The sharp-tailed streamcreeper (Lochmias nematura) is a passerine bird of South America belonging to the family Furnariidae, the ovenbirds. It is the only member of the genus Lochmias. The species is also known as the streamside streamcreeper.[2]
This bird is about 6 in (15 cm) long, with a short tail and a long, thin, slightly curved bill. The plumage is dark brown, densely spotted white on the underparts. There is a white stripe over the eye and the tail is blackish.
The first Guyana specimen, collected on July 24, 2004, had a smooth ovary measuring 4x3 mm, a bursa of Fabricius measuring 3x3 mm, and an unossified skull (as often seen in Furnarioidea even when adult).[3]
The song is an accelerating trill, lasting for about five seconds.
It inhabits dense undergrowth near streams, particularly in humid premontane and montane forest,[4] foraging on the ground for insects and other invertebrates.[5] It usually occurs alone or in pairs and is often shy and hard to see. The nest is ball-shaped with a side-entrance and is built on the ground.
Due to its extremely wide range, the sharp-tailed streamcreeper is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN.[1][6]
There are six subspecies which differ little:
The species has long been suspected to have at least a temporary presence in Guyana. However, this was only proven recently, with sight records in the Pakaraima Mountains since 2002 and a specimen (LSUMZ 175389) taken in 2004. These birds probably belong to one of the Venezuelan populations, but it is not yet known to which.[3]
The sharp-tailed streamcreeper (Lochmias nematura) is a passerine bird of South America belonging to the family Furnariidae, the ovenbirds. It is the only member of the genus Lochmias. The species is also known as the streamside streamcreeper.
