Photo: Nick Athanas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Western Woodhaunter
Automolus virgatus
Western Woodhaunter (Automolus virgatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Western Woodhaunter (Automolus virgatus) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 28.8 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 Automolus
- Species virgatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Western Woodhaunter 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 Western Woodhaunter is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Western Woodhaunter (Automolus virgatus) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA e Nicaragua to w Ecuador.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.8 g, with a wing length of about 8.3 cm and a tail of around 7.2 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 202,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Western Woodhaunter?
The Western Woodhaunter is a small bird that weighs around 28.8 g.
Where does the Western Woodhaunter live?
The Western Woodhaunter is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA e Nicaragua to w Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Western Woodhaunter belong to?
The Western Woodhaunter (Automolus virgatus) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Western Woodhaunter eat?
The Western Woodhaunter is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Western Woodhaunter migrate?
The Western Woodhaunter is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Western Woodhaunter 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 Western Woodhaunter make?
1 real field recording of the Western Woodhaunter — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Western Woodhaunter's range?
The Western Woodhaunter has a mapped global range of about 202,000 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.