Synallaxis erythrothorax
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The rufous-breasted spinetail (Synallaxis erythrothorax) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The rufous-breasted spinetail's taxonomy is unsettled.
A study published in 2011 determined that the rufous-breasted spinetail and the white-whiskered spinetail (S. candei) are sister species. This article follows the two-subspecies model. The rufous-breasted spinetail is 13 to 16 cm (5.1 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 15 to 19 g (0.53 to 0.67 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a sepia brown face, crown, nape, back, rump and uppertail coverts. Their wings are chestnut with brown tips on their flight feathers. Their tail is chestnut brown; the feathers... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇧🇿 Belize | |
| 3 | Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 4 | Lago de Yojoa | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 5 | El Triunfo | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-breasted Spinetail sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 67 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 70th most-seen of the 240 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-breasted Spinetail in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against about 10% in March, June and September–October, the lowest months. That is one of Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve's driest months, with about 80 mm of rain against 370 mm in June.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufous-breasted 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.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Rufous-breasted Spinetail sightings, Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (Belize, about 10%) and Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park (Honduras, under 5%).
Same family: Furnariidae
The closest relatives of the Rufous-breasted Spinetail that you can see in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (family Furnariidae, Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers) are Ivory-billed Woodcreeper (about 30%), Streak-headed Woodcreeper (about 20%) and Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufous-breasted Spinetail is recorded against all the birds logged in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (67 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
