Little thornbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little thornbird |
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| At Santa Fe Province, Argentina | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Furnariidae |
| Genus: | Phacellodomus |
| Species: |
P. sibilatrix
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| Binomial name | |
| Phacellodomus sibilatrix Sclater, PL, 1879
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The little thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) is a small bird. It is part of the ovenbird family called Furnariidae. You can find this bird in several South American countries. These include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Contents
About the Little Thornbird
How Scientists Named It
The little thornbird was officially described in 1879 by Philip Sclater. But an earlier bird, found by Félix de Azara in 1817, was also a little thornbird. That bird was named Sylvia ruficollis by Louis Pierre Vieillot.
Even though Vieillot found it first, Sclater's name was kept. This was done to avoid confusion and keep things consistent. The little thornbird is a unique species. It does not have any subspecies.
What the Little Thornbird Looks Like
The little thornbird is a small bird. It is about 13 to 14 centimeters (5 to 5.5 inches) long. It weighs around 14 to 16 grams (0.5 to 0.6 ounces). It is the smallest bird in its group, called Phacellodomus.
Both male and female little thornbirds look the same. They have a light, dull white stripe above their eyes. This stripe goes past their eyes. Their face is light brownish. They have a faint brown stripe behind each eye.
Their forehead is light reddish-brown with pale streaks. Their head and back are dull brown. Their lower back and upper tail feathers are brownish with a reddish tint. Their wings are mostly brown. The central tail feathers are dull brown. The other tail feathers are bright reddish-brown.
Their throat and belly are dull white. Their chest is a bit darker. Their sides and under-tail feathers are whitish with a brownish-yellow tint. Their eyes can be greenish-gray or dark brown. Their beak is dark gray or black on top. The bottom part is light gray. Their legs and feet are gray or pinkish-gray. Young birds look similar but have slightly darker upper parts. Their underparts are a bit grayer.
Where the Little Thornbird Lives
The little thornbird lives in southern Bolivia, western Paraguay, and southwestern Uruguay. It also lives in northern Argentina, reaching as far south as Buenos Aires Province. There has also been at least one sighting in southwestern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
This bird likes to live in tropical forests that lose their leaves. It also lives in Gran Chaco woodlands and savannas with scattered trees. You can also find it in scrublands. It lives from sea level up to about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) high.
Little Thornbird Behavior
Movement and Daily Life
The little thornbird stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate.
What and How It Eats
The little thornbird eats arthropods. These are creatures like insects and spiders. It usually hunts for food in pairs or small groups. Sometimes, other birds help them find food. They might also join groups of different bird species looking for food.
They find their food by picking it off the ground. They also pick it from plants and trees. They can search for food as high as the middle part of the forest.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Little thornbirds lay eggs in the spring and summer. This is usually from August to February or even later. They build a nest that looks like a cone. They make it from thorny sticks. This nest can be about 40 centimeters (16 inches) tall.
Inside the nest, they make a soft chamber. They line it with shredded plants, hair, feathers, and other soft things. They hang their nest from the end of a bush or tree branch. They often choose a single tree or a small group of trees.
Usually, they lay three eggs. Sometimes they lay four. Scientists do not know how long the eggs take to hatch. They also do not know how long it takes for the young birds to leave the nest. Details about how the parents care for their young are also not fully known.
Little Thornbird Sounds
The little thornbird has a special song. It is a duet, meaning two birds sing together. They make sharp, loud, piercing tee tee tee sounds. One bird sings faster than the other. It sounds like tee teeter tee teeter teeter tee tee teeter.... Their call is a sharp 'chip' sound. They often repeat this call.
Status of the Little Thornbird
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the little thornbird. They have listed it as a species of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
The bird lives across a large area. However, its total population size is not known. Scientists believe its numbers might be going down. No immediate threats to the bird have been found. It is considered common to uncommon in most places where it lives. It also lives in at least one protected area.
 | Valerie Thomas |
 | Frederick McKinley Jones |
 | George Edward Alcorn Jr. |
 | Thomas Mensah |
