Line-fronted canastero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Line-fronted canastero |
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Asthenes
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| Species: |
urubambensis
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The line-fronted canastero (Asthenes urubambensis) is a special bird that lives high in the mountains. It belongs to the ovenbird family called Furnariidae. You can find this bird in Bolivia and Peru. Currently, it is listed as a Near Threatened species. This means its numbers are getting lower, and we need to help protect it.
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About the Line-fronted Canastero
This bird has two main types, called subspecies. Think of subspecies as slightly different versions of the same animal. They often live in different areas. One type is named A. u. urubambensis. The other is A. u. huallagae. Scientists like Frank Chapman and John Todd Zimmer helped name these birds many years ago.
What Does It Look Like?
The line-fronted canastero is about 17 to 18 centimeters (7 inches) long. It weighs around 16 to 20 grams (0.6 ounces). This bird is a larger type of canastero. It has a thin, spiky tail. Both male and female birds look the same.
Adult birds have a clear whitish stripe above their eye. This stripe gets wider behind the eye. Their face is light brownish with thin dark brown streaks. The front of their head is dark brown. It has golden-brown stripes that fade into a brown top of the head.
Their neck and upper body are a rich brown color. The neck has blurry light brown streaks. These streaks fade on the upper back. The feathers covering their tail are pale and streaky. Their wings are rich brown. The tips of their flight feathers are dark. Their tail is also a rich brown.
The chin of the bird is pale yellowish-brown or dark reddish-brown. Their upper throat is yellowish-brown to orange-red. The lower throat is light buff-brown with dark brown streaks. Their chest is a lighter buff-brown than the throat. It has wide dark brown and pale buff streaks. These streaks fade onto their pale buff belly. Their sides and under-tail feathers are rich brown. The under-tail feathers have pale streaks.
Their eyes are brown. The upper part of their beak is black to gray. The lower part is silver-gray to pinkish. Their legs and feet are olive green to gray.
The A. u. huallagae subspecies looks a bit different. Its upper body is slightly darker and redder. It has streaks mostly on its forehead and neck. This subspecies also has more and whiter streaks on its belly and sides.
Where Does It Live?
The line-fronted canastero lives in different areas, not all connected. The A. u. huallagae subspecies lives in the Andes mountains of central Peru. You can find it between the San Martín and Pasco regions.
The other subspecies, A. u. urubambensis, lives in the Andes from the Cuzco and Puno regions of Peru. From there, it goes south into western Bolivia. It can be found as far as the La Paz and Cochabamba regions.
This bird makes its home where the forest ends and open grasslands begin. This area has mossy bushes, Gynoxys and Ribes shrubs. It also has groves of Polylepis trees. These birds live at very high elevations. They are found between 3,050 and 4,300 meters (10,000 to 14,100 feet) above sea level.
Behavior
Movement
The line-fronted canastero stays in the same area all year long. It does not migrate.
Feeding
This bird eats arthropods, which are like insects and spiders. It looks for food alone or in pairs. It picks prey off tree branches and bushes. Sometimes, it also finds food on the ground.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Scientists do not know much about how the line-fronted canastero breeds.
Vocalization
The song of the line-fronted canastero is a rising trill. Its call sounds like a high "tseut."
Status and Conservation
The IUCN first looked at the line-fronted canastero in 1988. They said it was "Threatened." But since 2004, they have changed its status to "Near Threatened."
This bird lives in a somewhat small area. Scientists believe there are between 2,500 and 10,000 adult birds left. This number is thought to be going down.
Some mountain homes in Peru are still quite natural. However, in Bolivia, many natural areas have been damaged. This damage comes from animals grazing, fires, and people collecting firewood. Heavy grazing and uncontrolled fires also stop Polylepis trees from growing back. This is especially true where trees are cut for wood and charcoal.
The line-fronted canastero is generally rare or uncommon. But in some places, you might find more of them. They are found in at least one protected area in both Bolivia and Peru. These protected areas help keep their homes safe.
