 Young birds have a duller, indistinct head pattern, with buff stripes and a brown ground colour, and have streaked breasts.There are four subspecies, which, in general, become larger and brighter from north to south.Thus the northernmost form, "P. r. acuminata ", is smaller than the nominate Costa Rican subspecies "P. r. ruficauda", which has duller, browner upperparts, and paler, whiter underparts.