Rusty-backed Spinetail

About the Rusty-backed Spinetail

The rusty-backed spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) is a Neotropical species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and possibly Guyana.

The rusty-backed spinetail was formally described in 1856 by the Austrian ornithologist August von Pelzeln under the binomial name Synallaxis vulpina. Its specific epithet is from Latin vulpinus meaning "fox-like" (ie reddish-brown above and white beneath). The rusty-backed spinetail is now placed in the genus Cranioleuca that was introduced in 1853 by Ludwig Reichenbach.

Four subspecies are recognized: C. v. apurensis Zimmer, JT & Phelps, WH, 1948 C. v. vulpina (Pelzeln, 1856) C. v. foxi Bond, J & Meyer de Schauensee, 1940 C. v. reiseri (Reichenberger, 1922) What are now the Coiba spinetail (C. dissita) and Parker's spinetail (C. vulpecula) were previously treated as subspecies of the rusty-backed spinetail. Other subspecies have been proposed but have not been accepted as valid.

The rusty-backed spinetail is 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 14 to 17 g (0.49 to 0.60 oz). The sexes have the... Wikipedia →