Synallaxis ruficapilla
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The rufous-capped spinetail (Synallaxis ruficapilla) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The rufous-capped spinetail is monotypic.
What is now Pinto's spinetail (S. infuscata) was previous treated as a subspecies of it. What is now the Bahia spinetail (S. cinerea, previously S. whitneyi) was treated as a conspecific population of the rufous-capped and data both support and refute that treatment. As of late 2023 major taxonomic systems treat the Bahia spinetail as a full species.
The rufous-capped spinetail is 13 to 17 cm (5.1 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 12 to 16 g (0.42 to 0.56 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a wide buff supercilium and dark brownish gray lores and ear coverts. Their crown and nape are bright orange-rufous and their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are rufescent brown. Their wings are mostly chestnut-brown. Their tail is chestnut; it is graduated and the feathers have pointed tips. Their chin has a tiny tawny spot; the rest of their chin and throat are whitish with faint gray streaks. Their upper breast... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 4 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curitiba | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | São Paulo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Belo Horizonte | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-capped Spinetail sighting in São Paulo on a given day, based on 461 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 109th most-seen of the 353 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-capped Spinetail in São Paulo on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufous-capped Spinetail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Rufous-capped Spinetail sightings, São Paulo ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Curitiba (Brazil, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufous-capped Spinetail is recorded against all the birds logged in São Paulo (461 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
