Spot-breasted thornbird

Last updated

Spot-breasted thornbird
Phacellodomus maculipectus - Spot-breasted Thornbird.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Furnariidae
Genus: Phacellodomus
Species:
P. maculipectus
Binomial name
Phacellodomus maculipectus
Cabanis, 1883
Phacellodomus maculipectus map.svg

The spot-breasted thornbird (Phacellodomus maculipectus) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina and Boliva. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

The spot-breasted thornbird was long considered a subspecies of the freckle-breasted thornbird (P. striaticollis), but the two are not closely related. The spot-breasted and the greater thornbird (P. ruber) are sister species. [3]

The spot-breasted thornbird is monotypic. [2]

Description

The spot-breasted thornbird is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 19 to 26 g (0.67 to 0.92 oz). It is a medium-sized thornbird. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a light brownish supercilium that extends beyond the eye and an indistinct dull brown stripe behind the eye on an otherwise light brownish face. Their crown is rufous-brown with whitish streaks, their back dull reddish brown, and their rump and uppertail coverts a slightly paler reddish brown. Their wings are mostly shades of brown with darker brown primary coverts and flight feathers with rufous edges and dusky tips. Their tail's central pair of feathers are dull rufescent brown and the rest dull rufous. Their throat is dingy whitish, their breast dark brownish with conspicuous white speckles, their belly brownish white, and their flanks and undertail coverts darkish gray-brown. Their iris is gray, their maxilla blackish to brownish, their mandible gray, and their legs and feet gray to greenish gray. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The spot-breasted thornbird is found from the Bolivian departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz south into northern Argentina as far as La Rioja Province. It inhabits dry to somewhat humid montane woodland (e.g. Alnus and Podocarpus ) and scrublands. In elevation it mostly ranges between 1,000 and 2,500 m (3,300 and 8,200 ft) but occurs locally as high as 3,100 m (10,200 ft). [4]

Behavior

Movement

The spot-breasted thornbird is a year-round resident throughout its range. [4]

Feeding

The spot-breasted thornbird feeds on adult and larval arthropods. It usually forages in pairs. It captures prey by gleaning from the ground or from vegetation as high as the forest's understorey. [4]

Breeding

The spot-breasted thornbird breeds in the austral spring and summer, starting in September. It builds a cylindrical nest of thorny sticks that can be about 30 cm (1 ft) high and lines an interior chamber with grass. It hangs the nest near the end a tree branch, usually 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is usually three eggs. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known. [4]

Vocalization

The spot-breasted thornbird's song is "10–25 less evenly spaced, complaining notes, 'kew, kééé-keee-keee-keee-keee-keeh…' ". Its alarm call is "a series of squeaky ticking notes". [4]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the spot-breasted thornbird as being of Least Concern. It has a fairly large range and an unknown population size that is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. [1] It is considered fairly common to uncommon and occurs in at least one protected area. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown-rumped foliage-gleaner</span> Species of bird

The brown-rumped foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-flanked cinclodes</span> Species of bird

The grey-flanked cinclodes, formerly known as Oustalet's cinclodes, is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested hornero</span> Species of bird

The crested hornero is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful treerunner</span> Species of bird

The beautiful treerunner is a Near Threatened species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearled treerunner</span> Species of bird

The pearled treerunner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and possibly Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-backed thornbird</span> Species of bird

The chestnut-backed thornbird is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-fronted thornbird</span> Species of bird

The rufous-fronted thornbird, or common thornbird, is a species of bird in the family Furnariidae. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little thornbird</span> Species of bird

The little thornbird is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streak-fronted thornbird</span> Species of bird

The streak-fronted thornbird is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Boliva, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freckle-breasted thornbird</span> Species of bird

The freckle-breasted thornbird is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and possibly Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochre-breasted foliage-gleaner</span> Species of bird

The ochre-breasted foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty-winged barbtail</span> Species of bird

The rusty-winged barbtail is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peruvian recurvebill</span> Species of bird

The Peruvian recurvebill is a Near Threatened species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-necked foliage-gleaner</span> Species of bird

The rufous-necked foliage-gleaner is a Vulnerable species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniform treehunter</span> Species of bird

The uniform treehunter is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peruvian treehunter</span> Species of bird

The Peruvian treehunter is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia and Peru. It is also called the rufous-backed treehunter or buff-throated treehunter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straight-billed earthcreeper</span> Species of bird

The straight-billed earthcreeper is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zimmer's woodcreeper</span> Species of bird

Zimmer's woodcreeper is a Near Threatened species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive-backed woodcreeper</span> Species of bird

The olive-backed woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plain thornbird</span> Species of bird

The plain thornbird is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Spot-breasted Thornbird Phacellodomus maculipectus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22729219A95009967. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22729219A95009967.en . Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Ovenbirds, woodcreepers". IOC World Bird List. v 13.2. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. Derryberry, E. P., S. Claramunt, G. Derryberry, R. T. Chesser, J. Cracraft, A. Aleixo, J. Pérez-Emán, J. V. Remsen, Jr., and R. T. Brumfield. (2011). Lineage diversification and morphological evolution in a large-scale continental radiation: the Neotropical ovenbirds and woodcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Evolution 65(10):2973–2986. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01374.x
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 del Hoyo, J., N. Collar, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Spot-breasted Thornbird (Phacellodomus maculipectus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spbtho1.01 retrieved September 21, 2023