Birds
Seaside Cinclodes
Cinclodes nigrofumosus
As the tide pulls back along Chile’s rocky Pacific shore, a seaside cinclodes moves across the exposed rocks picking off invertebrates, an unusual, purely coastal lifestyle for a bird belonging to the inland-leaning ovenbird family.
Overview
The seaside cinclodes, Cinclodes nigrofumosus, is a Near Threatened songbird endemic to the rocky coastline of Chile. A member of the ovenbird family, it stands apart from most of its relatives by foraging almost exclusively in the intertidal zone, closely tracking the rhythm of the tides.
Living on the tideline
Dark, sooty plumage lets the seaside cinclodes blend into wet rocks and dark sand as it forages, with activity peaking as the tide recedes and exposes amphipods, small crustaceans, and other invertebrates along the shore.
Status
Near Threatened, with its narrow coastal range making it especially exposed to pressures such as development, pollution, and disturbance along Chile’s shoreline.
Seaside Cinclodes: common questions
What makes the seaside cinclodes unusual among ovenbirds?
Most cinclodes species forage along inland streams, lakeshores, or wetlands, but the seaside cinclodes forages almost exclusively in the intertidal zone of the open Pacific coast, picking invertebrates directly from wet rocks and sand.
What does the seaside cinclodes eat?
It is an insectivore, feeding on amphipods, small crustaceans, and other invertebrates exposed on rocky shores as the tide recedes.
Where is the seaside cinclodes found?
It is endemic to Chile, found only along the country's rocky Pacific coastline and nowhere else in the world.
Why is the seaside cinclodes Near Threatened?
Its narrow coastal range makes it especially vulnerable to pressures such as coastal development, pollution, and human disturbance along Chile's shoreline.