Creamy-breasted Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi)

Identification & Behavior: ~15 cm (6 in). The Creamy-breasted Canastero is variable and involves several subspecies. Most forms have brownish upperparts. The underparts are mostly whitish with rufous flanks and vent. The tail can be blackish or dusky brown with rufous or pale outer tail feathers. It forages in Andean scrub interspersed with rocks and boulders. It is similar to the Cactus Canastero but in places these two species overlap, Creamy-breasted Canastero has dusky wings and tail. Also, see the Streak-fronted Thornbird.

Status: The Creamy-breasted Canastero is uncommon and local on the west slope of the west of the Andes and inter-Andean valleys, generally at elevations ranging between 2450-4200 m. It also occurs in Bo and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Canastero de Pecho Cremoso.

Sub-species: Creamy-breasted Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi huancavelicae), Morrison, 1938.  Andes of W & SC Peru (locally in Ancash, also Huancavelica and Ayacucho).
(Asthenes dorbignyi usheri), Morrison, 1947.  Andes of SC Peru (Apurímac).
(Asthenes dorbignyi arequipae), (P. L. Sclater and Salvin), 1869.  Andes of SW Peru (Arequipa S to Tacna and S Puno), N Chile (Tarapacá) and W Bolivia (SW La Paz, NW Oruro).

Meaning of Name: Asthenes: Gr. a= a negative prefix and sthenos= power. asthenes= insignificant, powerless. dorbignyi: In honor of Alcide Charles Victor Dessalines d’Orbigny (1802-1857) French naturalist, explorer in tropical America.

See more of the Family Furnariidae