Point-tailed Palmcreeper Berlepschia rikeri Scientific name definitions

Well named for its dependence on Mauritia palm swamps, the Point-tailed Palmcreeper represents one of a considerable number of monospecific genera within the Furnariidae. It is widely distributed across the greater part of Amazonia, although its strict habitat requirements mean that it is everywhere rather local and usually uncommon, and is also found in similar habitat across the Cerrado of central Brazil. The Point-tailed Palmcreeper is a comparatively large and acrobatic bird, but is not necessarily easy to observe, except perhaps if using playback of its distinctive, staccato voice. The upperparts and tail are bright rufous, while the rest of the head and body are white heavily overlain with black streaking, bold and broad over most of the underparts, but finer and more coalesced over the head and neck.

18–22 cm; 32–37 g. One of the most strikingly patterned furnariids, very like a woodcreeper (Dendrocolaptidae) in general appearance and behaviour. Has face finely streaked black and white, crown and upper back dramatically streaked black and white, the streaks becoming teardrop-shaped on back; rest of back and uppertail-coverts bright chestnut; wing-coverts chestnut, remiges blackish fuscous, secondaries edged rufous; tail graduated, shafts stiffened basally and deeply pointed at tips (but no protruding “spines”), colour as rump; throat white with long, distinct black streaks; breast with broad, dramatic black and white streaks, these fading and becoming less distinct on belly; undertail-coverts barred black and white; iris orange-brown; upper mandible grey to dark grey, lower mandible grey to light grey; tarsus and toes grey to dark grey. Sexes alike. Juvenile similar to adult, with only small dots on chin and throat, and breast and chest spotted rather than streaked (1 Lopes, L.E. and de Faria, I.P. (2014). Range and natural history of Point-tailed Palmcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Journal of Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.862313. Close ).

Locally in S Venezuela (Amazonas, N Bolívar, S Monagas), the Guianas, Amazonian and E Brazil (E to S Piauí and W Bahia, S to S Mato Grosso and S Goiás), SE Colombia, E Ecuador, E Peru and N Bolivia (S to NW La Paz, W Beni).

Arthropods, including Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Formicidae and Araneae (1 Lopes, L.E. and de Faria, I.P. (2014). Range and natural history of Point-tailed Palmcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Journal of Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.862313. Close ). Almost always in pairs, from canopy down to mid-storey. Acrobatically gleans items, mainly from bases, blades and undersides of palm branches and from palm leaflets and curled dead fronds; uses tail as brace, and often hangs upside-down.

Song a loud series of 20–30 staccato, strident notes, on same pitch or ascending slightly and then descending at end, duration 3–5 seconds, “ka-koo, didididididididididi” or “dedede-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree-kree”; often as antiphonal duet; perhaps carries farther than song of any other furnariid. Scold a nasal “nar” or “daar”; also gives short rattle.

Presumably monogamous. Males with enlarged testes collected in the Brazilian Cerrado in Jul–Nov; in Goiás, a breeding pair seen in Oct attending a stick nest concealed within dead leaves hanging from a Mauritia palm (1 Lopes, L.E. and de Faria, I.P. (2014). Range and natural history of Point-tailed Palmcreepers (Aves: Furnariidae). Journal of Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.862313. Close ).