Cinereous ground-tyrant

Muscisaxicola cinereus

Photo by Cristian Pinto (ArgentAvis)

Common name:
cinereous ground-tyrant (en); gaúcha-cinza (pt); dormilon cendré (fr); dormilona cenicienta (es); graubraun-grundtyrann (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Tyrannidae

Range:
This species is found along the Andes mountain range, from southern Peru down to central Chile and western Argentina as far south as Chillán.

Size:
These birds are 15-17 cm long and weigh about 20 g.

Habitat:
The cinereous ground-tyrant is mostly found in high-altitude scrublands and grasslands, such as puna grasslands, also using rocky areas, pastures, rivers and streams, lakes and bogs.

Diet:
They forage mainly on the ground, taking adult and larval insects.

Breeding:
These birds breed in September-March. The nest is built by the female alone, consisting of a cup made of twigs, dry herbs and roots, and lined with feather down, wool and hairs. It is placed in a cliff or rocky crevice. The female lays 2-3 whitish eggs with reddish-brown spots, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and feldge 19-21 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.