Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Crested Spinetail
Cranioleuca subcristata
Crested Spinetail (Cranioleuca subcristata) — 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 Crested Spinetail (Cranioleuca subcristata) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14.7 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 Cranioleuca
- Species subcristata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Crested Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Crested Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Crested Spinetail (Cranioleuca subcristata) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Venezuela and Colombia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 6.6 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 183,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Crested Spinetail?
The Crested Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 14.7 g.
Where does the Crested Spinetail live?
The Crested Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA n Venezuela and Colombia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Crested Spinetail belong to?
The Crested Spinetail (Cranioleuca subcristata) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Crested Spinetail eat?
The Crested Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Crested Spinetail migrate?
The Crested Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Crested 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 Crested Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Crested 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 Crested Spinetail's range?
The Crested Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 183,000 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.