Photo: Marco Cruz / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail
Spartonoica maluroides
Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) — 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 Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11 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 Spartonoica
- Species maluroides
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bay-capped Wren-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 Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Brazil and Uruguay to c Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11 g, with a wing length of about 5 cm and a tail of around 6.9 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 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 11 g.
Where does the Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail live?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA s Brazil and Uruguay to c Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail belong to?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail eat?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail migrate?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Bay-capped Wren-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 Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Bay-capped Wren-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 Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail's range?
The Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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.