Spot-billed Ground Tyrant

Overview

The spot-billed ground tyrant (Muscisaxicola maculirostris) is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, Tyrannidae. It is found across the Andes of South America and is currently assessed as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• A small bird measuring 14 to 15.5 cm in length, with olive-brown upperparts and whitish underparts often marked by olive mottling on the breast.
• Features a distinctive narrow, sharp bill that is blackish to brownish-black with a conspicuous yellow to orangish yellow base.
• Displays a whitish to buffy white supercilium with a spot above the lores, contrasted by a dusky line through the eye and dark brown irises.

Habitat

This species inhabits sparsely vegetated and often rocky landscapes, including temperate to alpine slopes with rock walls, as well as dry open areas and agricultural fields. Its range covers the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, and Colombia, with vagrant records in Brazil, typically at elevations between 1,000 and 4,500 m.

Diet

The spot-billed ground tyrant feeds primarily on insects, supplementing its diet with fruits and possibly flowers or nectar. It forages by standing or walking in the open, often perching on rocks or shrubs to search for prey, which it captures on the ground or by hawking in mid-air.

Did you know?

The spot-billed ground tyrant is the most vocal species in its genus, with males producing a song that includes a prolonged series of notes accelerating into a flourish ending in two short whistles.