Spix's woodcreeper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spix's woodcreeper |
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Xiphorhynchus
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spixii
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The Spix's woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus spixii) is a type of bird. It belongs to the ovenbird family called Furnariidae. This bird lives only in Brazil, meaning it is endemic there.
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About the Spix's Woodcreeper
The Spix's woodcreeper and the elegant woodcreeper are very similar. Some experts once thought they were the same species. Even after they were separated, some still thought certain types of elegant woodcreepers were part of the Spix's family. But now, we know the Spix's woodcreeper is a monotypic species. This means it does not have different subspecies.
The bird's name honors a German scientist named Johann Baptist von Spix. He lived from 1782 to 1826.
What Does the Spix's Woodcreeper Look Like?
The Spix's woodcreeper is a medium-sized bird. It has a long, thin bill that curves down a little. These birds are about 18.5 to 21 centimeters (7 to 8 inches) long. They weigh between 27 and 36 grams (about 1 ounce). Both male and female birds look the same.
Adult birds have a dark brown face with thin, light streaks. They have a pale stripe above their eye and a light ring around it. Their head and neck are blackish-brown. They have small, light, tear-shaped spots there. These spots look more like streaks on their neck.
Their back and wing feathers are olive-brown. They have light, tear-shaped spots with dark edges on their back. Their flight feathers, rump, and tail are a dark reddish-brown color. The tips of their primary flight feathers are dusky brown.
Their throat is pale, and their chest and belly are dull olive-brown. These areas have long, light streaks with dark edges. Their legs and feet are bluish to gray. Young birds look much like adults, but their streaks are not as clear.
Where Does the Spix's Woodcreeper Live?
Spix's woodcreeper lives in the lower Amazon Basin in northeastern Brazil. You can find it south of the Amazon River. Its range goes from the Rio Tapajós in the west to the northern Rio Maranhão and western Rio Tocantins in the east.
This bird mostly lives in humid evergreen forests. It prefers terra firme forests, which are on higher ground. But it also lives in várzea forests, which flood seasonally. It likes the inside of primary forests, which are old, undisturbed forests. Sometimes, it can be found in secondary forests (forests that have regrown). It rarely goes to the edges of forests. These birds live from sea level up to about 500 meters (1,600 feet) high.
Spix's Woodcreeper Behavior
Movement and Daily Life
Spix's woodcreeper is thought to live in the same area all year round. It does not migrate.
What Does the Spix's Woodcreeper Eat?
Spix's woodcreepers mainly eat arthropods, like insects and spiders. They often join mixed-species foraging flocks. These are groups of different bird species that hunt for food together. Sometimes, they hunt alone. They also follow army ant swarms. As the ants move, they stir up insects, which the woodcreepers then catch.
The bird hitches its way up and along tree trunks and branches. It finds most of its food by pecking into cracks in the bark. It also looks in clumps of dead leaves, epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants), and dead wood. When following ants, it might fly out from a branch to catch prey in the air.
Reproduction and Nests
We do not know much about how Spix's woodcreeper reproduces. Their breeding season seems to be from November to March. The few nests that have been found were inside tree cavities. They were lined with wood chips. Each nest usually had two eggs.
Spix's Woodcreeper Sounds
The song of the Spix's woodcreeper is a very high, very fast trill. It starts by going down in pitch and then stays level. The last note is higher. People have described it as "twe-tee-ti-ti-ti-…-ti-ti-it, wheu".
Its calls are like those of the elegant woodcreeper. They are sharp "chip" notes followed by a whine. Some describe this call as a "3-noted 'tjictjicwuuuw'".
Spix's Woodcreeper Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the Spix's woodcreeper is of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently in danger of extinction. It lives in a fairly large area. However, we do not know how many of these birds there are. Experts believe their numbers are going down. No immediate threats have been found. The bird is considered uncommon to fairly common. But it is thought to be very sensitive to losing its forest home or when forests get broken up into smaller pieces.
