Ovenbirds (Furnariidae)

Cordilleran Canastero (Asthenes modesta) - HBW 8, p. 303

French: Synallaxe des rocailles German: Graslandcanastero Spanish: Canastero Pálido

Taxonomy: Synallaxis modestus Eyton, 1851, Bolivia (?).
Forms a superspecies with A. cactorum, and sometimes considered conspecific. Nominate race apparently varies clinally in back colour, darkest in N, palest and sandiest in S. Proposed race navasi, from S Argentina, described as differing from australis in biometrics (significantly shorter bill, longer wing and tail), but overlap in measurements prevents diagnosis of many specimens. Seven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

proxima (Chapman, 1921) - Andes of C & S Peru (Junín S to Cuzco).
modesta (Eyton, 1851) - Andes of SW Peru (Arequipa, Puno) and W Bolivia (W La Paz, Oruro, Potosí) S to N Chile (Tarapacá, Antofagasta) and NW Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca).
rostrata (Berlepsch, 1901) - C Bolivia (E slope in La Paz and Cochabamba).

See all 7 subspecies

proxima (Chapman, 1921) - Andes of C & S Peru (Junín S to Cuzco).
modesta (Eyton, 1851) - Andes of SW Peru (Arequipa, Puno) and W Bolivia (W La Paz, Oruro, Potosí) S to N Chile (Tarapacá, Antofagasta) and NW Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca).
rostrata (Berlepsch, 1901) - C Bolivia (E slope in La Paz and Cochabamba).
hilereti (Oustalet, 1904) - Andes of NW Argentina (Sierra de Aconquija and Cumbres Calchaquíes, in Tucumán and Catamarca).
australis Hellmayr, 1925 - C & S Chile (Andes from S Atacama S to Colchagua, lowlands in Aisén and N Magallanes) and W & S Argentina (Andes S from La Rioja, and lowlands from La Pampa, and Serranías de Ventania in SW Buenos Aires, S to Santa Cruz).
serrana Nores, 1986 - Cerro Famatina, in La Rioja (W Argentina).
cordobae Nores & Yzurieta, 1980 - Córdoba (Sierras Grandes, Sierra de Comechingones) and NE San Luis (Sierra de San Luis), in C Argentina.