McConnell's Spinetail Synallaxis macconnelli Scientific name definitions

McConnell’s Spinetail is a small furnariid of northeastern South America. Found on tepui slopes and lowlands in Venezuela, the Guianas, Suriname, and Brazil, it prefers dense undergrowth in forests and edge habitats below 1900 meters in elevation. It is dark olive-brown above and olive-gray below with a bright rufous cap, black face and throat separated by a white malar stripe, and rufous wings and short chestnut tail. McConnell’s Spinetail is similar in appearance to Cabanis’ Spinetail, but the two species have completely separate ranges. The species is rather skulking, and is best detected by its low, rattling call.

15–17 cm; 18–20 g. Rather large, dark and comparatively short-tailed spinetail . Nominate race has thin pale postocular line, greyish face; crown and nape dark rufous, back to uppertail-coverts dark olive-brown; wings mostly rufous-chestnut, distal portions of remiges fuscous brown; tail graduated, 8 rectrices, shafts thickened, tips pointed and slightly disintegrated, dull dark chestnut; chin and throat feathers blackish with some greyish-white edges; underparts brownish-grey, slightly paler in centre of belly, faintly tinged browner on flanks; iris chestnut; bill black, whitish base of lower mandible; tarsus and toes olive. Sexes alike. Juvenile  has upperparts like adult, including rufous crown, but slightly paler and browner, throat faintly barred grey and white, breast and belly distinctly browner than adult. Race yavii described as much paler below than nominate, pale olive rather than dark grey (no indication of barring that would suggest juvenile plumage); obscurior is generally greyer and darker.

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Song a weak, hoarse , low-pitched “kir-r-r-r-r-r-r, kik”, final note much softer, sometimes introduced with “churr” note.