Line-cheeked Spinetail
Cranioleuca antisiensis
The Line-cheeked Spinetail (Cranioleuca antisiensis) is a rare ovenbirds and woodcreeper found in 2 countries, weighing about 17 g. The line-cheeked spinetail is an arboreal species of bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae.
About the Line-cheeked Spinetail
The line-cheeked spinetail is an arboreal species of bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is a common species in the Andes in Ecuador and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, woodland and scrub. It is distinguished from other species by its distribution, behaviour and white supercilium. There are two recognized subspecies, which are in reality a gradient in morphology and plumage from one extreme to the other.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The line-cheeked spinetail is a mid-sized spinetail, weighing 15–18 g and reaching 14.5 cm long. Like other spinetails in the genus Cranioleuca, it has a long graduated tail and a relatively long bill that curves downward slightly. It has a rufous crown; with a well-defined white supercilium; a pale throat; and some streaking on its ear coverts. It is brown to olive-grey above; with a greyish brown breast and belly; and rufous tail and wings. The line-cheeked spinetail is a diurnal species and vocalizes most actively at dawn and dusk to maintain their breeding territory boundaries.
What the Line-cheeked Spinetail sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Line-cheeked Spinetail can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Line-cheeked Spinetail?
- The line-cheeked spinetail is a mid-sized spinetail, weighing 15–18 g and reaching 14.5 cm long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Line-cheeked Spinetail?
- The Line-cheeked Spinetail is a small sized bird weighing about 17 g.
- Where can you see a Line-cheeked Spinetail?
- The Line-cheeked Spinetail occurs in 2 countries, including Peru and Ecuador.
- What does a Line-cheeked Spinetail sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Line-cheeked Spinetail on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Line-cheeked Spinetail?
- The Line-cheeked Spinetail is most easily confused with the Creamy-crested Spinetail, the Streak-capped Spinetail and the Olive Spinetail.
- Is the Line-cheeked Spinetail endangered?
- The Line-cheeked Spinetail is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Line-cheeked Spinetail for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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