Photo: Luis A. Florit / Attribution (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-headed Spinetail
Cranioleuca semicinerea
Grey-headed Spinetail (Cranioleuca semicinerea) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-headed Spinetail (Cranioleuca semicinerea) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15 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 semicinerea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-headed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-headed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-headed Spinetail (Cranioleuca semicinerea) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 6.8 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 988,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-headed Spinetail?
The Grey-headed Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Grey-headed Spinetail live?
The Grey-headed Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA e Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey-headed Spinetail belong to?
The Grey-headed Spinetail (Cranioleuca semicinerea) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey-headed Spinetail eat?
The Grey-headed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Grey-headed Spinetail migrate?
The Grey-headed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-headed 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 Grey-headed Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-headed Spinetail — 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 Grey-headed Spinetail's range?
The Grey-headed Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 988,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Furnariidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Endangered
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
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.