Rock Earthcreeper

Overview

The rock earthcreeper (Ochetorhynchus andaecola) is a medium-sized bird in the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is a year-round resident found in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Identification

• Length of 16 to 18 cm with a long, slightly decurved bill.
• Rich brown crown, back, and rump with dark rufous-brown uppertail coverts.
• Buff supercilium and cheeks contrasting with a dark brownish stripe behind the eye.
• Loud, shrill song of 'vee-vee-vee-vee-vi-veet' sung from perches on bushes or boulders.

Habitat

Inhabits arid scrublands and puna grasslands with bunchgrass and scattered bushes, favouring rocky hillsides, outcrops, and ravines. It ranges from La Paz Department in western Bolivia to Catamarca Province in northern Argentina, with vagrant records in Chile. Elevation typically ranges between 2,600 and 4,200 m.

Diet

Feeds on arthropods gleaned and extracted from the ground while hopping among rocks, bunchgrass, and bushes. Usually forages singly or in pairs, often displaying wary behaviour and flying away when disturbed.

Did you know?

The species was previously placed in the genus Upucerthia but was moved to its current classification in the early 2000s.