Photo: Guto Balieiro / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scaled Spinetail
Cranioleuca muelleri
Scaled Spinetail (Cranioleuca muelleri) — 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 Scaled Spinetail (Cranioleuca muelleri) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14.5 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 muelleri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.5 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 Scaled 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 Scaled Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scaled Spinetail (Cranioleuca muelleri) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Amazon.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 74,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scaled Spinetail?
The Scaled Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 14.5 g.
Where does the Scaled Spinetail live?
The Scaled Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA e Amazon, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Scaled Spinetail belong to?
The Scaled Spinetail (Cranioleuca muelleri) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Scaled Spinetail eat?
The Scaled Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scaled Spinetail migrate?
The Scaled Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scaled 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 Scaled Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Scaled 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 Scaled Spinetail's range?
The Scaled Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 74,000 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.