Photo: Nick Athanas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blackish-headed Spinetail
Synallaxis tithys
Blackish-headed Spinetail (Synallaxis tithys) — 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 Blackish-headed Spinetail (Synallaxis tithys) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Synallaxis
- Species tithys
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blackish-headed Spinetail (Synallaxis tithys) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA sw Ecuador and nw Peru.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 8.9 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6,119 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blackish-headed Spinetail?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is a small bird that weighs around 15.8 g.
Where does the Blackish-headed Spinetail live?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA sw Ecuador and nw Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Blackish-headed Spinetail belong to?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail (Synallaxis tithys) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blackish-headed Spinetail eat?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blackish-headed Spinetail migrate?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blackish-headed Spinetail endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Blackish-headed Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Blackish-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 Blackish-headed Spinetail's range?
The Blackish-headed Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 6,119 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.