Asthenes flammulata
The Many-striped Canastero (*Asthenes flammulata*) is a medium-sized, highly distinctive ovenbird, typically measuring 16-17 cm in length and weighing between 17-23 grams. Its plumage is characterized by heavy, contrasting dark brown or blackish streaking against a whitish or buff background on its underparts, with a dark brown upper body. A subtle but often critical identification feature is a rufous or cinnamon patch on its wings, which can be partially concealed, and a pale supercilium. Th...
This canastero exclusively inhabits high-Andean grasslands, paramo, and puna zones, often favoring boggy areas with dense tussocks and low shrubbery at elevations typically ranging from 2,500 to 4,700 meters above sea level.
Its diet consists predominantly of small invertebrates, including various insects (such as beetles, ants, and their larvae) and spiders, which it gleans and probes from the ground and low vegetation.
Active during daylight hours, the Many-striped Canastero is primarily a ground and low-vegetation forager. It employs a gleaning technique, picking small invertebrates from leaves and stems, and also probes in soft soil, moss, and dense root mats. Pairs are thought to be monogamous, maintaining s...
The Many-striped Canastero is a resident species found exclusively in the Andes Mountains of South America, spanning across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Its distribution is generally continuous within suitable high-altitude habitats. In Colombia, it is found in the Central and Eastern An...
Least Concern
- The Many-striped Canastero is a true high-altitude specialist, thriving in the cold, harsh environments of the Andean paramo and puna. - Its common name, 'Canastero,' is Spanish for 'basket-maker,' referring to the intricate, woven, basket-like nests characteristic of the *Asthenes* genus. - De...