The dusky-tailed canastero is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Chile.
Region
Central Chile
Typical Environment
Found in the Mediterranean-climate shrublands of central Chile, especially in dense matorral, thorn scrub, and rocky slopes. It frequents ravines, foothills, and scrubby edges of agricultural land. The species keeps close to cover, moving through shrubs and along the ground while foraging. It tolerates semi-arid conditions and is common where native shrub communities persist.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
A skulking furnariid of Chile’s matorral, it spends much of its time low in dense shrubs with its tail slightly cocked. The name canastero comes from Spanish for “basket-maker,” referencing the bulky, basket-like stick nests typical of the group. Its song is a dry, accelerating series of trills and chatters that carries well through scrubby hillsides.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, usually low over scrub
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs, maintaining territories year-round. Pairs cooperate to build bulky, basket-like nests of sticks placed in shrubs or low vegetation. They remain close to cover and use tail flicks and quick dashes between bushes when disturbed.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A dry, accelerating series of trills and scratchy chatters, often delivered from within shrubs or low perches. Calls include sharp ticks and rasping notes used for contact and alarm.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with subtle mottling, paler buff-gray underparts, and a distinctly darker, dusky-brown tail. Wings often show rufous or cinnamon edges; throat and breast can appear lightly washed or faintly streaked.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and other small arthropods such as beetles, ants, and spiders. Forages by gleaning from twigs, leaves, and the ground, probing into leaf litter and dense shrub layers. Occasionally takes small seeds or plant matter when invertebrates are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Dense matorral and thorn scrub with ample leaf litter and twiggy cover. Often forages along rocky slopes, shrub bases, and ecotones near fields or open patches.
