Stub-tailed spadebill facts for kids
The stub-tailed spadebill (Platyrinchus cancrominus) is a small passerine bird, which means it's a type of perching bird. It belongs to the Tyrannidae family, also known as the tyrant flycatchers. You can find this bird in warm, wet rainforests and tropical lowlands across Central America.
This bird was first described by scientists in 1860. At first, they thought it was the same as another bird, Platyrinchus mystaceus. But later, they realized it was a different species living in the same areas. The stub-tailed spadebill is about 9.5 cm (3.74 in) long and weighs up to 12 g (0.42 oz). It has a white throat, a yellow chest, and brown feathers on its back and wings. You can easily spot it because of its short, "stubby" tail, wide bill, and special bird song. It also has a very small or missing crown of feathers on its head, which helps tell it apart from other birds.
Stub-tailed spadebills live in areas up to 500 m (1,640 ft) above sea level. They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diet includes small creatures like spiders, beetles, and ants, as well as low-hanging berries and fruits found in the lower parts of the rainforest. While many live alone, some pairs build deep, cone-shaped nests using plant fibers. These birds also join mixed-species foraging flocks with other birds. Scientists think this flocking helps protect them from predation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says this bird is "of least concern," meaning it's not currently endangered.
What's in a Name?
The stub-tailed spadebill was first described by two scientists, Philip Lutley Sclater and Osbert Salvin, in 1860. Its name comes from its short, stubby tail. It also has a wide, flat, brown bill, which is a common feature of all birds in the Platyrinchus group.
When first discovered, scientists thought it was very similar to another bird, Platyrinchus mystaceus. However, they later found that these two birds live in the same areas but are different species. This means they likely came from a common ancestor but evolved separately. Some scientists believe there are slightly different types of stub-tailed spadebills, called subspecies, in different places like the Yucatán Peninsula and from El Salvador to Costa Rica. More research is needed to fully understand these differences.
What Does It Look Like?
The stub-tailed spadebill is a small bird, growing up to 9.5 cm (3.74 in) long. It weighs around 12 g (0.42 oz), which is about the same as a few paper clips. Its head, back, and wings are covered in brown feathers. It has a light-colored lower beak and a white throat.
Male birds usually have bright yellow feathers on their belly. Females might have a mix of brown and yellow on their bellies. The short, brown tail is a key feature that gives the bird its name. They also have a wide, flat bill and pinkish feet. You might notice their unique face pattern, which includes clear yellow stripes behind their eyes.
One of the most interesting features of this bird is that it has a very small or even missing crown of feathers on its head. Other birds in the Platyrinchus group usually have a noticeable crown. This difference helped scientists realize the stub-tailed spadebill was its own unique species.
Because of its brown and yellow feathers, the stub-tailed spadebill can be hard to spot in its natural home. Its slender body and coloring help it blend in with the trees and plants, making it harder for predators to find. You can also recognize these birds by their special calls. They often make a quick, shaky, and nasal "ki-di-di-di-rrril" sound, especially after short flights.
Where Do They Live?
Stub-tailed spadebills are often seen in tropical dry forests and moist subtropical forests. Their home stretches from southern Mexico through parts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. This covers a huge area of about 1,090,000 km2 in Central America.
These birds live in areas from sea level up to 1500 meters high. They prefer the undergrowth of tropical forests. This low-level habitat helps them find food and stay safe from predators. Recently, scientists found these birds in North-western Panama, even though they weren't thought to live there before. This shows that the stub-tailed spadebill can spread out more than previously believed. They can even live on islands with new plant growth, showing they can cross water. These new groups might be left over from a time when the species lived in an even wider area.
Scientists estimate there are currently between 50,000 and 500,000 stub-tailed spadebills. However, their numbers seem to be going down. This decline is likely due to deforestation and the breaking up of their forest homes. These activities destroy the humid rainforests where the birds usually live. But this decrease is not happening fast enough for the bird to be considered endangered by the IUCN right now.
You'll find these birds among the leaves of rainforests, especially where there are shrubs and medium-height trees. Some common plants in these forests include Rubiaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and plants that grow on other plants, like hemiepiphytes and epiphytes. This type of dense plant growth allows the stub-tailed spadebills to perch right above their prey hidden in the leaves.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Stub-tailed spadebills can be found alone or in pairs. They search for food in the lower parts of the forest where they live. They eat fruits, seeds, and insects like ants and beetles. Since they stay low in the rainforest, they often feed on small drupes (fruits with a hard pit) and berries that grow at this level.
Their habitat in the undergrowth also helps them find materials for their nests. They scavenge dead grass and plant fibers. During the breeding season, stub-tailed spadebills in Costa Rica have been seen building deep, cone-shaped cup nests. These nests are usually placed in small, young trees near where they find their nesting materials. Even though they have many food choices, some birds might only eat plants. They may also change what they prefer to eat, like fruits or seeds, depending on which is more available.
Stub-tailed spadebills often join mixed-species feeding flocks. This means they forage, or search for food, together with birds of different species. This behavior might help reduce the risk of being caught by predators because there are more eyes to watch out for danger. Stub-tailed spadebills often forage alongside birds like tanagers, flycatchers, and warblers. By working together in these flocks, all the birds can find food more easily and stay safe, even with other species competing for the same resources.
