Apurimac Spinetail
Synallaxis courseni
The Apurimac Spinetail (Synallaxis courseni) is a legendary ovenbirds and woodcreeper found only in Peru, weighing about 17 g. The Apurimac spinetail is a Vulnerable species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae.










About the Apurimac Spinetail
The Apurimac spinetail is a Vulnerable species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Peru.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Apurimac spinetail is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 15 g (0.53 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a pale gray supercilium on an otherwise dark gray face. Their forecrown is dark gray, their hindcrown and nape dark rufous, and their back, rump and uppertail coverts dark gray with a faint olivaceous tinge. Their wings are rufous with dark brown tips on the flight feathers. Their tail is dark sooty brown with a hint of rufous; the tail is very long and graduated, and the feathers have slightly pointed tips. Voice: The Apurimac's spinetail's song is essentially the same as that of Azara's spinetail, a "sharp nasal-like keet-kweet" that is often repeated for minutes at a time. An apparent contact call is "a low chatter" and it also makes a "low-pitched, guttural/squeeky or churring trill".
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Apurimac Spinetail?
- The Apurimac spinetail is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 15 g (0.53 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Apurimac Spinetail?
- The Apurimac Spinetail is a small sized bird weighing about 17 g.
- Where can you see an Apurimac Spinetail?
- The Apurimac Spinetail is endemic to Peru, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to an Apurimac Spinetail?
- The Apurimac Spinetail is most easily confused with the Bahia Spinetail, the Chestnut-throated Spinetail and the Blackish-headed Spinetail.
- Is the Apurimac Spinetail endangered?
- The Apurimac Spinetail is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Apurimac Spinetail for real
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