Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola alpinus)

Identification & Behavior: ~17 cm (6.8 in). The Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant is gray above and whitish gray below. The crown is sepia-brown (alpinus). It has a broad and often poorly defined white superciliary from the base of the bill slightly past the eye. It forages in grasslands with scattered shrubs, often near water. It is similar to the White-browed Ground-Tyrant, but is smaller, with white superciliary not as sharply defined, and a sepia-brown crown. Also see, Puna Ground-Tyrant.

Status: The Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant is a hypothetical species in Peru known only from sight records suspected to be this species. These sight records are from the region north of the Marañon River Valley. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Dormilona del Páramo.

Sub-species: Plain-capped Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola alpinus alpinus), (Jardine), 1849.

Meaning of Name: Muscisaxicola: From the genus Muscicapa Brisson 1760 (flycatcher), and genus Saxicola (wheatear Oenanthe). alpinus: L. alpes or alpis= high mountains, alpinus, alpine= of high mountains.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae