Rufous Spinetail (Synallaxis unirufa) [XC693871]
by Peter Boesman from Chamicero del Perij\u00e1 Proaves Reserve, Cesar, Colombia (song)
Rufous Spinetail (Synallaxis unirufa) [XC353242]
by Ross Gallardy from Cesar, Manaure, Serran\u00eda del Perij\u00e1, arriba de El Cinco, Colombia (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Black-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis castanea) and Rusty-headed Spinetail (Synallaxis fuscorufa) and all three have sometimes been considered conspecific, but substantial vocal differences documented and reciprocal playback trials reveal pronounced vocal discrimination. Birds in Cajamarca (northern Peru), duller and less rufous than any others, apparently represent an undescribed subspecies.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
munoztebari Phelps & Phelps Jr, 1953 - Perijá Mts of north-eastern Colombia and north-western Venezuela.
meridana Hartert & Goodson, 1917 - Andes of western Venezuela (Trujillo south to Táchira) and north-central Colombia (extreme north-western part of eastern range in Norte de Santander).
unirufa Lafresnaye, 1843 - Andes of Colombia (southern possibly from Chocó in western range, from Antioquia in central, and in Cundinamarca and western Casanare in east) and Ecuador (on western slope southern only to western Cotopaxi).
ochrogaster Zimmer, JT, 1935 - Peruvian Andes from Amazonas south to northern Cuzco (Cordillera Vilcabamba).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet