Photo: David F. Belmonte / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ayacucho Thistletail
Asthenes ayacuchensis
Ayacucho Thistletail (Asthenes ayacuchensis) — 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 Ayacucho Thistletail (Asthenes ayacuchensis) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 20.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Asthenes
- Species ayacuchensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ayacucho Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Ayacucho Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ayacucho Thistletail (Asthenes ayacuchensis) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Ayacucho (s Peru).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 9.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 10,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ayacucho Thistletail?
The Ayacucho Thistletail is a small bird that weighs around 20.2 g.
Where does the Ayacucho Thistletail live?
The Ayacucho Thistletail is found across South America with a range covering SA n Ayacucho (s Peru), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Ayacucho Thistletail belong to?
The Ayacucho Thistletail (Asthenes ayacuchensis) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Ayacucho Thistletail eat?
The Ayacucho Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ayacucho Thistletail migrate?
The Ayacucho Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ayacucho Thistletail endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Ayacucho Thistletail make?
1 real field recording of the Ayacucho Thistletail — 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 Ayacucho Thistletail's range?
The Ayacucho Thistletail has a mapped global range of about 10,000 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.