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OVENBIRDS
- FURNARIIDAE
- PART V
Pseudasthenes canasteros, cacholotes, Synallaxis and other spinetails
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Cactus
Canastero
Pseudasthenes
cactorum lachayensis
Lomas de Lachay, Lima department, Peru.
This
species has been moved to a different genus than the other canasteros,
but I've kept it here out of taxonomical order. It's endemic to very
dry, cactus-filled slopes of western Peru. (S6) |
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Caatinga
Cacholote
Pseudoseisura
cristata
Fazenda Nova Esperança, Canudos-Jeremoaba road, Bahia
state, Brazil.
Endemic to interior eastern Brazil. The song duet given by pairs of these active
and
entertaining birds is unforgettable, and one of the most
characteristic sounds of the region. (D3) |
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Rufous
(Gray-crested)
Cacholote
Pseudoseisura
unirufa
Pousada Piuval, Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
These bold, noisy birds are a common sight in
the
Pantanal, often right in the grounds of your lodge.
(S5f) |
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White-throated
Cacholote
Pseudoseisura
gutturalis
Quilmes, Tucumán province, Argentina.
This distinctive cacholote is endemic to the
deserts of
Argentina. Here it is perched on its huge, thorny stick nest.
(S5) |
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White-throated
Cacholote
Pseudoseisura
gutturalis
Quilmes, Tucumán province, Argentina.
A different pose of the same bird as above.
(S5) |
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Chotoy
Spinetail
Schoeniophylax
phryganophilus phryganophilus
Pantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
A beautiful and unique spinetail in its own
monotypic
genus. It is found in lightly wooded areas from Bolivia to
Uruguay and northern Argentina. (D3) |
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Chotoy
Spinetail
Schoeniophylax
phryganophilus phryganophilus
Pantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil.
Now that's a tail! (S6) |
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Yellow-chinned Spinetail
Certhiaxis
cinnamomeus
russeola
Pirapora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
This one is always found around still water
(fresh or
salt). The yellow chin is not always obvious in the field.
(S8) |
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Ochre-cheeked
Spinetail
Synallaxis
scutata
whitii
Calilegua National Park, Jujuy province, Argentina.
One of the more colorful of the Synallaxis
spinetails. It has a
rather large range from eastern Brazil to northwestern Argentina,
but is quite localized. (S8) |
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Gray-bellied
Spinetail
Synallaxis
cinerascens
Pico da Caledônia, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Endemic to the Atlantic Forest highlands.
(S6) |
 | Plain-crowned Spinetail Synallaxis gujanensis huallagae Amazonia Lodge, Madre de Dios region, Peru. Widespread in the Amazonian and Guianan regions, though in many areas very localized. (S8) |
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Pinto's
Spinetail
Synallaxis
infuscata
RPPN Frei Caneca, Pernambuco state, Brazil.
An endangered endemic restricted to the
northeastern
remnants of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. (S6) |
 | Slaty Spinetail Synallaxis brachyura chapmani Road to Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary, Pichincha province, Ecuador. (S8) |
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Silvery-throated
Spinetail
Synallaxis
subpudica
Cerro de Guadalupe, Bogotá Colombia.
Endemic to the eastern Andes of Colombia. It
is not well
named; there is ony a narrow silvery border around its otherwise
dark throat. (S5) |
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Sooty-fronted
Spinetail
Synallaxis
frontalis
frontalis
Serra do Cipó NP, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Found in lightly wooded areas from central
Brazil to
northern Argentina. (S5f) |
 | Azara's Spinetail Synallaxis azarae media Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua, Pichincha province, Ecuador. A common inhabitant of Andean cloudforest. (S8) |
 | Dark-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis albigularis albigularis Coca, Orellana, Ecuador (S11) |
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Spix's
Spinetail
Synallaxis
spixi
Vargem Bonita, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
A common and widespread species throughout much of southeastern South America. Some
books still
call this Chicli Spinetail, a name mistakenly given to the bird
many years ago, probably due to confusing its voice with that of
Sooty-fronted Spinetail S.
frontalis. (D3) |
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Ruddy
Spinetail
Synallaxis
rutilans
caquetensis
Yasuní Research Station, Orellana province, Ecuador.
This was another incredibly hard bird to
photograph. It
lives only in the deepest, darkest tangles of the rainforest
floor, and it's rare to boot. I did resort to flash on this one,
but flash often doesn't work well under these circumstances.
There is so much vegetation around that the flash ends up getting
blocked by leaves and branches, causing unexpected shadows on the
image. But again, there is virtually nothing out there for this
species, so here it is. (S6) |
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Rufous
Spinetail
Synallaxis
unirufa unirufa
Chical, Carchi province, Ecuador.
A common resident of higher elevation Andean
cloudforest. (S7) |
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Rufous-breasted
Spinetail
Synallaxis
erythrothorax
pacific
Northeast of Mapastepec, Chiapas state, Mexico.
Mexico's only spinetail. (S5) |
 | White-whiskered Spinetail Synallaxis candei candei Los Flamencos, La Guajira, Colombia. A
really nice-looking spinetail found in arid habitats in Colombia and
Venezuela. The ranges listed for the subspecies appear to be incorrect
- this one is clearly candei (with a mostly black throat) even though venezuelensis, with a white throat, is listed for the Guajira peninsula. (S8) |
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White-lored
Spinetail
Synallaxis
albilora
albilora Pousada Piuval, Pantanal, Mato Grosso
state, Brazil.
This spinetail is nearly endemic to the
Pantanal.
(S8) |
 | Necklaced Spinetail Synallaxis stictothorax stictothorax El Tambo, Santa Elena province, Ecuador. (S8) |
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Necklaced
(Chinchipe) Spinetail
Synallaxis
stictothorax chinchipensis
Las Juntas, Cajamarca department, Peru.
This
taxon is endemic to the middle Marañon valley of Northern Peru.
Currently lumped by SACC with Necklaced Spinetails of the Tumbesian
region (stictothorax
& maculata),
but differences in voice and disjunct range suggest that it deserves
full species status. (S6) |
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Great
Spinetail
Synallaxis hypochondriaca
San Marcos, Cajamarca department, Peru.
Endemic to the upper
Marañon valley of Peru, where it is locally common in arid woodland and
scrub. (S6) |
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Red-shouldered
Spinetail
Synallaxis hellmayri
Palmeiras, Bahia state, Brazil.
A
unique spinetail endemic to the caatinga of NE Brazil. In my
experience with it, it's behavior is quite different, being partly
terrestrial. (S6) |
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