Pale-breasted Spinetail

The pale-breasted spinetail is 13 to 16 cm (5.1 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 9 to 17 g (0.32 to 0.60 oz). It is slightly smaller and has a shorter bill than most other members of genus Synallaxis. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies S. a. albescens have a pale brownish gray face with an even paler line through the eye. Their forehead is olive grayish brown and their crown dark rufous, often with slight mottling. Their back, rump and uppertail coverts are olive-brown. Their wing coverts are rufous and their flight feathers tawny-brownish. Voice: The pale-breasted spinetail sings for long periods. Its song is variously described as "a sharp, scratchy zwee-bit, zweebit", a "very high scratchy wéetjirr wéetjirr", an "incessantly repeated wee-tee", an "unceasing, very high, shrill 'zutsweet zutsweet- -' ", a repeated "wee bidget..wee bidget...", and "a buzzy, nasal 'wéé-byew', 'wáke-up', 'wa-tér' ".