Royal Cinclodes (Cinclodes aricomae)

Identification & Behavior: ~20 cm (7.8 in). The Royal Cinclodes has a brown mantle and crown with a broad buffy or pale supercilium. The folded wing is patterned with brown and chestnut. The unmarked mantle contrasts with the patterned wing. It has a chestnut band on the wing. The throat is whitish. The bill is thick and slightly decurved. The underparts are brown freckled with pale or brown spots. The tail is brown without white tips. It forages on the floor of Polylepis woodlands and adjacent scrub. It is similar to the Cream-winged Cinclodes but is distinguished by larger size, thicker bill, darker plumage and by being associated with Polylepis woodlands at high elevations.  Also, see White-winged Cinclodes.

Status: The Royal Cinclodes is rare and restricted to Polylepis woodlands at elevations ranging between 3700-4600 m. It also occurs in Bo.

Name in Spanish: Churrete Real.

Sub-species: Royal Cinclodes (Cinclodes aricomae), (Carriker), 1932.

Meaning of Name: Cinclodes: Gr. kinklos= unknown waterside bird and oides= resembling. aricomae: Originating from or associated with the Aricoma Pass, Puno, Peru.

See more of the Family Furnariidae