Azara's Spinetail © flickr.com

Considered by some authors to form a superspecies with Sooty-fronted Spinetail (Synallaxis frontalis) and Apurimac Spinetail (Synallaxis courseni) on basis of plumage and vocal similarities. Central Peruvian populations may be closer genetically to latter than they are to geographically distant populations of present species, constitution of which would thereby be rendered paraphyletic. Subspecies superciliosa and samaipatae formerly treated as representing a separate species, but voice and evidence of introgression suggest that they are better considered conspecific. Subspecies elegantior and ochracea possibly indistinguishable from each other but separated geographically by media and all three, together with fruticicola, sometimes treated as forming a separate species, originally on basis mainly of vocal differences (not confirmed subsequently) and difference in number of rectrices.

Proposed subspecies carabayae, described from southern Peru (Puno) and northern Bolivia (La Paz), purportedly darker than nominate, but individual specimens of the two forms found to be indistinguishable.

The following 9 subspecies are recognised:

• elegantior Sclater, PL, 1862   -  Eastern Andes of Colombia and western Venezuela (Trujillo and south-eastern Lara south to Táchira). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Elegant Spinetail (Synallaxis elegantior).
• media Chapman, 1914   -  Western and central Andes of Colombia south to Ecuador (south to Cotopaxi in western and to Zamora-Chinchipe in east), possibly also in northern Peru (extreme north-eastern Cajamarca).
• ochracea Zimmer, JT, 1936   -  Andes of south-western Ecuador (southern from Guayas and southern Chimborazo) and north-western Peru (Tumbes south to Lambayeque).
• fruticicola Taczanowski, 1880   -  Marañón Valley in northern Peru (Cajamarca south to La Libertad).
• infumata Zimmer, JT, 1925   -  Andes of northern and central Peru (Amazonas south to Juní­n).
• urubambae Zimmer, JT, 1935   -  Southern Peru (Cuzco).
• azarae d'Orbigny, 1835   -  Southern Peru (Puno) south to central Bolivia (La Paz south to north-western Santa Cruz).
• samaipatae Bond & Meyer de Schauensee, 1941   -  Southern Bolivian Andes (central Santa Cruz south to Tarija).
• superciliosa Cabanis, 1883   -  Andes of north-western Argentina (Jujuy south to Catamarca). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Buff-browed Spinetail (Synallaxis superciliosa).

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BirdLife International For more information about the Azaras Spinetail see... BirdLife International Species Factsheet. Articles about the Azaras Spinetail If you would like to read any articles about the Azaras Spinetail... Show Articles (0) No Pictures of Azaras Spinetail If Birdpedia has no pictures of Azaras Spinetail or you would like to see more, then try the following...       From BING (10) No Videos of Azaras Spinetail If Birdpedia has no videos of Azaras Spinetail or you would like to see more, then try the following..       From BING (0) Where can I observe this species? Select an area (or leave blank) to see locations where this species has been recorded. Area   ARGENTINA OCEAN   All    Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or   Find GPS using Google Maps Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings On What Field Trips was this species observed? Select an area (or leave blank), and a date range, to see field trips on which this species has been recorded. Area   ARGENTINA OCEAN   All    From To     Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings Latest Sightings for Azaras Spinetail Select the Area to restrict the Sightings. Area   ARGENTINA OCEAN   All