The dark-faced ground tyrant (''Muscisaxicola maclovianus'') is a small

passerine A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by t ...

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family. It is a ground-dwelling bird that breeds in the southern

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

region and the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...

. It feeds on small

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

s such as flies and

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

Description

It is 16 cm long with the male being slightly larger than the female. Like other ground tyrants, it has long legs and an upright posture. The

plumage Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...

is mainly dark grey-brown above and pale greyish below with a dark brown crown and a blackish face. The rump and tail are black with white outer tail-feathers. The legs and

bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...

are black. Birds on the

(''M. m. maclovianus'') are larger and greyer than those in mainland South America (''M. m. mentalis''). The

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

is a weak twittering which may be uttered on the ground or in flight.

Habitat and range

The species breeds in southern parts of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

and on the Falkland Islands. It inhabits open areas from sea-level up to 1500 m in the

. In the

austral winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...

some birds

migrate Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

north as far as

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

, northern Argentina and

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. At this season it moves down to lowland areas and may visit farmland, gardens and beaches.

Reproduction

The nest is placed among rocks and is made of grass and root fibres with a lining of wool or feathers. The two or three eggs are white with red-brown spots. Two broods are probably raised during the breeding season.

References

* Jaramillo, Alvaro; Burke, Peter & Beadle, David (2003) ''Field Guide to the Birds of Chile'', Christopher Helm, London * Woods, Robin W. (1988) ''Guide to Birds of the Falkland Islands'', Anthony Nelson, Oswestry

External links

"Dark-faced ground tyrant" videos
on the Internet Bird Collection

(for

) with RangeMap
"Dark-faced ground tyrant" photo gallery
VIREO {{Taxonbar, from=Q1271229 Muscisaxicola Birds of Chile Birds of the Falkland Islands Birds of Tierra del Fuego Birds described in 1829 Taxa named by Prosper Garnot