Plain-brown Woodcreeper

The Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Dendrocincla fuliginosa, presents itself as a medium-sized bird within its genus, with a straight bill of moderate length and a subtle crest. Exhibiting sexual dimorphism in size, the females are slightly smaller than their male counterparts, though their plumage is similar. This species is characterized by its dull olive-brown upperparts, rufous-chestnut tail and wings, and a paler underbelly adorned with fine buff streaks.

Identification Tips

To identify the Plain-brown Woodcreeper, look for its narrow buff supercilium and the faint buff stripe beneath a grayish face. The bird's throat ranges from pale gray to buffy, with delicate mottling. Its underwing coverts are a warm cinnamon-buff to ochraceous, and the iris may vary from yellowish brown to dark brown or pale gray. The bill is typically black with lighter edges and tip, while the legs and feet can be black, slate gray, dark brownish olive, or light blue.

Habitat

This species thrives in humid forest environments, predominantly in evergreen forests, but also in deciduous and gallery forests, rainforests, and forests on sandy soils. It can occasionally be found in mangroves and is most commonly seen in the interior of primary forests, mature secondary forests, and less frequently in young secondary forests, bamboo, and plantations.

Distribution

The Plain-brown Woodcreeper is distributed from Honduras through South America to central Brazil, including Trinidad and Tobago. It is a lowland and foothill species, generally found below elevations of 1,300 meters, but can reach up to 2,000 meters in certain areas near the Caribbean coast.

Behaviour

A year-round resident, the Plain-brown Woodcreeper may exhibit some local movements. It forages from the lower to mid-levels of the forest, feeding on a variety of arthropods and small vertebrates. It is known to follow army ant swarms, capturing prey that flees from the ants. The bird often forages alone or as part of a mixed-species feeding flock and is also seen following South American coatis and monkey troops.

Song & calls

The vocal repertoire of the Plain-brown Woodcreeper includes a long whinny, rattle, or sputter that can be transcribed in various ways, such as "Whee-hee-he-hah-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-hu-hu-hu-hu-hu-hu-hoo-hoo-hooh, wee-i-woo!" It also produces a range of calls including "peeyk," "stieek," and "squeeeik," among others.

Breeding

The breeding season varies by location, with nesting occurring from May to October in Central America and possibly August to December in Amazonia. The Plain-brown Woodcreeper constructs a cup nest in cavities, using dead leaves, plant fibers, and down. Clutch size ranges from one to three eggs, and only the female is known to incubate and care for the young.

Similar Species

Subspecies of the Plain-brown Woodcreeper exhibit variations in plumage and bill coloration, which can be useful in distinguishing them from one another. However, there are no similar species mentioned that could be confused with the Plain-brown Woodcreeper.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists mainly of arthropods, particularly beetles and orthoptera, and occasionally small vertebrates like lizards. The bird's foraging strategy involves clinging to vertical trunks or vines and making brief flights to capture prey from various surfaces, including the ground and mid-air.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Plain-brown Woodcreeper as Least Concern, with an estimated population of at least five million mature individuals. Despite a decreasing population trend, it remains the most common and widespread woodcreeper of its genus. It is considered highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation and human disturbance in parts of its range and may suffer declines due to deforestation. However, it is thought to be less sensitive than other ant-following species, maintaining stable numbers in selectively logged forests and larger forest fragments.