Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens)

Identification & Behavior: ~13.5 cm (5.2 in). The Spotted Barbtail has a dusky-brown cap, upperparts, and tail. The eye-ring and superciliary are buffy. The throat is tawny or tawny-brown. The underparts are heavily spotted with roundish buffy-brown spots. The mandible is pale. It forages in the midstory of humid montane forest often in the company of mixed species flocks. It is similar to the Rusty-winged Barbatail but is distinguished by having a darker plumage with dusky-brown upperparts and tail.

Status: The Spotted Barbtail is uncommon in montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 850-2500 m. It also occurs in Co, Ec, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Cola-de-Púa Moteada.

Sub-species: Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens brunnescens), (P. L. Sclater), 1856.  NW Colombia, Perijá Mts and Andes of W Venezuela (Trujillo, Barinas, Mérida, Táchira), S (in all three ranges in Colombia, also Macarena Mts, in S Meta) to Ecuador and Peru (S to Cuzco).
(Premnoplex brunnescens stictonotus), Berlepsch, 1901.  Andes from S Peru (Puno) S to W & C Bolivia (S to Cochabamba).

Meaning of Name: Premnoplex: Gr. premnon= tree trunk and plesso= to strike. brunnescens: L. brunneus= brown, brunnescens, brunnescentis= somewhat brown, brownish.

See more of the Family Furnariidae