Heliobletus contaminatus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Tyranni
Infraordo: Tyrannides
Parvordo: Furnariida
Superfamilia: Furnarioidea

Familia: Furnariidae
Genus: Heliobletus
Species: Heliobletus contaminatus
Subspecies: H. c. camargoi – H. c. contaminatus
Name

Heliobletus contaminatus Berlepsch, 1885

Synonyms

Anabates contaminatus Pelzeln, 1859
Sclerurus contaminatus (Berlepsch, 1885)
Xenops contaminatus (Berlepsch, 1885)

References
Primary references

Berlepsch, H. von; Ihering, H. von 1885: Die Vögel der Umgegend von Taquara do Mundo Novo, Prov. Rio Grande do Sul. Zeitschrift für die gesammte Ornithologie, 2: p.144–145 BHL

Additional references

Cardoso da Silva, J.M. & Stotz, D.F. 1992. Geographic variation in the sharp-billed treehunter Heliobletus contaminatus. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, 112: 98–101. BHLReference page.
Penhallurick, J.M. 2011. The nomenclature and taxonomy of Sharp-billed Treehunter Heliobletus contaminatus. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 19: 409–416. ResearchGate (with link to PDF). Reference page.

Vernacular names
English: Sharp-billed Treehunter
español: Ticotico estriado
português do Brasil: Trepadorzinho

The sharp-billed treehunter (Heliobletus contaminatus), sometimes called the sharp-billed xenops, is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family Furnariidae.[2] It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.[3]
Taxonomy and systematics

The sharp-billed treehunter is assigned two subspecies, the nominate H. c. contaminatus (Berlepsch, 1885) and (as of 2023) H. c. camargoi (Cardoso da Silva & Stotz, 1992).[2][4] However, there is some confusion about the subspecific epithets of the subspecies, and one or both might be changed.[5] In recognition of that possibility, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World gives H. c. camargoi the trinomial "Heliobletus contaminatus [new name]".[6]

One author included genus Heliobletus within Xenops, as the sharp-billed treehunter's plumage is very similar to those of some Xenops species. Genetic data refute this treatment and find that it belongs in Heliobletus and is sister to genus Philydor.[7]

The sharp-billed treehunter is the only member of genus Heliobletus.[2] However, one author states that "[a]n undescribed ''Heliobletus sp. occurs in SE Bahia [Brazil]".[8] Recordings of this undescribed taxon have been made, and it has been found in the Serra do Lontras.[9]
Description

The sharp-billed treehunter is 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 13 to 15 g (0.46 to 0.53 oz). It has a short, pointed, and slightly downturned bill, and male and female plumages are alike. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a wide golden-buff supercilium, a blackish brown band behind the eye, dark brownish and ochraceous lores, and dull buff ear coverts. Their crown is blackish brown with wide golden-olive streaks. They have a buff partial collar. Their back, rump, and uppertail coverts are dull olive-brown with rufous tips on the coverts. Their tail is dark rufous and the very end of the feathers have no barbs. Their wings are olive-brown with darker primary coverts. Their throat is pale yellowish buff, their breast a paler yellowish buff with dull olive-brown streaks, their belly plain dull olive-brown, and their undertail coverts dull brownish with very wide rufous streaks. Their iris is dark brown, their maxilla brown to black, their mandible pinkish gray, and their legs and feet greenish gray to dull yellow-green. Juveniles are much like adults but with a more ochraceous supercilium and streaks; the streaks are less distinct. Subspecies H. c. camargoi has wide pale golden-buff streaks on its back, and more and wider streaks on the breast and belly.[5][8]
Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of the sharp-billed treehunter is found in southeastern Brazil from Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo south to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states. H. c. camargoi is found from São Paulo south through Rio Grande do Sul and eastern Paraguay into northeastern Argentina's Misiones Province and extreme northeastern Uruguay. The species inhabits humid lowland and montane evergreen forest. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,830 m (6,000 ft).[5] The nominate subspecies tends to be more numerous at the higher elevations.[8]
Behavior
Movement

The sharp-billed treehunter is a year-round resident throughout its range.[5]
Feeding

The sharp-billed treehunter feeds on arthropods. It forages singly and in pairs, usually as members of a mixed-species feeding flock. It feeds primarily from the forest's mid-storey to its canopy, though it will feed in the understory. It climbs and hangs acrobatically, gleaning, pulling, and pecking for its prey on branches, foliage, and epiphytes.[5][8]
Breeding

Nothing is known about the sharp-billed treehunter's breeding biology.[5]

Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.

Songs and calls
Listen to sharp-billed treehunter on xeno-canto
Vocalization

The sharp-billed treehunter's song is "a short, harsh, metallic slow trill on one pitch, sometimes interspersed with squeaky notes or tinkling overtones". Its call is a soft "tick".[5]
Status

The IUCN has assessed the sharp-billed treehunter as being of Least Concern. It has a large range but its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered uncommon to locally fairly common in most of its range but rare in Paraguay. It occurs in several protected areas. However, "[e]xtensive deforestation within its relatively small range has dramatically reduced [the] area of available habitat".[5]
References

BirdLife International (2017). "Sharp-billed Treehunter Heliobletus contaminatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22702981A110877881. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22702981A110877881.en. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Ovenbirds, woodcreepers". IOC World Bird List. v 13.2. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 May 2023. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved May 31, 2023
Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022
Remsen, Jr., J. V. (2020). Sharp-billed Treehunter (Heliobletus contaminatus), 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.shbtre1.01 retrieved August 27, 2023
HBW and BirdLife International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip retrieved December 13, 2022
Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, G. Del-Rio, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 31 May 2023. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved May 31, 2023
van Perlo, Ber (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-19-530155-7.
"'Serra do Lontras' Treehunter (Heliobletus sp.nov.Lontras) :: Xeno-canto".