Scribble-tailed canastero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scribble-tailed canastero |
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Asthenes
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maculicauda
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The scribble-tailed canastero (Asthenes maculicauda) is a small bird that lives in parts of South America. It's known for its unique tail feathers that look like they have scribbled patterns. This bird belongs to the ovenbird family, which is a group of birds often found in Central and South America. You can find the scribble-tailed canastero in countries like Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.
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About the Scribble-tailed Canastero
The scribble-tailed canastero is a unique kind of bird. Scientists sometimes thought it might be a subspecies of other birds, like the Junin canastero or the many-striped canastero. However, studies of their DNA show that these three birds are actually separate but closely related species. They are like "sister species" in the bird world.
What Does It Look Like?
The scribble-tailed canastero is about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) long. It weighs around 19 grams (0.67 ounces), which is about as much as a few quarters. Both male and female birds look the same.
This bird has a unique pattern on its long, pointed tail feathers. Its face is a buffy color with a faint pale stripe above its eye and a dark brown stripe behind it. The top of its head is reddish-brown, blending into a blackish-brown crown with lighter streaks.
Its back and rump are dark brown with wider buff streaks. The wings are dark brown with reddish edges. The central tail feathers have a mix of reddish, buff-brown, dark brown, and olive-brown streaks. The rest of its tail is mostly dark with reddish and olive-brown edges.
Its throat is a pale grayish-buff. The chest is a bit reddish-brown with a band of dark brown streaks. The belly is light buff-brownish. Its sides and flanks have dark brown and light buff streaks. The underside of its tail is light reddish-brown with faint darker streaks.
The bird's eyes are brown. Its beak is gray, sometimes with a darker tip. Its legs and feet are olive to olive-green. Young birds look a bit duller than adults, with less clear patterns on their tails.
Where Do They Live?
The scribble-tailed canastero lives in two separate areas in the Andes mountains. One group lives in southern Peru and west-central Bolivia. The other group lives in northwestern Argentina.
Both groups live in páramo grasslands. These are high-altitude grasslands found near the tree line, which is the edge where trees stop growing due to the cold and high elevation. These areas have tall, lush grasses and low shrubs. The birds usually live at elevations between 3,000 and 4,300 meters (9,800 and 14,100 feet) above sea level. Sometimes, they can be found as low as 2,250 meters (7,380 feet).
How Do They Behave?
Movement
The scribble-tailed canastero stays in the same area all year round. It does not migrate to other places.
Feeding Habits
This bird eats arthropods, which are creatures like insects and spiders. It usually looks for food alone or in pairs. They seem to find most of their food on the ground or in low plants. Sometimes, they have been seen flying up to catch insects in the air.
Reproduction
Scientists do not know much about how the scribble-tailed canastero reproduces or raises its young.
Sounds and Calls
The song of the scribble-tailed canastero is a series of "tree" notes that end in a fast, descending trill. Its call is a rising whistled sound, like "tuuuiit" or "tooeee".
What is Their Status?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the scribble-tailed canastero as a species of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in immediate danger of disappearing.
However, it lives in a limited area, and its population size is unknown. Experts believe the number of these birds might be decreasing. No big threats have been found yet. But, the bird is considered rare to uncommon. It is thought to be very sensitive to things like overgrazing by animals and fires in its habitat.
