Rufous spinetail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rufous spinetail
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Synallaxis
Species:	unirufa

The rufous spinetail (Synallaxis unirufa) is a type of bird that belongs to the ovenbird family called Furnariidae. You can find this bird in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

About Its Family Tree

The rufous spinetail has four main types, which scientists call subspecies:

• S. u. munoztebari
• S. u. meridana
• S. u. unirufa (this is the main type)
• S. u. ochrogaster

For a while, another bird called the black-throated spinetail was thought to be just another type of rufous spinetail. But now, scientists know they are actually sister species, meaning they are very close relatives.

What Does It Look Like?

The rufous spinetail is about 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long, which is about the length of a pencil. It weighs between 17 to 21 g (0.60 to 0.74 oz), which is like a few quarters. It's one of the bigger birds in its group, Synallaxis. Both male and female birds look the same.

Adults of the main type, S. u. unirufa, are mostly a bright reddish-brown color. Their forehead is a bit lighter, and the area around their eyes (called lores) looks a bit sooty black. Sometimes, you can see black at the bottom of their throat feathers. Their eyes are dark brown, and their beak is black, though the lower part of the beak might be lighter. Their legs and feet are gray. Young rufous spinetails have brown upper parts and lighter underparts than the adults.

Other types of the rufous spinetail have slight differences:

• The S. u. munoztebari type is lighter in color than the main type. It has a faint buffy "eyebrow stripe" above its eye and no black on its throat feathers.
• The S. u. meridana type is also lighter than the main type, and you can sometimes see the black bases of its throat feathers.
• The S. u. ochrogaster type has the lightest underparts of all, especially in the middle of its belly.

Where Does It Live?

The rufous spinetail lives in different areas that are not connected, which is called a disjunct distribution. The main type, S. u. unirufa, is found in the most places. It lives in the Andes mountains of Colombia, on the western side of Ecuador's Andes, and on the eastern side through Ecuador into northern Peru.

Other types live in specific areas:

• S. u. munoztebari lives in the Serranía del Perijá mountains, which are on the border between northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
• S. u. meridana lives in the Andes mountains of western Venezuela and a small part of Colombia's Eastern Andes.
• S. u. ochrogaster lives in the Peruvian Andes mountains, south of the Marañón River.

This bird likes to live in mountain forests that stay green all year, small, dense forests (called elfin forests), and the edges of cloudy forests in the Andes. It often stays in the dense plants on the forest floor, especially in areas with Chusquea bamboo. You can usually find it at heights between 1,700 and 3,700 m (5,600 and 12,100 ft) above sea level, but sometimes as low as 1,200 m (3,900 ft).

Behavior

Movement

The rufous spinetail stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate.

Feeding Habits

The rufous spinetail eats arthropods, which are small creatures like insects and spiders. It usually hunts for food in pairs. Sometimes, it joins groups of different bird species that are feeding together. It finds its food by picking small creatures off leaves and small branches in thick bushes, usually up to about 2 m (7 ft) above the ground. Sometimes, it goes as high as 4 m (13 ft).

Reproduction

Scientists don't know much about when the rufous spinetail breeds. The only information they have is that young birds were seen in April in Colombia. It's thought that these birds stay with one partner for life, but not much else is known about how they raise their young.

How It Sings and Calls

The different types (subspecies) of the rufous spinetail have very different songs and calls. This makes scientists wonder if some of them might actually be completely separate species! More study is needed to understand how these birds are related.

Here are some details about their sounds:

• S. u. munoztebari: Its song is a series of two, or sometimes three, notes. The first note is much shorter. Its calls include a very short, upward-sounding note like "pit!" which is sometimes repeated.
• S. u. meridana: Its main song is a series of two or three similar nasal notes. The first note is a bit shorter. It also has a "dawn song" which is a series of longer notes, and the second note often has two parts. Its call is a very short, upward-sounding note like "kit".
• S. u. unirufa: Its main song is a single long nasal note, often with one or two short notes before it. Another song is one or two long notes that go up in pitch. Its call is a short note like "chik", which is sometimes repeated.
• S. u. ochrogaster: Its main song is a single note, sometimes with a short note before it. Another song is a series of two to four notes that go up in pitch. Its call is a short note like "chik", which is sometimes repeated.

All four types repeat their main song for long periods, usually every one to two seconds. The bird sings at any time of day, but mostly in the morning. It usually sings from inside thick bushes where it's hidden.

Is It Safe?

The IUCN, a group that checks on animals, has said that the rufous spinetail is of "Least Concern". This means it's not in danger of disappearing. It lives in a very large area, and even though we don't know exactly how many there are, scientists believe the number is stable. No immediate dangers have been found for this bird. It can be found from uncommon to common in different parts of its range and lives in several protected areas. Even though it's found in many places, not much is known about it.