. Their crown is dark chestnut that becomes dark brown on the hindcrown and upper back. Their lower back is a richer brown that continues with a rufescent tinge on the rump and uppertail coverts. Their tail is rufous; despite the species' "spinetail" name, the feathers are rounded. Their wings are dark chestnut with an ochraceous bend and dark fuscous tips on the flight feathers. Their chin is dull yellow, their throat and breast tawny-buff with dark brown triangular spots, and their belly, flanks, and undertail coverts tawny-buff with fainter spots. Their iris is pale yellowish to brown, their maxilla black to gray, their mandible gray to blue-gray (often with a pinkish base), and their legs and feet olive to brownish yellow. Juveniles have a brown crown (not chestnut), a grayish olive back, and few or no spots on the underparts.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Distribution and habitat

The speckled spinetail is found in much of the Amazon Basin. It occurs in southeastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, eastern Ecuador and Peru, northern Bolivia, Suriname, French Guiana, and most of western Amazonian Brazil. It inhabits lowland evergreen forest, mostly várzea and the transition zone between it and dryer landscapes. It occurs locally in terra firme forest. It favors areas with dense vines. It mostly occurs below an elevation of 400 m (1,300 ft) but locally is found as high as 1,100 m (3,600 ft).^{[8][9][10][11]}

Behavior

Movement

The speckled spinetail is a year-round resident throughout its range.^[8]

Feeding

The speckled spinetail feeds on arthropods; cockroaches (Blattodea) and "typical bugs" (Heteroptera) dominate its diet though other insects and spiders have been recorded. It forages singly or in pairs, frequently in mixed-species feeding flocks, and usually from the forest's mid-storey to its subcanopy. It acrobatically hitches and hops up trunks and along branches. Much of its feeding is from dead leaf clusters; it also probes and gleans from live vegetation, bark, moss, epiphytes, and palm fronds.^[8][9][11]

Breeding

The speckled spinetail's breeding season has not been detailed though in Peru it appears to begin with nest building in August. The nest is a cone of moss tapering to an entrance hole and suspended from a branch. The species is believed to be monogamous. Nothing else is known about its breeding biology.^[8]

Songs and calls Listen to speckled spinetail on xeno-canto

Vocalization

One song of the speckled spinetail is " a quavering, descending trill with introductory note, tch-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t.^[8] Another is "a short series of high piercing notes, 'tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee' ".^[9] Its alarm call is a "short, low rattle".^[10]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the speckled spinetail as being of Least Concern. It has an extremely large range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.^[1] It is considered rare on the western edges of its range and fairly common in its core, but is often overlooked. It occurs in at least one protected area, in Peru.^[8][9][11]

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Speckled Spinetail Thripophaga gutturata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22702464A93876463. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22702464A93876463.en. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
2. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Ovenbirds, woodcreepers". IOC World Bird List. v 13.2. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
3. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 28 September 2023. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved October 20, 2023
4. Derryberry, E. P., S. Claramunt, G. Derryberry, R. T. Chesser, J. Cracraft, A. Aleixo, J. Pérez-Emán, J. V. Remsen, Jr., and R. T. Brumfield. (2011). Lineage diversification and morphological evolution in a large-scale continental radiation: the Neotropical ovenbirds and woodcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Evolution 65(10):2973–2986.
5. HBW and BirdLife International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip retrieved December 13, 2022
6. Clements, J. F., P.C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved October 28, 2023
7. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 28 September 2023. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved October 20, 2023
8. Remsen, Jr., J. V. (2023). Speckled Spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spespi1.01.1 Retrieved November 10, 2023
9. Ridgely, Robert S.; Greenfield, Paul J. (2001). The Birds of Ecuador: Field Guide. Vol. II. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. pp. 355–356. ISBN 978-0-8014-8721-7.
10. van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-19-530155-7.
11. McMullan, Miles; Donegan, Thomas M.; Quevedo, Alonso (2010). Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Bogotá: Fundación ProAves. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-9827615-0-2.