Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Scaled Woodcreeper
Latin: Lepidocolaptes squamatus
Other: Arapaçu-escamado (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers

The Scaled Woodcreeper is endemic to the southeast of Brazil. It has a characteristically strongly streaked underside and plain upperside. These individuals had plain, off-white throats.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Planalto Woodcreeper
Latin: Dendrocolaptes platyrostris
Other: Arapaçu-grande (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers

The Planalto Woodcreeper is a large woodcreeper (26 cm). It has an off-white throat and black bill with light tip. The type pictured here has a darkly streaked head and finely streaked back and barred belly and vent, visible in the photo below.

The Planalto Woodcreeper lives in southeast Brazil and neighbouring regions.

The Woodcreepers have been merged from their own Dendrocolaptidae family to the Ovenbird family Furnariidae.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Itatiaia November 2009

Bird name: Thrush Like Woodcreeper
Latin: Dendrocincla turdina
Other: Arapaçu-liso (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Woodcreepers

This individual was identified as a Thrush-like Woodcreeper. Quite plain, looks a bit like a Spinetail. The thrush-like Woodcreeper lives in the southeast of Brazil.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Itatiaia, RJ • November 2009

Bird name: Rufous Capped Spinetail
Latin: Synallaxis ruficapilla
Other: Pichororé (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Spinetails

Mike called out this Rufous-capped Spinetail with an ipod. And we saw another one later - but they were difficult to see, preferring to stay in the undergrowth.

The Rufous-capped Spinetail has rufous wings tail and cap with light belly, white and grey throat and light yellowish streak above the eye.

The Rufous-capped Spinetail is endemic to the south-east of Brazil, in the area encompassing Rio and Sao Paulo.More photos...

Photo: monacoeye • Mostardas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: Rufous Hornero
Latin: Furnarius torridus
Other: Red Ovenbird • João-de-barro (Br) • Hornero (Es), Alonsito
Family: Furnariidae • Horneros etc.

The Rufous Hornero was one of the most common birds in the area I visited near Lagoa do Peixe. The Rufous Hornero lives in southeastern South America, including the southern states of Brazil. It is the national bird of Argentina, where it is widespread.

The Rufous Hornero is named after the ovenlike mud nests it builds. Its Brazilian name means John-of-Mud, the Spanish name means Ovenbird.

Rufous Horneros change nest every year, either building a new nest or repairing an old one. Old nests are also often used by Saffron Finches.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Wren Like Rushbird
Latin: Phleocryptes melanops
Other: Bate-bico (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Horneros etc.

Photo: monacoeye • Mostardas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil • November 2009

The Wren-like Rushbird is small, lives in marsh rushes and looks very much like a wren with its upturned tail. It lives in southeastern South America, including parts of Rio Grande do Sul and Parana in Brazil.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Common Miner
Latin: Geositta cunicularia
Other: Curriqueiro (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Horneros • Ovenbirds

This Common Miner was seen on the beach near Mostardas. Note dark markings on chest.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Firewood Gatherer
Latin: Anumbius annumbi
Other: Cochicho (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Horneros etc.

The Firewood Gatherer lives in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southeastern Brazil. It has its own genus, but is in the same family as spinetails and the Rufous Hornero.

It is distinguished by black malar spotting (line running diagonally from bill below eye) and white throat and supercilium. Seen here near marshland and abandoned old wooden shacks. Pecking for insects in top of posts.

Photo below not yet confirmed…

More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Yellow Chinned Spinetail
Latin: Certhiaxis cinnamomeus
Other: Curutié (Br), João-do-brejo • Curutié rojizo (Es)
Family: Furnariidae • Spinetails

The Yellow-chinned Spinetail lives throughout most of Brazil and much of South America from Trinidad to Argentina.

This spinetail is distinguished, as its name suggests, by its yellow chin. It has reddish-brown irises, black bill, white supercilium, it is greyish behind eyes, with a dark line through eyes, white chest and belly, dark legs and is all-rufous on its back and upperside of wings and top of head.

These Yellow-chinned Spinetails were seen around the marshes in southern Brazil. The individual below is building a stick nest in marsh reeds. Eventually it will be spherical, with a vertical tubular entrance. The bird was not too shy, flying to bring back sticks.
More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Olive Spinetail
Latin: Cranioleuca obsoleta
Other: Arredio-oliváceo (Br)
Family: Furnariidae • Spinetails

The Olive Spinetail is found in Argentina and Paraguay, and in Brazil, in Rio Grande do Sul and Parana.

There are a great number of Spinetails in Brazil, which all look fairly similar. Note shape and colour of bill, rufous wing coverts, pale chest and belly. Photo taken in low forest near marshes.More photos...