Photo: Dario Sanches from SÃO PAULO, BRASIL / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rusty-backed Spinetail
Cranioleuca vulpina
Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.7 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 Cranioleuca
- Species vulpina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia and c, e Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 5.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rusty-backed Spinetail?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is a small bird that weighs around 15.7 g.
Where does the Rusty-backed Spinetail live?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia and c, e Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rusty-backed Spinetail belong to?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail (Cranioleuca vulpina) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rusty-backed Spinetail eat?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rusty-backed Spinetail migrate?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rusty-backed Spinetail 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 Rusty-backed Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Rusty-backed Spinetail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rusty-backed Spinetail's range?
The Rusty-backed Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million 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.