Cinereous-breasted Spinetail vs White-bellied Spinetail

Synallaxis hypospodia compared with Synallaxis propinqua

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cinereous-breasted Spinetail	White-bellied Spinetail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family same	Furnariidae	Furnariidae
Genus same	Synallaxis	Synallaxis
Species	Synallaxis hypospodia	Synallaxis propinqua

Evolutionary Relationship

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail and White-bellied Spinetail share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Synallaxis.

Conservation Status

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail

LC — Least Concern

White-bellied Spinetail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cinereous-breasted Spinetail	White-bellied Spinetail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.

White-bellied Spinetail

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Ecuador.

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail

The cinereous-breasted spinetail (Synallaxis hypospodia) is a small, skulking bird in the family Furnariidae, found in interior South America, primarily across central and southern Brazil extending into eastern Bolivia and potentially adjacent Paraguay. It inhabits dense, tangled undergrowth in dry scrub forest, cerrado, and woodland edge habitats, remaining close to the ground and typically visible only briefly as it moves through thick vegetation. The species has a slender, graduated tail—characteristic of the spinetail group—and gray-washed underparts that give it its name. The cinereous-breasted spinetail is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though monitoring within its range is limited. Its habitat preference for cerrado and dry woodland is significant, as cerrado is one of the world's most threatened biomes, with less than half of the original vegetation remaining due to agricultural conversion, primarily for soy and cattle production. The species is typically detected by its distinctive song rather than direct sighting, as its secretive behavior makes visual observation difficult. Like other Synallaxis spinetails, it builds a large domed stick nest with a side entrance tunnel, often placed in dense bushes. Any database records associating this species with Norway are data artifacts; its range is entirely within interior South America.