Long-tailed Reed Finch Donacospiza albifrons Scientific name definitions

Long-tailed Reed-finches look like a small and long tailed version of a warbling-finch (Poospiza spp.). Perhaps they are closely related as their voices are similar too. The Long-tailed Reed-Finch does indeed inhabit tall wet grasslands or marshes, and in some respects acts like a South American version of a Bearded Reedling (Panurus biarmicus). They can be difficult to see when in Scirpus marshes, but are more readily visible in wet grasslands. When the species sings it climbs to the top of a taller stalk and sings in the open; a flight song has even been described. Apart from the long tail, the distinctive aspects of this finch are the grayish head with a well demarcated pale supercilium, and the pale cinnamon underparts.

15 cm; 14–16·5 g. A small and slim finch with long tail, short and rounded wings, and relatively small and well-pointed bill; tail feathers pointed (and often frayed to even narrower points), inner two pairs longer than outer rectrices, shape not dissimilar to that of a Synalaxis spinetail. Male has grey cap and face, well-defined whitish-cinnamon super­cilium that tapers behind eye, narrow buffy lower eye-crescent; dark eyeline through grey face (giving a rather serious-looking expres­sion); grey of crown blends into tawny-brown on back , which streaked blackish, lower back and rump brighter tawny and much less streaked; tail feathers brown, edged tawny; upperwing brown with tawny edgings, lesser upperwing-coverts blue-grey (often hidden); throat and underparts pale tawny, slightly paler or approaching white on chin and areas bordering grey face, whitish or pale buff on vent and undertail-coverts; iris dark; bill black; legs dusky pink. Female is very like male, perhaps slightly less colourful, but much overlap in appearance. Immature is similar to adult, but tail shorter and not so pointed, face yellowish with darker crown and mask, duller in colour and more heavily streaked above, wing feathers crisply edged buff, underparts yellowish and streaked on breast.

Bolivia (Beni); SE Paraguay and SE Brazil (S from S Paraná, S São Paulo, S Minas Gerais and W Rio de Janeiro) S to NE Argentina (Misiones, Corrientes, E Formosa and E Chaco S to E Córdoba and NE Buenos Aires) and Uruguay.

Marshes and reedbeds with tall emergent vegetation (Typha, Eryngium, Scirpus, Iris), also wet tall-grass fields, and open shrubby areas near marshes or standing water; closely associated with water. To 900 m.

Song a pleasant series of two or three elements repeated, e.g. “twee-cha twee-cha twee-cha...” or “twee-ta wheet-cha twee-ta wheet-cha...”, reminiscent of songs of Poospiza; shorter version given in aerial display. When particularly excited during territorial defence (as is often the case during playback experiments), both adults respond with a chattering and jumbled duet song. Calls include nasal note, often doubled, “thup-thup”; also a series of “tiip” notes e.g. “tiip tiip tiip tiip”.

Alvaro began birding as an 11 year old in Canada, and eventually trained in Evolutionary Ecology studying, creatures as varied as leaf-cutter ants and Argentine cowbirds. But his career has been focused on birding tourism, both as a guide and owner of his tour company, as well as a avitourism consultant to various organizations. He is the author of Birds of Chile, New World Blackbirds: The Icterids, as well as the ABA Field Guide to the birds of California. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California where he is known for his pelagic birding trips. Email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com.