Bird Guide

Rufous-capped Spinetail vs Slaty Spinetail

Rufous-capped Spinetail (Synallaxis ruficapilla)

Rufous-capped Spinetail

Synallaxis ruficapilla

Tiny14 gForest

The rufous-capped spinetail is 13 to 17 cm (5.1 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 12 to 16 g (0.42 to 0.56 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a wide buff supercilium and dark brownish gray lores and ear coverts. Their crown and nape are bright orange-rufous and their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are rufescent brown. Their wings are mostly chestnut-brown. Their tail is chestnut; it is graduated and the feathers have pointed tips. Their chin has a tiny tawny spot; the rest of their chin and throat are whitish with faint gray streaks. Voice: The rufous-capped spinetail's song has variously been described as "a fast nasal 'di-di-di-réét' ", "tdrrrWit", and "a quiet, insistent 'drrrrrt wee' ". Its call is "a distinctive low-pitched trill, 'tshrrr' " also described as a "dry rattle, like 'trrrrruh' ".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Marcelo Schmidt Roberti · CC BY 4.0
Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura)

Slaty Spinetail

Synallaxis brachyura

Small18 gShrubland

The slaty spinetail is 14 to 16 cm (5.5 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 16 to 21 g (0.56 to 0.74 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies S. b. brachyura have a grayish supercilium on an otherwise darker gray face. Their crown and nape are deep rufous-chestnut, their back is dark sooty brown to slate-brown, and their rump and uppertail coverts are slightly browner than the back. Their wing coverts and base of their flight feathers are deep rufous-chestnut and the rest of the flight feathers are dark brown. Voice: The slaty spinetail's song has been described as "ch-ch-ch-churrr-r-r-r", "je-ch-ch-chrrrrr", "chut-chut-chrrrrrrrrrrr", and a wren-like "hard trill". While foraging it gives a "chk" call; another call is "chee-ah".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Slaty Spinetail
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pichincha: Río Guaycuyacu, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Anthony Batista · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Rufous-capped Spinetail and Slaty Spinetail.