Plain xenops

Xenops minutus

Photo by Mike Danzenbaker (Mike Dazenbaker’s Bird Photography)

Common name:

plain xenops (en); bico-virado-miúdo (pt); sittine brune (fr); picolezna menudo (es); braunbauch-baumspäher (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Furnariidae

Range:

The plain xenops is found from southern Mexico south to western Ecuador, northeastern Argentina and central Brazil.

Size:

These birds are 11-12,5 cm long and weigh 11-12 g.

Habitat:

These birds are mostly found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, but may also use swamp forests and dry forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.500 m.

Diet:

The pain xenops search bark, rotting stumps or bare twigs for insects and their larvae. They are known to eat wood-boring beetles, bush crickets, ants and termites.

Breeding:

These birds breed in January-May. They nest in holes in decaying tree trunks or branches, 1-10 m above the ground. They may use old woodpecker nests or excavate their own holes. The nest is lined with plant fibres. The female lays 2 white eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 15-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status – LC (Least concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 5-50 million individuals. The population trend for this species is undetermined as there is no sufficient data, but it is not believed to be threatened.