Birds · Passeriformes · Furnariidae
Masafuera Rayadito
Aphrastura masafuerae
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The Masafuera rayadito is a species of passerine bird of the family Furnariidae, one of the two in the genus Aphrastura. It is endemic to Alejandro Selkirk Island, formerly known as Masafuera or Más Afuera because it is the furthest from the American mainland of the Juan Fernández Archipelago, off the coast of Chile.
Weight
20 g – 30 g
Size
15 cm – 16 cm
Lifespan
8 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Estimated population
Fewer than 500 mature individuals
Fun facts
- The whole species lives in a few ravines on an island of 50 square kilometres: it is one of the smallest ranges of any bird in the world.
- Alejandro Selkirk Island is named after the sailor whose shipwreck in the archipelago inspired Robinson Crusoe, although he was in fact on the neighbouring island.
- It nests in holes in tree ferns and in cavities in trunks, and conservation projects install rat-proof nest boxes to raise its breeding success.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Native tree-fern forest of Alejandro Selkirk Island, in the Juan Fernández archipelago
- Sexual maturity
- 12 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 16 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 3 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrastura_masafuerae
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Masafuera Rayadito — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Rufous Hornero
Furnarius rufus
Hooded Grebe
Podiceps gallardoi
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Green-backed Firecrown
Sephanoides sephaniodes
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
How to help
The masafuera rayadito is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 real protected area — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about masafuera rayadito.
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