Bird Guide

Crested Spinetail vs Olive Spinetail

Crested Spinetail (Cranioleuca subcristata)

Crested Spinetail

Cranioleuca subcristata

Tiny15 gForest

The crested spinetail is 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in) long and weighs about 14 g (0.49 oz). It is a long-billed member of genus Cranioleuca but despite its name has only a very slight crest. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a faint whitish brown supercilium on an otherwise dull brownish face. Their crown is indistinctly striped with light and dark brown, and their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are brown. Their tail and wings are dark rufous with dark fuscous tips on the flight feathers. Voice: The crested spinetail's song is "3 high, shrill notes followed by chattery descending trill, 'pzeep, pzeep, pzeep, pee-pee-pe-e-e-e' " and its calls "a sharp 'tsink' low rattle".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Crested Spinetail
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Song · Caricuao (near Parroquia Macarao), Libertador, Capital District, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: Aitor · CC BY 4.0
Olive Spinetail (Cranioleuca obsoleta)

Olive Spinetail

Cranioleuca obsoleta

Tiny13 gForest

The olive spinetail is 12.5 to 15 cm (4.9 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 12 to 16 g (0.42 to 0.56 oz). It is a smallish, short-billed, member of genus Cranioleuca. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a whitish supercilium, a dull brown band behind the eye, buff and brown streaky ear coverts, and a plain buff malar area. Their forehead is streaked brown and buff, their crown is dull brownish olive, and their back and rump are a slightly richer brown. Their tail is chestnut-rufous; the feathers are graduated and lack barbs at the end giving a spiky appearance. Voice: The olive spinetail's song is a "short series, at first extr. high and hesitant 'tzit-tzit-tzit', and then a short trill ending in a very high '-sfeet-sfeet-sfeet' ". Its calls are "tst" and a "short, hard trill"; the second is also described as a "soft, dry, hurried trill".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Marcelo Schmidt Roberti · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Crested Spinetail and Olive Spinetail.