Streaked Xenops

The streaked xenops, a small passerine bird, graces the New World with its presence, from the lush landscapes of Costa Rica and Trinidad to the southern reaches of Bolivia and Argentina. This member of the Furnariidae family, with its wedge-shaped, stout bill, measures a modest 12 to 13 cm in length and tips the scales at a feather-light 10 to 15 grams. Both male and female streaked xenops are similarly attired in their brownish plumage adorned with rufous streaks and highlights.

Identification Tips

Adults of the species boast a buff supercilium and a stark white malar stripe set against a brownish face. The crown is a tapestry of dark brown interwoven with rufous streaks, while the back is a rufescent brown with paler streaks. The tail and wing coverts share a chestnut-rufous hue, with the tail featuring a blackish inner web on one feather pair. The underparts are a canvas of medium brown with buffy whitish streaks and dark brownish edges, fading towards the lower belly. The bird's eyes are a deep brown, the maxilla dark, and the legs and feet a subtle gray to black.

Habitat

The streaked xenops is a versatile inhabitant, found in montane evergreen and deciduous forests within the Andes and Central American mountains, typically at elevations of 700 to 2,400 meters. In lowland regions, it frequents a variety of forest types, from semi-arid to humid, including both primary and secondary forests.

Distribution

This bird's range is divided among 11 subspecies, each claiming its own territory from the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama to the lowlands of Ecuador and Peru, and further to the forests of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Behaviour

A permanent resident of its range, the streaked xenops is often seen in pairs or alone, joining mixed-species foraging flocks. It is an adept climber, hitching along slender branches and using its tail as a brace while it gleans, chisels, and flakes bark and rotten wood in search of prey.

Song & calls

The streaked xenops serenades the forest with an ascending and descending series of high-pitched, dry, squeaky notes, which accelerate towards the end. Its calls are a high, piercing "peet" or "cheet."

Breeding

The breeding season varies across its range, with known periods from January to May in Costa Rica and February to May on Trinidad. Nests are cavities in trees, sometimes excavated by the birds themselves, and lined with soft plant fibers. Clutch sizes are typically two to three eggs, though details of incubation and parental care remain a mystery.

Similar Species

While there are no similar species that could be easily confused with the streaked xenops, variations among the subspecies can be noted in the intensity of the rufous upperparts and the size and color of the underparts' streaks.

Diet and Feeding

The streaked xenops has a diet rich in arthropods, including wood-boring beetle larvae and adult insects. It is known to catch flying termites mid-air, a testament to its agile hunting skills.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the streaked xenops as Least Concern, with an estimated population of at least five million mature individuals. It is considered uncommon to fairly common and appears to be fairly tolerant of habitat disturbance, surviving in both large and small forest fragments.