The point-tailed palmcreeper or simply palmcreeper (''Berlepschia rikeri'') is a species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Furnariidae. It is found in

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

, and

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

.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

Taxonomy and systematics

The point-tailed palmcreeper is the only member of its genus and has no subspecies. Robert Ridgway initially placed it in genus ''Picolaptes'' and later created its current genus. With it Ridgway honors the ornithologist

Hans von Berlepsch Count Hans Hermann Carl Ludwig von Berlepsch (29 July 1850 – 27 February 1915) was a German ornithologist. Berlepsch studied zoology at the University of Halle. He used his inherited wealth to sponsor bird collectors in South America, including ...

, who pointed out to him the significant differences of the species with the others of genus ''Picolaptes''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''rikeri'' honors C.B. Riker, who collected the type specimen that Ridgway used to describe the species. BerlepschiaRikeriKeulemans

Description

Ridway says of the point-tailed palmcreeper, "This handsome species, of very striking appearance, is entirely different in coloration from any Dendrocolaptine bird with which I am acquainted". The point-tailed palmcreeper is long and weighs . The sexes are alike. Adults have a face with thin black and white streaks. Its crown and upper back are also streaked black and white; the streaks become "teardrops" on the back. Its lower back, rump, and uppertail

coverts A covert feather or tectrix on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts (or ''tectrices''), which, as the name implies, cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail. Ear coverts The ear coverts are sm ...

are bright chestnut. Its tail is also bright chestnut; its pointed feathers have stiffened bases. Its wing coverts are chestnut and its flight feathers are blackish

fuscous {{Short pages monitor.

Status

The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

has assessed the point-tailed palmcreeper as being of Least concern. It has a very large range, and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered rare to uncommon. "Although tsglobal population scertainly small, because of he species'restriction to palm swamps, this habitat is relatively immune to most anthropogenic disturbance." It occurs in several protected areas.

References

External links

Point-tailed palmcreeper photo gallery
at VIREO {{Taxonbar, from=Q793571

point-tailed palmcreeper The point-tailed palmcreeper or simply palmcreeper (''Berlepschia rikeri'') is a species of bird in the Furnariinae subfamily of the ovenbird family (biology), family Furnariidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana ...

Birds of the Amazon rainforest Birds of the Guiana Shield Birds of Venezuela Birds of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Birds of Brazil Taxa named by Robert Ridgway Taxonomy articles created by Polbot