Birds of Peru

    PASSERIFORMES: Furnariidae (Ovenbirds)  
Genus: Asthenes (18 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.


Dark-winged Canastero
Dark-winged Canastero (Asthenes arequipae)
Colca Canyon, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


No Image
Ayacucho Thistletail (Asthenes ayacuchensis) ENDEMIC
   



Rusty-vented Canastero
Rusty-vented Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi dorbignyi)
Purmamarca, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


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.

Found above 3000m.

Mouse-colored Thistletail
Mouse-colored Thistletail (Asthenes griseomurina)
Tapichalaca Reserve, Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Graham Montgomery   © All Rights Reserved.


Puna Thistletail
Puna Thistletail (Asthenes helleri)
Wayqecha, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Pale-tailed Canastero
Pale-tailed Canastero (Asthenes huancavelicae huancavelicae) ENDEMIC
Áncash, Peru  
   
Photograph by Jon Irvine   © All Rights Reserved.

Combines what HBW calls White-tailed Canastero (subspecies usheri) and Huancavelica Canastero (subspecies huancavelicae) into one species. Presumably taxonomy is in flux.

Streak-throated Canastero
Streak-throated Canastero (Asthenes humilis robusta)
Salinas, Arequipa, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Found in the puna up to 4700m, usually where there are rocks (HBW). Note some streaking on back and streaked throat, with plain breast/belly and cap.

Scribble-tailed Canastero
Scribble-tailed Canastero (Asthenes maculicauda)
La Paz, Bolivia  
   
Photograph by Graham Ekins   © All Rights Reserved.


Cordilleran Canastero
Cordilleran Canastero (Asthenes modesta australis)
Yeso Valley, Santiago, Chile  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Compare to Canyon Canastero. Found in open puna over 4000. Look for black stripe in center of tail, and light colored front with few markings.

Rusty-fronted Canastero
Rusty-fronted Canastero (Asthenes ottonis) ENDEMIC
Laguna Huacarpay, Cuzco, Peru  
   
Photograph by Jon Irvine   © All Rights Reserved.


Eye-ringed Thistletail
Eye-ringed Thistletail (Asthenes palpebralis) ENDEMIC
Carretera Satipo, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.


Canyon Canastero
Canyon Canastero (Asthenes pudibunda)
San Pedro de Casta, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Canyon Canastero
Canyon Canastero (Asthenes pudibunda grisior)
Colca Canyon, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Most similar to the Cordilleran Canastero. Prefers denser habitat as opposed to open puna, and is darker in front. Also less likely to show black stripe on tail.

Line-fronted Canastero
Line-fronted Canastero (Asthenes urubambensis huallagae) Near Threatened
Bosque Unchog, Huanuco, Peru  
   
Photograph by Bruno Conjeaud   © All Rights Reserved.

Arboreal unlike most canastero. Found over 3000m, and also a bit larger than most.

No Image
Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae) ENDEMIC
   



Junin Canastero
Junin Canastero (Asthenes virgata) ENDEMIC
Runatullo, Junín region, Peru
  Similar to the Many-striped Canastero, but no range overlap.
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.

Uncommon at high elevations (over 3300 m.) and similar to Many-Striped Canastero, but slightly less streaked and less rufous on wings.

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
Experimental sites:       Peru       Venezuela       The World       Brazil       Bolivia
Really Experimental sites:       Guyana       Cuba