Cranioleuca vulpina
The Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) is a small, active passerine bird belonging to the Furnariidae family, often referred to as ovenbirds due to their diverse and sometimes elaborate nest structures. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm (5-6 inches) in length and weighing around 10-15 grams, this species is characterized by its rufous-chestnut back, rump, and tail, which gives it its common name and distinguishes it from other spinetails. Its head is a grayish-brown, often with a fai...
Found primarily in riverine forests, gallery forests, secondary growth, and deciduous scrub, often in areas prone to seasonal flooding. It typically inhabits lowlands up to elevations of about 1000 meters (3,300 feet).
Mainly insectivorous, its diet consists primarily of small arthropods, including various insects (such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars) and spiders, which it gleans from vegetation.
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is a diurnal and highly active insectivore, typically observed singly, in pairs, or frequently joining mixed-species foraging flocks. It employs an energetic foraging strategy, gleaning arthropods such as insects and spiders from foliage, twigs, and bark, often working ...
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is widely distributed across northern and central South America, with several distinct subspecies occupying specific regions. The nominate subspecies, *C. v. vulpina*, occurs from east-central Colombia through eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru, extending into northern Bo...
Least Concern
- The scientific name *vulpina* means "fox-like" in Latin, referring to the species' characteristic rusty-red coloration on its back and tail. - This species belongs to the Furnariidae family, often called 'ovenbirds' for their incredibly diverse and often elaborate nest structures, though not al...