Araucaria Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura setaria Scientific name definitions

Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil and extreme northeast Argentina, where its distribution is tied to that of Araucaria angustifolia trees (sometimes being found in quite small patches), the Araucaria Tit-Spinetail can be difficult to observe well as it rarely ventures far from cover. Seen well, however, it is a distinctive bird. The upperparts are largely russet-brown, and the underparts are buffy-brown, while the head is densely streaked with black; there is a pale supercilium, and the face and breast are also streaked blackish. The Araucaria Tit-Spinetail is considered as Near Threatened, as it is suspected to be declining moderately rapidly through the loss of its highly specialised habitats.

17–19 cm; 11 g. Relatively long-tailed tit spinetail with short crest, comparatively long and decurved bill. Has thin white supercilium  , face streaked black and white; crown and crest blackish with narrow pale shaft streaks, upperparts  reddish-brown, very faint pale shaft streaks on upper back; wings mostly rufous, remiges blackish with broad rufous at bases; tail long  , strongly graduated, rectrices stiffened basally, barbs greatly reduced on distal 3 cm of inner rectrices, deeply (4–5 cm) forked, mainly reddish-brown, inner webs of inner three pairs of rectrices darker brown; malar area, throat  and upper breast streaked blackish on whitish background, which fades to tawny-buff on breast and below, becoming deeper and richer on flanks; iris brown or grey; bill  blackish, pale base of lower mandible; tarsus and toes greyish-green. Sexes alike. Juvenile has less ­distinct pattern, crown almost unstreaked brownish.

SE Brazil (extreme SE Minas Gerais and S Rio de Janeiro to N Rio Grande do Sul) and NE Argentina (Misiones).

Restricted to <em>Araucaria</em> <em>angustifolia</em> trees, whether in forest, woodland or scattered groves; occurs in gardens and in plantations. Recorded at 750–1900 m, generally below 1400 m.

Arthropods  . Usually forages singly or in pairs, from mid-storey to canopy. Gleans food items  from <em>Araucaria</em> needles and branches; often hangs upside-down acrobatically.

Song a high-pitched descending and accelerating trill of squeaky notes ; rapid chittering notes when excited.