Slaty spinetail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slaty spinetail |
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Synallaxis
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brachyura
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The slaty spinetail is a small bird that lives in Central and South America. It is also sometimes called the slaty castlebuilder. This bird belongs to the ovenbird family, which is known for building unique nests. You can find the slaty spinetail from Honduras all the way south to Peru.
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Different Types of Slaty Spinetails
Just like there are different breeds of dogs, there are different types of slaty spinetails. Scientists call these "subspecies." The slaty spinetail has four main subspecies:
- S. b. nigrifumosa
- S. b. griseonucha
- S. b. brachyura
- S. b. caucae
What Does a Slaty Spinetail Look Like?
The slaty spinetail is about 14 to 16 centimeters (5.5 to 6.3 inches) long. It weighs between 16 and 21 grams (about half an ounce). Both male and female birds look the same.
Adult slaty spinetails have a grayish stripe above their eyes, called a supercilium. The rest of their face is a darker gray. Their head and the back of their neck are a deep reddish-brown. Their back is a dark, smoky brown or slate-gray.
Their wings have reddish-brown feathers, and the rest of their wing feathers are dark brown. Their tail is long and brown. The tips of their tail feathers look spiny because they don't have the usual soft parts.
The bird's throat is blackish. Its chest and sides are dark smoky brown. The belly is a lighter, grayer brown. The lower belly and under the tail are browner.
Their eyes are reddish-brown or orange-brown. The top part of their beak (maxilla) is black or gray. The bottom part (mandible) is gray or blue-gray. Their legs and feet are olive-gray, gray, or blue-gray.
Young slaty spinetails look a bit different. Their head and neck are gray. Their upper body is lighter, and their wings are not as bright. Their underparts are more olive-colored.
Different subspecies have slight color variations. For example, S. b. nigrifumosa has a darker back and wings. S. b. caucae has a lighter head and a grayer back.
Where Do Slaty Spinetails Live?
Each subspecies of the slaty spinetail lives in a specific area:
- S. b. nigrifumosa: Lives along the Caribbean coast from Honduras, through Nicaragua and Costa Rica, into Panama.
- S. b. griseonucha: Lives along the Pacific coast from central Costa Rica, through western Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, into the very northwest of Peru.
- S. b. brachyura: Found in northern Colombia.
- S. b. caucae: Lives in the Cauca River valley in central Colombia.
These birds like to live in places with lots of thick bushes and plants. You can find them in areas where forests are growing back, along rivers, in overgrown clearings, and at the edges of evergreen forests. They also sometimes live in thorny bushes, near swamps, and even in gardens. They usually live in areas below 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) in elevation. In some parts of Colombia, they can be found as high as 2,000 meters (6,600 feet).
Slaty Spinetail Behavior
Movement
Slaty spinetails stay in the same area all year long. They do not migrate to different places.
What Do Slaty Spinetails Eat?
Slaty spinetails mainly eat small insects and other creatures like spiders (arthropods). They also eat some seeds. They usually hunt for food in pairs. They pick their prey off leaves, small branches, and from the leaf litter on the ground.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
We don't know all the details about when slaty spinetails breed. However, in Costa Rica, eggs have been found in January, February, and from April to October.
Even though they are called "ovenbirds," which often build nests out of clay, the slaty spinetail builds a different kind of nest. Their nest is a big, messy pile of thorny sticks. It has a long, tunnel-like entrance. Inside, the egg chamber is lined with soft leaves and spider webs. Sometimes, they even add snake or lizard skins!
They usually build their nests in a thick bush or a tree covered in vines. The nest is typically between 0.5 and 5 meters (1.6 to 16 feet) above the ground. A female slaty spinetail usually lays two or three eggs.
The eggs hatch after about 18 to 19 days. The young birds are ready to leave the nest about 17 days after they hatch. Both parents help incubate the eggs and feed the baby birds.
What Do Slaty Spinetails Sound Like?
The slaty spinetail's song sounds like "ch-ch-ch-churrr-r-r-r" or "je-ch-ch-chrrrrr." It can also sound like a "hard trill," similar to a wren. When they are looking for food, they make a "chk" sound. Another call they make is "chee-ah."
Status of the Slaty Spinetail
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the slaty spinetail and decided it is a species of "Least Concern." This means that the bird is not currently in danger of disappearing.
It lives in a very large area, and there are at least 500,000 adult birds. Scientists believe their population is stable, meaning it's not going down. There are no immediate threats to this bird. It is considered fairly common and lives in several protected areas. The slaty spinetail can also handle some changes to its habitat caused by humans, which helps it survive.
