Little Thornbird

About the Little Thornbird

The little thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The formal description of the little thornbird is credited to Philip Sclater's 1879 publication. However, a specimen collected by Azara and described in 1817 by Vieillot as Sylvia ruficollis was later determined to be a little thornbird. Sclater's binomial was retained in the interest of long usage and continuity.

The little thornbird is monotypic. The little thornbird is 13 to 14 cm (5.1 to 5.5 in) long and weighs about 14 to 16 g (0.49 to 0.56 oz). It is the smallest member of its genus. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a wide dull buff-whitish supercilium that extends beyond the eye and an indistinct dull brown stripe behind the eye on an otherwise light brownish face. Their forehead is light rufous with pale streaks, their crown and back dull brown, and their rump and uppertail coverts rufescent-tinged brown. Their wings are mostly shades of brown with darker brown primary coverts and some rufescence. Their tail's central... Wikipedia →