Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-and-white Spinetail
Certhiaxis mustelinus
Red-and-white Spinetail (Certhiaxis mustelinus) — 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 Red-and-white Spinetail (Certhiaxis mustelinus) 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 Certhiaxis
- Species mustelinus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-and-white Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-and-white Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-and-white Spinetail (Certhiaxis mustelinus) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazon and tributaries.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 5.6 cm and a tail of around 5.4 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 694,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-and-white Spinetail?
The Red-and-white Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Red-and-white Spinetail live?
The Red-and-white Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazon and tributaries, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-and-white Spinetail belong to?
The Red-and-white Spinetail (Certhiaxis mustelinus) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-and-white Spinetail eat?
The Red-and-white Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-and-white Spinetail migrate?
The Red-and-white Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-and-white 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 Red-and-white Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Red-and-white 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 Red-and-white Spinetail's range?
The Red-and-white Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 694,000 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.