Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Slaty Spinetail
Synallaxis brachyura
Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 18.3 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 brachyura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Slaty 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 Slaty Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA nc Honduras to n Peru.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.3 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 7.7 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 404,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Slaty Spinetail?
The Slaty Spinetail is a small bird that weighs around 18.3 g.
Where does the Slaty Spinetail live?
The Slaty Spinetail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA nc Honduras to n Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Slaty Spinetail belong to?
The Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Slaty Spinetail eat?
The Slaty Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Slaty Spinetail migrate?
The Slaty Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Slaty 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 Slaty Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Slaty 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 Slaty Spinetail's range?
The Slaty Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 404,000 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.