Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola maculirostris)

Identification & Behavior: ~15 cm (6 in). The Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant has grayish upperparts and whitish underparts. The wing coverts and flight feathers are edged with rufous. The tail is black with white webbing on the outer tail feathers. It has a pale eye ring. The bill is black with yellowish on the base of the lower mandible. It forages in open areas where it appear to be associated with rocks mixed with grass and scrub. It stands upright. It is similar to the Little Ground-Tyrant but ranges at higher elevations. It is distinguished from other Andean Ground-Tyrants by a smaller size, the pale base of the mandible, rufous edging on the wings, and pale eye ring.

Status: The Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant is fairly common and widespread on the east and west slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2000-4200 m. It is also found at lower elevations on Lomas vegetation. The Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Dormilona Chica.

Sub-species: Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant (Muscisaxicola maculirostris maculirostris), d’Orbigny and Lafresnaye, 1837.

Meaning of Name: Muscisaxicola: From the genus Muscicapa Brisson 1760 (flycatcher), and genus Saxicola (wheatear Oenanthe). maculirostris: L. macula= spot and rostris, rostrum= billed, beak.

See more of the Family Tyrannidae