Birds of Colombia

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Genus: Asthenes (4 species, 29 worldwide)

Genus Asthenes, Canasteros and Thistletails, are small insect-eating brownish birds with thin and long tails, and generally found at high altitudes. Canastero means 'basket-maker', and describes the nest.


Many-striped Canastero
Many-striped Canastero (Asthenes flammulata flammulata)
Papallacta Pass, Ecuador
  Also streaked in front. 		   
Photograph by Graham Montgomery   © All Rights Reserved.
Found above 3000m. Common and widespread.

White-chinned Thistletail
White-chinned Thistletail (Asthenes fuliginosa)
Papallacta, Ecuador
  White chin very small and hard to see in the field. 		   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

White-chinned Thistletail
White-chinned Thistletail (Asthenes fuliginosa)
Chingaza National Park, Colombia
  A dark race with light eye and different vocalizations found in east Colombia and Venezuela, not described well in literature (Athanas). 		   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.
Found above 3000m.

Perija Thistletail
Perija Thistletail (Asthenes perijana) Endangered
Sierra de Perijá, Colombia   		   
Photograph by David Ascanio - www.abtbirds.com   © All Rights Reserved.


Streak-backed Canastero
Streak-backed Canastero (Asthenes wyatti phelpsi)
Sierra de Perijá, Colombia   		   
Photograph by David Ascanio - www.abtbirds.com   © All Rights Reserved.

Streak-backed Canastero
Streak-backed Canastero (Asthenes wyatti lilloi)
La Cuesta del Obispo, Salta province, Argentina   		   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.
Found above 3000m. Note plain throat and chest, and streaking on back and cap. The Puna Canastero was lumped with this species in 2023. That species is also found in the Cordoba mountains in Argentina.

© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
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