The streak-capped treehunter (Thripadectes virgaticeps) is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy and Systematics
The species was described by Lawrence in 1874. It has six recognized subspecies:
- T. v. klagesi (Hellmayr & Seilern, 1912)
- T. v. tachirensis (Phelps, WH & Phelps, WH Jr, 1958)
- T. v. magdalenae (Meyer de Schauensee, 1945)
- T. v. sclateri (Berlepsch, 1907)
- T. v. virgaticeps (Lawrence, 1874) — nominate subspecies
- T. v. sumaco (Chapman, 1925)
Some of these subspecies apparently intergrade, and the subspecies in Colombia and Ecuador are considered in need of re-evaluation.
Description
The streak-capped treehunter is 21 to 23 cm (8.3 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 61 to 65 g (2.2 to 2.3 oz). It is one of the larger members of its genus and has the least amount of streaking. The sexes have the same plumage.
The nominate subspecies has a mostly blackish-brown face with buff streaks and a tawny-buff malar area. The crown is blackish brown with dull buff spots on the forehead that become streaks on the crown. The back is rich dark brown, blending to a slightly redder rump and reddish brown uppertail coverts. The wings are rich rufescent brown and the tail is dark chestnut-brown. The throat is tawny-buff with dark feather borders that give a streaked appearance. The iris is dark brown, the bill is black, and the legs and feet are greenish gray to blackish.
Distribution and Habitat
The species has a disjunct distribution across the Andes:
- T. v. klagesi: Venezuelan Coastal Range (Carabobo to Capital District)
- T. v. tachirensis: Andes of western Venezuela (Lara and Táchira)
- T. v. magdalenae: Colombia's Western, Central, and Eastern Andes
- T. v. sclateri: Colombia's Western Andes (Valle del Cauca to Nariño)
- T. v. virgaticeps: Northwestern Ecuador (Carchi to Pichincha)
- T. v. sumaco: Eastern Andes of southern Colombia and Ecuador's Napo Province
It mostly inhabits montane evergreen forest in the subtropical zone at elevations of 1,300 to 2,100 m (4,300 to 6,900 ft), though it can occur from 1,200 to 2,500 m.
Behavior
The species is a year-round resident. Its diet consists mostly of arthropods and may include small vertebrates. It forages in dense undergrowth, usually alone or in pairs, and only occasionally joins mixed-species feeding flocks. It gleans and probes for prey along mossy branches and in debris.
The breeding season spans from at least April to December. It is thought to be monogamous. It excavates a tunnel up to about 1 m (3.5 ft) long in an earthen bank and builds a cup nest of rootlets in a chamber at the end. Clutch size is two eggs. Both parents provision the nestlings.
The song is described as "a short and evenly pitched series of emphatic and well-enunciated notes, 'chup, cheyp-cheyp-cheyp-cheyp-cheyp'." The call is "a fast, sharp 'ch-di-dit', 'chi-dik' or 'ju-dut'."
Status
The IUCN has assessed the streak-capped treehunter as Least Concern. It has a somewhat limited range, and though its population size is not known, it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered uncommon to fairly common and occurs in at least one protected area in each of Venezuela and Colombia.
