Olive Spinetail

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".