A fairly rufous canastero about 16 cm long, typical of arid ravines and Puna habitat in the northwest. Back cinnamon-brown, rump and base of the tail deep rufous. Tail blackish, long and graduated, with rufous edges on the outer rectrices. Throat and chest whitish with a reddish to blackish gular patch (variable among individuals). Belly and flanks cinnamon-rufous. Crown slightly reddish. Bill straight, black, medium-length. Juvenile: lacks gular patch, has white throat and somewhat mottled chest. It differs from the Creamy-breasted Canastero (A. steinbachi) by having a gray (not reddish) crown and a more extensive rufous coloration in the tail. The Andean Spinetail (Phacellodomus striaticeps) is larger, has a white throat without a gular patch, a browner tail, and a thicker bill.
Geographical distribution: Arid Andes of western Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, south to Mendoza (subsp. dorbignyi). Present in Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza, between 2,500–4,000 m, locally from 2,000 m, with post-breeding downhill movements to lower elevations.
Habitat: Ravines, shrub-covered valleys, stands of cacti, prepuna and puna shrublands, rocky areas with cacti, steep slopes and cliffs. Very typical of rocky ravines with shrub cover in the northwest.
Behavior: Solitary or in pairs; active, restless, runs with the tail raised and moves among shrubs and cacti. May use trees or cacti as perches. Quite arboreal for a canastero. Its voice is a sharp, squeaky trill lasting 3–4 seconds: “chiri-chiri-chri-chri-trrr”. May sing in pairs, often from the nest.
Diet: Small arthropods, mainly insects foraged from the ground or low vegetation. Pecks among shrubs, logs, and cacti.
Nesting: Bulky nest of small twigs built by both parents, often with spines, globular or semi-spherical, with an upper entrance. Placed in shrubs, cacti, queñoa trees, or low trees. Inner chamber lined with wool, feathers, and soft plant material. Clutch: 2–3 white eggs.
Conservation status: Species not considered threatened, common across much of its range.
Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025