Puna Thistletail

Overview

The puna thistletail (Asthenes helleri) is a small ovenbird found in Peru and far-western Bolivia. It is a monotypic species that resides year-round in high-altitude environments, though its southern population might represent a distinct subspecies.

Identification

• Length of 17 to 18.5 cm with a weight of 13 to 17 g, featuring a long, deeply forked tail with few barbs at the feather ends.
• Adults possess a brownish gray face with a grayish supercilium, a dark rufescent-brown crown, and a white chin that may have a small rufous centre.
• The throat displays a blackish patch with pale gray flecks, while the underparts are mostly gray with a brownish tinge on the flanks.
• Highly vocal, it produces a song of rapid, high-pitched spluttering notes that accelerate and increase in volume before fading, alongside sharp calls described as 'pyeek' or 'preek'.

Habitat

This species inhabits elfin forest at the tree line ecotone, typically in areas with a dense understory of Chusquea bamboo. It occupies elevations between 2,700 and 3,700 m across Peru's Cuzco Department and Bolivia's La Paz Department.

Diet

The puna thistletail feeds mostly on arthropods, foraging singly or in pairs. It captures prey by gleaning from foliage, small branches, and moss, usually in the understory but occasionally higher up.

Did you know?

Despite being an ovenbird, its nest is a domed mass constructed from moss and a few twigs, which is placed directly on a clump of grass rather than built on the ground or in a tree.