Photo: Lip Kee Yap / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chotoy Spinetail
Schoeniophylax phryganophilus
Chotoy Spinetail (Schoeniophylax phryganophilus) — 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 Chotoy Spinetail (Schoeniophylax phryganophilus) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 18.6 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 Schoeniophylax
- Species phryganophilus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chotoy Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Chotoy Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chotoy Spinetail (Schoeniophylax phryganophilus) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA c, sc, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 10.9 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 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chotoy Spinetail?
The Chotoy Spinetail is a small bird that weighs around 18.6 g.
Where does the Chotoy Spinetail live?
The Chotoy Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA c, sc, se, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chotoy Spinetail belong to?
The Chotoy Spinetail (Schoeniophylax phryganophilus) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chotoy Spinetail eat?
The Chotoy Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chotoy Spinetail migrate?
The Chotoy Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chotoy 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 Chotoy Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Chotoy 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 Chotoy Spinetail's range?
The Chotoy Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 2.6 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.