White-throated Treerunner

Overview

The Pygarrhichas albogularis is a small passerine bird belonging to the ovenbird family, Furnariidae. It is the sole representative of its genus and is widely distributed across southern South America.

Identification

• Approximately 15–16 cm in length with a stiff, rounded tail featuring spined barbs.
• Dark brown upperparts transitioning to a red rump and tail, contrasting sharply with a bright white throat and chest.
• Long, slightly upturned bill with a dark grey upper mandible and a pale lower mandible.
• Distinctive short, piercing cry described as a rapid, metallic "kik-ik" or "tsi-ik".

Habitat

This species inhabits forests with large, old trees in central and southern Chile and western Argentina, ranging from sea level to 1,200 m elevation. It prefers Nothofagus forests but avoids young woodlands, and is found as far south as Horn Island, the southernmost forest in the world.

Diet

The bird forages for small arthropods, including beetle larvae and dipterans, by spiralling up tree trunks or moving head-down in a jerky manner. It uses its stiff tail for support while tapping at bark with its bill or digging out insects from crevices.

Did you know?

The bird appears in traditional Yahgan stories as tatajurj, a character that accompanies women in collecting Cyttaria epiphytic fungi from tree trunks.