Photo: Daniel Lane / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scribble-tailed Canastero
Asthenes maculicauda
Scribble-tailed Canastero (Asthenes maculicauda) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Scribble-tailed Canastero (Asthenes maculicauda) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 19 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Asthenes
- Species maculicauda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scribble-tailed Canastero (Asthenes maculicauda) belongs to the Furnariidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA s Peru, Bolivia and nw Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19 g, with a wing length of about 5.9 cm and a tail of around 8.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 49,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scribble-tailed Canastero?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is a small bird that weighs around 19 g.
Where does the Scribble-tailed Canastero live?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is found across South America with a range covering SA s Peru, Bolivia and nw Argentina, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Scribble-tailed Canastero belong to?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero (Asthenes maculicauda) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Scribble-tailed Canastero eat?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scribble-tailed Canastero migrate?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scribble-tailed Canastero endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Scribble-tailed Canastero make?
1 real field recording of the Scribble-tailed Canastero — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Scribble-tailed Canastero's range?
The Scribble-tailed Canastero has a mapped global range of about 49,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Furnariidae
A field guide to the Furnariidae family — 321 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.