Species

Justification
This species has narrow habitat requirements, and is likely to have a moderately small and fragmented population which may be declining owing to habitat loss. It is therefore considered Near Threatened.

Taxonomic source(s)
SACC. 2006. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html.
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.
Stotz, D. F.; Fitzpatrick, J. W.; Parker, T. A.; Moskovits, D. K. 1996. Neotropical birds: ecology and conservation. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Synonym(s)
Limnornis rectirostris Collar et al. (1994), Limnornis rectirostris Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Limnornis rectirostris rectirostris Collar et al. (1994), Limnornis rectirostris rectirostris Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification
Size: 16 cm. Summary: A long-billed rufous, brown and whitish marsh furnarid. Id: Very long straightish bill. Above grey brown with whitish supercillium; wings and long, graduated and pointed tail (with protruding spines) rufous. Underparts white becoming buff on flanks and undertail. Immature cinnamon above and ochraceous below. Similar: The more widespread Curve-billed Reedhaunter is stockier and has a curved bill; it is brown above not greyish; with a shorter, broader and rounder tail which lacks the protruding spines. Hints: Most visible when singing as it may use an partially exposed perch; best located by call. Voice: A series of high-pitched notes accelerating into a trill.

Distribution and population
Limnoctites rectirostris occurs in extreme south Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), south Uruguay and east Argentina (Entre Ríos and extreme north-east Buenos Aires) (Ridgely and Tudor 1994, Babarskas and Fraga 1998). It is very locally distributed, but locally common in appropriate habitats.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as 'fairly common but patchily distributed' (Stotz et al. 1996).

Trend justification
A slow population decline is suspected to be occurring, as suitable habitats within the range continue to be affected by agricultural activities.

Ecology
This species occurs up to 1,100 m, in small marshes and swales, as well as short trees and shrubs bordering wet areas. It is closely associated with the spiny apiaceous herb "caraguata" Eryngium spp., which is abundant in marshes throughout its range (Ridgely and Tudor 1994). It also occurs locally away from water in upland thickets of Epyngium pandanifolum.

Threats
In Argentina, and particularly in the heavily populated Buenos Aires province, its habitat is threatened by house-building, rubbish dumps and water pollution (Chebez 1994). It is presumably also threatened by intensive grazing, marsh drainage, extensive willow Salix plantations and, particularly in east Entre Ríos, the drying effects of Eucalyptus and Pinus spp. plantations (Pearman and Abadie 1995).

Conservation actions underway
None is known.

Conservation actions proposed
Repeat surveys of known sites in order to determine rates of population decline and range contraction. Encourage the conservation of wetland habitats within the range, including the gazetting of protected areas at key sites.

References
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Ridgely, R. S.; Tudor, G. 1994. The birds of South America. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.

Chebez, J. C. 1994. Los que se van: especies argentinas en peligro. Albatros, Buenos Aires.

Babarskas, M.; Fraga, R. 1998. Actualizando la distribución de la Pajonalera Pico Recto Limnoctites rectirostris en la provincia de Entre Ríos. Cotinga 10: 79-81.

Pearman, M.; Abadie, E. I. Undated. Mesopotamia grasslands and wetlands survey, 1991--1993: conservation of threatened birds and habitat in north-east Argentina.

Further web sources of information
Hear sounds for this species from xeno-canto, the community database of shared bird sounds from around the world.

View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection

Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Gilroy, J., Sharpe, C J

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Limnoctites rectirostris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.

Additional resources for this species

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