Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail

A 15–16 cm-long tit-spinetail typical of ravines and shrubby mountain habitats. Uniform cinnamon plumage, with a rufous crown and an erect crest visible when excited; pale beige eyebrow meeting at the forehead. Rufous wings with a broad cinnamon wing band, and a long rufous tail, slightly graduated with tapered tips, less forked than in other Leptasthenura. Underparts ochraceous, paler on the throat. Juveniles show a less defined crown, lightly mottled breast, and rectrices with rounded tips. The subspecies present in Argentina (paranensis) is somewhat paler and grayer below. It differs from the Puna Tit-Spinetail (Sylviorthorhynchus yanacensis), with which it may coexist in NW Argentina, by its erect crest, rufous crown without a reddish forehead, shorter bill, and uniformly ochraceous belly.

Distribution: Ranges from western Bolivia southwards along the Andes of NW Argentina (Jujuy to Mendoza) and the central sierras (Córdoba and San Luis). Widely distributed but local within ravines and mountain habitats. Occurs from 1,000–4,000 m, with post-breeding altitudinal movements.

Habitat: Shrubby ravines, chilca thickets, and mountain scrublands; high Andean steppes with scattered shrubs and queñoa (Polylepis) woodlands. Also found in edges of montane forest, rocky areas, and shrub-covered slopes.

Behavior: Very active, restless, and acrobatic. Forages among branches and within foliage, often hanging upside down. Usually in pairs or small groups; frequently joins mixed-species flocks. High-pitched, spaced calls, fine series like “tit… tit…”, given while moving through vegetation.

Diet: Small arthropods and their larvae. Gleans prey from foliage, branches, and bark, foraging from the understory to mid-levels.

Breeding: Spherical nest made of fibers, grasses, and feathers, placed in rock crevices, narrow cavities, or buildings. Lays 2–3 white eggs.

Conservation status: Not considered threatened. Common across much of its range.