Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola rufivertex)

Order: Passeriformes | Family: Tyrannidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

rufous-naped_ground-tyrant
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Titicaca Basin, Puno

rufous-naped_ground-tyrant
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Cuzco|Huancavelica

rufous-naped_ground-tyrant
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Cuzco

rufous-naped_ground-tyrant
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Cuzco


Identification & Behavior: ~16.5 cm (6.4 in). The Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant is grayish above and whitish gray below. It has white on the forehead. It has a conspicuous rufous patch on the nape. It forages in short dry grass and other generally dry habitats. It is similar to the Ochre-nape Ground-Tyrant but is distinguished by smaller size, overall paler plumage, and by foraging in more dry places than other ground-tyrants.

Status: The Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant is the most common and widespread Ground-tyrant that generally ranges at elevations of 2700-4200 m. It also occurs as far low as 700 m on the west slope of the southern Andes.  The Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant also occurs in Bo and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Dormilona de Nuca Rojiza.

Sub-species: Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola rufivertex occipitalis), Ridgway, 1887.  Peru (except SW) and NW Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba).
(Muscisaxicola rufivertex pallidiceps), Hellmayr, 1927.  SW Peru (Arequipa S to Tacna), N Chile (Arica S to Antofagasta), SW Bolivia and NW Argentina.

Meaning of Name: Muscisaxicola: From the genus Muscicapa Brisson 1760 (flycatcher), and genus Saxicola (wheatear Oenanthe). rufivertex: L. rufus= rufous and vertex, verticis= crown of the head.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae  peru aves

Distribution Map
rufous-naped ground-tyrantVoice


References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 03/01/2017.