Ovenbirds (Furnariidae)

Apurimac Spinetail (Synallaxis courseni) - HBW 8, p. 278

French: Synallaxe de Coursen German: Langschwanz-Dickichtschlüpfer Spanish: Pijuí de Apurímac
Other common names: Blake’s/Coursen’s Spinetail

Taxonomy: Synallaxis courseni Blake, 1971, Bosque Ampay (Abancay), 9000 feet [c. 2750 m], Apurímac, Peru.
Considered by some authors to form a superspecies with S. frontalis and S. azarae on basis of plumage and vocal similarities. Biogeography, habitat and voice strongly suggest that it is a derivative of latter. Proposal by others that this species is related to S. brachyura considered a very unlikely one. Monotypic.

Distribution: C Peruvian Andes on S slopes of Nevada Ampay, N of Abancay (Apurímac).