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- Berlepsch's Canastero
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Berlepsch's Canastero Asthenes berlepschi Scientific name definitions

J. V. Remsen, Jr.
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2003

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Introduction

The Berlepsch’s Canastero has a tiny range and is little known, recognized only from the slopes of Mt. Illampu in La Paz Department, Bolivia. It is closely related to the Creamy-breasted Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi) complex, and has been considered conspecific with that species. It does have distinctive plumage features, including rufous outer two tail feathers, and it is larger and larger billed than dorbignyi. Vocal and molecular studies are needed to understand the taxonomic position of this species. It is found between 2600 and 3700 m in arid shrubby slopes, even in little scrubby ravines adjacent to terraced agricultural areas.

Field Identification

15–16 cm. Has inconspicuous greyish supercilium, blackish lores and auriculars; crown warm brown, becoming paler and duller on back, rufous rump and uppertail-coverts; wings blackish, coverts edged and tipped dark rufous, tertials thinly edged dark rufous; tail graduated, rectrices very slightly pointed, outer two pairs rufous, next pair partly rufous, rest blackish; throat and underparts creamy whitish, centre of throat with hint of rufous (barely evident), breast with faint dark scaling, flanks and undertail-coverts rufous; bare-part colours not well known, but probably iris brown, upper mandible dark, lower mandible mainly grey, tarsus and toes blue-grey. Distinguished from very similar race arequipae of A. dorbignyi by lack of throat patch, broader rufous edges of wing-coverts and tertials, more rufous on outer rectrices. Sexes alike. Juvenile has dark-tipped breast feathers producing scaly appearance.

Systematics History

May be conspecific with A. dorbignyi, with treatment as species based more on historical momentum than on taxonomic analysis. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Consata Valley and its tributaries, on E slope of Andes of NW Bolivia (NC La Paz).

Habitat

Semi-arid montane scrub (Baccharis pentlandii) and patches of vegetation around human habitations, pastures and farms; recently reported also from degraded Polylepis woodland, and from scattered stands of introduced eucalyptus (Eucalyptus). At 2300–3700 m.

Movement

Resident.

Diet and Foraging

Little known. Solitary or in pairs; evidently gleans arthropods from ground and perhaps low vegetation.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a trill similar to that of A. dorbignyi.

Breeding

Season probably during austral spring-summer. Nest placed in tree. No further information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife NT Near Threatened
Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near-threatened. Restricted-range species: present in High Andes of Bolivia and Argentina EBA. Not well known; appears to be common, but recorded from only a few localities within tiny range. Observations cover area of c. 200 km²; possibly present elsewhere, N of R Consata, but fieldwork needed to determine this. In a 1991 survey, 3–4 nests found c. 500 m apart in area of eucalyptus trees separating agricultural fields. Tolerates strong habitat degradation; persists locally in absence of native vegetation, and has probably done so for thousands of years (back to at least Incan times). Nevertheless, its extremely small range places it at some risk.
Distribution of the Berlepsch's Canastero - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Berlepsch's Canastero

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Remsen, Jr., J. V. (2020). Berlepsch's Canastero (Asthenes berlepschi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bercan1.01
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