Plain-crowned Spinetail
Synallaxis gujanensis
The plain-crowned spinetail is 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 13 to 22 g (0.46 to 0.78 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies S. g. gujanensis have a faint grayish buff supercilium on an otherwise grayish brown face. Their crown and upperparts are dull brownish that is slightly grayer and darker on the forecrown. Their wings are dark rufous with duller tips on the flight feathers. Their tail is dark rufous; it is graduated and the feathers have pointy tips. Their throat is whitish and their breast, flanks, and undertail coverts are brownish. Voice: The plain-crowned spinetail's song varies geographically. In northeastern Brazil it is "2 well-separated notes, 1st note high, sharp, explosive 'Whip', 2nd note lower 'wuh', together as 'Whip wuh' ". In western Brazil (inornata) it is " 'tjuh mcweet', 1st part slightly downslurred, 'weet' much higher". The song in Ecuador is rendered "a leisurely 'keé, kuh' repeated at several-second intervals".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rufous Spinetail
Synallaxis unirufa
The rufous spinetail is 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long and weighs 17 to 21 g (0.60 to 0.74 oz). It is one of the larger members of genus Synallaxis. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies S. u. unirufa are mostly bright reddish rufous. Their forehead is slightly paler and they have sooty blackish lores. Their throat feathers have black bases that are seldom visible. Their iris is dark brown to dark reddish brown, their bill black with sometimes a pale base to the mandible, and their legs and feet gray to dark gray. Voice: The subspecies of the rufous spinetail have significantly different vocalizations, which hints that some of them may warrant full species status. "An in depth study is clearly required to gain a better understanding of the taxonomic relationships in this complex." The details of the subspecies' vocalizations are: S. u.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Plain-crowned Spinetail and Rufous Spinetail.