Photo: Joao Quental / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Speckled Spinetail
Thripophaga gutturata
Speckled Spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata) — 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 Speckled Spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14.9 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 Thripophaga
- Species gutturata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Speckled 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 Speckled Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Speckled Spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata) belongs to the Furnariidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Amazonia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 6.2 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 4.2 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Speckled Spinetail?
The Speckled Spinetail is a very small bird that weighs around 14.9 g.
Where does the Speckled Spinetail live?
The Speckled Spinetail is found across South America with a range covering SA Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Speckled Spinetail belong to?
The Speckled Spinetail (Thripophaga gutturata) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Speckled Spinetail eat?
The Speckled Spinetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Speckled Spinetail migrate?
The Speckled Spinetail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Speckled 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.
How large is the Speckled Spinetail's range?
The Speckled Spinetail has a mapped global range of about 4.2 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
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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.