McConnell's Spinetail (tepui form)

Uncommon and patchily distributed resident of tepui slopes and adjacent foothill/lowland forest. Far more often heard than seen; a skulker that requires patience and playback discipline. Gettable on a well-run Gran Sabana / Sierra de Lema itinerary but never guaranteed as a clean visual.

Mid-sized Synallaxis, 15-17 cm. Mostly dark sooty-gray body contrasting with a bright rufous crown/cap and rufous wings; lacks the obvious rufous throat patch of many congeners. Combination of dark gray underparts + rufous cap + rufous wing panel within tepui habitat is diagnostic.

Dense tangled undergrowth, forest edge, second growth and old disturbed areas on tepui slopes and foothills, typically below ~1900 m. Often associated with large rock outcrops and treefall/landslide tangles.

Stays low, hops in dense cover, rarely emerges into the open. Forages near the ground for arthropods. Vocally persistent, which is the main way to detect it.

A low, gravelly note repeated irregularly, often accelerating into a rolling churr; audible mainly at close range and usually the first sign of the bird. Search 'McConnell's Spinetail' (taxonCode mccspi1) on Macaulay Library and 'Synallaxis macconnelli' on Xeno-canto; for the tepui populations filter recordings to Bolivar/Amazonas, Venezuela.

Tape-lure sparingly at dense edge tangles near rock formations along La Escalera; get clients positioned with a clear low sightline before any playback because views are brief and at ground level. Coach the gravelly accelerating churr beforehand so the group can self-detect it.