The buff-browed foliage-gleaner is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Region
South America
Typical Environment
Occurs widely from the eastern Andean foothills of Ecuador and Peru through Bolivia into northwestern Argentina. It is also found in the Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil, extending into Paraguay and Uruguay, and adjacent northeastern Argentina. Prefers evergreen and semideciduous forests, gallery forests, and well-vegetated secondary growth. Frequently associated with bamboo thickets, vine tangles, and forest edges near streams. It generally stays in the understory to midstory, where it gleans from leaves and dead-leaf clusters.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A member of the ovenbird family (Furnariidae), the buff-browed foliage-gleaner is noted for its prominent buff eyebrow and warm rufous tones. It forages methodically in dense foliage and bamboo, often joining mixed-species flocks. Its adaptability to secondary growth and edges helps it persist across a wide range. Despite being inconspicuous, its sharp, rattling calls can reveal its presence.
Temperament
secretive and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between cover
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs within territories, often joining mixed-species flocks while foraging. Pairs maintain contact with sharp calls and remain close to dense cover. Nests are placed in protected cavities or earthen banks and are lined with plant fibers. Both members of the pair likely participate in nesting duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of sharp, accelerating notes that can resolve into a short rattle, often delivered from concealed perches. Calls include dry chips and harsh churrs used for contact and alarm.
Plumage
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with a contrasting buff supercilium, paler throat, and cinnamon-rufous tail. Underparts are paler brown with faint streaking or mottling on the throat and breast. Wings show rufescent tones, and overall plumage is uniform and textured for camouflage in leaf litter and dense foliage.
Diet
Primarily consumes insects and other small arthropods, gleaned from leaves, twigs, bark, and dead-leaf clusters. It probes bamboo culms and tangles, often flicking leaves to expose hidden prey. Occasionally takes spiders and small snails; fruit intake is minimal if at all.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the understory to midstory of humid forests, bamboo stands, and dense second growth. Often forages along forest edges and riparian thickets, where leaf litter and tangled vegetation are abundant.
