The white-throated barbtail is an Endangered species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is endemic to Venezuela.
Region
Venezuelan Coastal Range
Typical Environment
Found in humid montane and cloud forests with dense moss, epiphytes, and shaded understory. It favors steep ravines and stream corridors where fallen logs and root tangles provide foraging substrates. Territories are small and localized, often within mature, undisturbed forest. It avoids open edges and heavily altered habitats, persisting primarily in protected or remote tracts.
Altitude Range
800–1800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This secretive furnariid uses its stiff, spiny tail feathers to brace against mossy trunks while it forages. It is confined to a few humid montane forests in northeastern Venezuela and is threatened by habitat loss. Pairs often keep close to shaded ravines and streams where moss and bromeliads are abundant.
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, sometimes with a dependent juvenile. Pairs maintain year-round territories along streams and mossy slopes. Nesting is thought to occur in cavities or dense root tangles near water, with both adults attending young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A thin, high-pitched series of squeaky notes that accelerate slightly, often delivered from low perches near ravines. Calls include sharp chips and subtle trills used to keep contact in dense cover.
