Photo: Enéas V. Gouvêa Junior / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sooty-fronted Spinetail
Synallaxis frontalis
Sooty-fronted Spinetail (Synallaxis frontalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail (Synallaxis frontalis) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14 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 frontalis
Where it lives
Eastern, central, southern Brazil, Bolivia, northern, northwestern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14 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 Sooty-fronted Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail (Synallaxis frontalis) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, c, s Brazil, Bolivia, n, nw Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sooty-fronted Spinetail?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 14 g.
Where does the Sooty-fronted Spinetail live?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA e, c, s Brazil, Bolivia, n, nw Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Sooty-fronted Spinetail belong to?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail (Synallaxis frontalis) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sooty-fronted Spinetail eat?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sooty-fronted Spinetail migrate?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sooty-fronted 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 Sooty-fronted Spinetail make?
1 real field recording of the Sooty-fronted 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 Sooty-fronted Spinetail's range?
The Sooty-fronted Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 5.7 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.