White-throated woodcreeper

Xiphocolaptes albicollis

Photo by Sidnei Recco (Panoramio)

Common name:
white-throated woodcreeper (en); arapaçu-de-garganta-branca (pt); grimpar à gorge blanche (fr); trepatroncos gorgiblanco (es); weißkehl-baumsteiger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Dendrocolaptidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Brazil, from Bahia and Goiás south to Rio Grande do Sul, and into eastern Paraguay and extreme north-eastern Argentina.

Size:
These large woodcreepers are 27,5-33 cm long and weigh 110-130 g.

Habitat:
The white-throated woodcreeper is mostly found in moist tropical forests, including Atlantic forest and gallery forest amid cerrado and chaco habitats. They also use areas of second growth to a lesser extent. This species occurs from sea level up to an altitude of 2.000 m.

Diet:They feed mainly on large arthropods, but also take snails, bird eggs, and occasionally small vertebrates.

Breeding:
White-throated woodcreepers breed in October-March. They nest in natural tree cavities, or sometimes in nest boxes, which are lined with bark flakes, leaf fragments and seed pods. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-22 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range, but is described as uncommon. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, but it is not considered threatened at present.