Spot-breasted Thornbird
Phacellodomus maculipectus
Shy understory bird of upper humid montane forest in the east slope of the Andes from central-western Argentina to central Bolivia. Prefers thick understory, and more often heard than seen. Often curious and inquisitive, but tends to stay hidden when possible. From similar Streak-fronted Thornbird by reddish cap, spotted underparts, and habitat (Streak-fronted prefers dryer and more open woodland). Song an accelerating then decelerating series of 10-12 “queet!” notes that rise and then fall in pitch.
Identification
The spot-breasted thornbird is 17 to 18 cm (6.7 to 7.1 in) long and weighs about 19 to 26 g (0.67 to 0.92 oz). It is a medium-sized thornbird. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a light brownish supercilium that extends beyond the eye and an indistinct dull brown stripe behind the eye on an otherwise light brownish face. Their crown is rufous-brown with whitish streaks, their back dull reddish brown, and their rump and uppertail coverts a slightly paler reddish brown. Their wings are mostly shades of brown with darker brown primary coverts and flight feathers with rufous edges and dusky tips. Their tail's central pair of feathers are dull rufescent brown and the rest dull rufous. Their throat is dingy whitish, their breast dark brownish with conspicuous white speckles, their belly brownish white, and their flanks and undertail coverts darkish gray-brown. Their iris is gray, their maxilla blackish to brownish, their mandible gray, and their legs and feet gray to greenish gray.
Taxonomy
The spot-breasted thornbird was long considered a subspecies of the freckle-breasted thornbird (P. striaticollis), but the two are not closely related. The spot-breasted and the greater thornbird (P. ruber) are sister species.<p>The spot-breasted thornbird is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Phacellodomus maculipectus
- Authority
- Cabanis, 1883
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Genus
- Phacellodomus
Range and habitat
The spot-breasted thornbird is found from the Bolivian departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz south into northern Argentina as far as La Rioja Province. It inhabits dry to somewhat humid montane woodland (e.g. Alnus and Podocarpus) and scrublands. In elevation it mostly ranges between 1,000 and 2,500 m (3,300 and 8,200 ft) but occurs locally as high as 3,100 m (10,200 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The spot-breasted thornbird is a year-round resident throughout its range.<p>The spot-breasted thornbird feeds on adult and larval arthropods. It usually forages in pairs. It captures prey by gleaning from the ground or from vegetation as high as the forest's understorey.<p>The spot-breasted thornbird breeds in the austral spring and summer, starting in September. It builds a cylindrical nest of thorny sticks that can be about 30 cm (1 ft) high and lines an interior chamber with grass. It hangs the nest near the end a tree branch, usually 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is usually three eggs. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.<p>The spot-breasted thornbird's song is "10–25 less evenly spaced, complaining notes, 'kew, kééé-keee-keee-keee-keee-keeh…' ". Its alarm call is "a series of squeaky ticking notes".
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
African Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga vocifer
The adult is a large, distinctive, chestnut-and-white eagle that sits prominently on perches near rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies. The scruffy immature is dark brown and mottled with white on head. In flight the white windows in the wings and pale, dark-tipped tail make the juvenile distinctive. It catches fish with a graceful, shallow plunge to the water’s surface, but it will also eat birds, reptiles, and carrion. It tosses its head backwards while making a loud penetrating “wheeee-ah-kleeuw-kleeuw-kluuu” call; it is one of the most distinctive bird sounds of Africa.
Gray Grasswren
Amytornis barbatus
Small, pale, streaky bird with long cocked tail, a floodplain specialist with a highly restricted range. In dry years, it stays almost exclusively in habitat dominated by thick Lignum shrub (distinctive tangled floodplain shrub). In wetter years, it ventures into surrounding habitats. Upperparts pale brown, underparts pale with buff wash on belly; fine black-and-white streaking on the breast and head. In addition to black eyeline, there is a bridlelike black "Y" shape on cheek and chin. Unlikely to be seen without deliberate, specific search. Call is a high-pitched, metallic twittering.
Cinereous Mourner
Laniocera hypopyrra
Medium-sized gray bird of rainforest midstory. Similar to Screaming Piha and Grayish Mourner, but has small orange spots on the shoulder and narrow yellow eye ring (those species are entirely gray). Perches upright on exposed branches in the midstory of tall rainforest, and can be readily detected by its squeaky, high pitched song and calls.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.