The curve-billed reedhaunter is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.
Region
Southern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland wetlands of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, especially extensive reedbeds along rivers, lagoons, and shallow lakes. It favors dense emergent vegetation such as Typha, Scirpus/Schoenoplectus, and Juncus. Birds keep close to cover, using reed corridors and edges of marshes, oxbow lakes, and floodplain backwaters. It may also occupy man-made wetlands with suitable reeds if disturbance is limited.
Altitude Range
0–800 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A skulking furnariid, the curve-billed reedhaunter is adapted to dense reedbeds where it creeps through vertical stems with remarkable agility. Its downcurved bill is used to probe and pry among reeds for hidden invertebrates. It is often heard before seen, giving sharp, metallic notes and rattling phrases from deep cover.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over reeds
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs and thought to maintain territories year-round within extensive reedbeds. Nests are placed in dense emergent vegetation, often a bulky grass/reed structure with a side entrance well hidden above water. Pairs communicate frequently with contact calls while foraging through stems.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, metallic tik notes followed by short rattling or trilled series delivered from inside cover. The song carries well over marshes, aiding territory defense and pair contact.
Plumage
Overall warm brown with subtle mottling, a pale buffy supercilium, and a whitish to pale throat grading to grayish-brown underparts. Wings and tail show rich rufous tones, especially obvious in flight. Feathers are compact and sleek, aiding movement through dense reeds.
Diet
Primarily feeds on aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates such as insects, larvae, and spiders, gleaned from reed stems and leaf bases. It probes crevices and peels back leaf sheaths with its decurved bill to extract prey. Small snails and other soft-bodied invertebrates may be taken opportunistically. Foraging is deliberate, often with short vertical climbs along stems.
Preferred Environment
Dense stands of reeds and rushes along lakeshores, slow-moving rivers, and flooded marsh margins. It keeps within thick cover, rarely venturing into open water or dry uplands.
