Photo: Danbrazil / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pallid Spinetail
Cranioleuca pallida
Pallid Spinetail (Cranioleuca pallida) — 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 Pallid Spinetail (Cranioleuca pallida) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.5 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 pallida
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.5 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 Pallid 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 Pallid Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pallid Spinetail (Cranioleuca pallida) belongs to the Furnariidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.5 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 694,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pallid Spinetail?
The Pallid Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 11.5 g.
Where does the Pallid Spinetail live?
The Pallid Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pallid Spinetail belong to?
The Pallid Spinetail (Cranioleuca pallida) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pallid Spinetail eat?
The Pallid Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Pallid Spinetail migrate?
The Pallid Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pallid 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 Pallid Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Pallid 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 Pallid Spinetail's range?
The Pallid Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 694,000 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.