Bird Guide

Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper vs Elegant Woodcreeper

Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus pardalotus)

Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper

Xiphorhynchus pardalotus

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The chestnut-rumped woodcreeper is a medium-sized member of its genus, with a longish, slim, slightly decurved bill. The species is 20 to 23.5 cm (7.9 to 9.3 in) long; males weigh 32 to 49 g (1.1 to 1.7 oz) and females 27 to 46 g (0.95 to 1.6 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a face that is mostly thin deep buff and brown streaks, with a buff supercilium and eyering. Their crown and nape are blackish brown with deep buff spots on the crown, and the spots become streaks on the nape. Voice: The chestnut-rumped woodcreeper sings mostly at dawn and dusk. Its song has been put into words as "chip!, chip, chip, chi-i-i-i-i-i-i-ip" and "zut, zut, zut-zut-zut-t't't't't,e'e e". Its calls are an "unstructured series of chirps", such as "ik" and "chip".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Julien Renoult · CC BY 4.0
Elegant Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus elegans)

Elegant Woodcreeper

Xiphorhynchus elegans

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The elegant woodcreeper is a medium-sized member of its genus, with a longish, slim, nearly straight bill. The species is 18 to 22.5 cm (7.1 to 8.9 in) long; males weigh 31 to 38 g (1.1 to 1.3 oz) and females 29 to 35 g (1.0 to 1.2 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies X. e. elegans have a blackish brown face with bold buff streaks, whitish lores, and a pale supercilium. Their crown and nape are dark olive-brown with small buff spots with blackish edges that are streakier on the nape. Voice: The elegant woodcreeper sings mostly at dawn and dusk. One song is "a descending series of c. 30 ringing whistles that begins softly and slows at end, 'whit, whit, wit, wit, wit...wit, wit, wee, wee, wee, wit, wit, wit, wit, wew'." Another is ""tchip-tchip-tchip-tchip-thcup-tchup, tucweu, tchweu.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Elegant Woodcreeper
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Call, calls · Pastaza: Kapawi area, left bank Río Pastaza, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: David F. Belmonte · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper and Elegant Woodcreeper.