Synallaxis maranonica
The Maranon Spinetail (Synallaxis maranonica) is a small, rather drab passerine, typically measuring 15-16 cm in length and weighing between 12-16 grams. It features a grayish cap and face, contrasting with a rufous-brown back and wings, and buffy-whitish underparts. Its most distinctive field mark is a long, rufous tail composed of stiff, pointed feathers, often held cocked. Taxonomically, it belongs to the Furnariidae family, commonly known as ovenbirds and woodcreepers, and is part of the ...
Found exclusively in arid to semi-arid scrub, thorny thickets, and dry forest edges, typically along the Marañón River basin at elevations between 200 and 2,700 meters.
Strictly insectivorous, consuming a variety of small arthropods such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars, which they glean from foliage and small branches in dense vegetation.
Maranon Spinetails are primarily diurnal, active during the day and roosting in dense vegetation at night. They are typically observed foraging in pairs, often low in the undergrowth of dense, thorny scrub. Foraging involves actively gleaning insects from leaves and twigs, often creeping quietly ...
The Maranon Spinetail is endemic to a highly restricted area within the inter-Andean dry forests and scrublands of the Marañón River valley in northern Peru. Its distribution primarily covers parts of the departments of Cajamarca, La Libertad, Amazonas, and San Martín. The species' range extends ...
Vulnerable
- Its scientific name, Synallaxis maranonica, directly refers to the Marañón River valley, the only place on Earth where this bird is found. - The Maranon Spinetail builds remarkably sturdy nests, often described as bulky, domed structures made of thorny sticks, providing excellent protection fro...