Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ruddy Spinetail
Synallaxis rutilans
Ruddy Spinetail (Synallaxis rutilans) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ruddy Spinetail (Synallaxis rutilans) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 16.7 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 Synallaxis
- Species rutilans
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.7 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 Ruddy 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 Ruddy Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ruddy Spinetail (Synallaxis rutilans) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.7 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 7 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 5.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ruddy Spinetail?
The Ruddy Spinetail is a small bird that weighs around 16.7 g.
Where does the Ruddy Spinetail live?
The Ruddy Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Ruddy Spinetail belong to?
The Ruddy Spinetail (Synallaxis rutilans) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Ruddy Spinetail eat?
The Ruddy Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ruddy Spinetail migrate?
The Ruddy Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ruddy 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 Ruddy Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Ruddy 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 Ruddy Spinetail's range?
The Ruddy Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 5.9 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.