Asthenes griseomurina
The Mouse-colored Thistletail (Asthenes griseomurina) is a small, inconspicuous passerine bird belonging to the Furnariidae family, commonly known as ovenbirds and woodcreepers. Measuring approximately 15-16 cm in length and weighing around 15-20 grams, this species is aptly named for its remarkably uniform, drab mouse-gray plumage across its upperparts, head, and flanks, with a slightly paler, often whitish, belly. Its most distinctive field mark is the absence of any prominent markings, mak...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude páramo and puna zones, preferring dense, stunted scrub, often near *Polylepis* woodlands or rocky slopes, typically found between 2,800 and 4,500 meters.
Its diet consists primarily of small invertebrates, including insects and spiders, which it gleans from dense vegetation and the ground.
The Mouse-colored Thistletail is generally a solitary or pair-bonded bird, active during daylight hours and roosting communally or solitarily within dense vegetation. It forages methodically, creeping through tangled undergrowth and low branches, gleaning small insects and arthropods from leaves,...
The Mouse-colored Thistletail is endemic to the Andes Mountains of South America, with a broad but fragmented distribution spanning southern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Its breeding and year-round range is restricted to high-elevation páramo and puna habitats, typically occurring betwee...
Least Concern
- The Mouse-colored Thistletail's uniform gray plumage provides exceptional camouflage, making it one of the most challenging birds to spot in its high-altitude scrub habitat. - Despite being in the 'ovenbird' family (Furnariidae), it does not construct the elaborate, oven-like mud nests characte...