Other Scientific Names
Asthenes cactorum [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Asthenes cactorum [Stotz et al. (1996)], Asthenes cactorum [BirdLife International (2004, 2008)]
Cactus Canastero (Pseudasthenes cactorum) [XC74839]
by Andrew Spencer from Nazca-Cuzco Highway, 23.5km east of Nazca, Nazca, Peru (call)
Cactus Canastero (Pseudasthenes cactorum) [XC44465]
by Andrew Spencer from Lomas de Lachay, Lima, Peru (call?)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Cordilleran Canastero (Asthenes modesta), and sometimes considered conspecific. Supposedly smaller birds from the lomas of Lachay region, having greyish-rose cast and very dark central rectrices with dark rufous webs, described as subspecies lachayensis. Birds from higher Andes from Lima south to Arequipa proposed as subspecies monticola, said to differ from birds of coastal lomas in larger size, browner (less ochre) upperparts, darker central rectrices, somewhat darker throat patch, and less uniform underparts with more contrasting darker sides and flanks. However, both populations appear to be products of clinal variation combined with differences in degree of plumage wear, and described characters do not permit diagnosis of individual specimens.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
cactorum (Koepcke, 1959) - Western Peru.
lachayensis Koepcke, 1965 - Central coast of Peru (Lomas de Lachay).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet