Muscisaxicola griseus
Taczanowski's Ground Tyrant (Muscisaxicola griseus) is a captivating high-altitude passerine belonging to the Tyrannidae family, a diverse group of New World flycatchers. Measuring approximately 17-18 cm (6.7-7.1 inches) in length and weighing around 25-30 grams, this species is characterized by its predominantly pale gray upperparts, contrasting with a clean white throat and belly, often with a slight buffy wash on the flanks. A distinctive dark facial mask, extending from the lores through ...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude arid grasslands, puna, páramo, and rocky slopes of the Andes, typically above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) and often up to 4,800 meters (15,700 feet) above sea level.
Its diet consists primarily of insects and other small invertebrates, which it captures by sallying from low perches or foraging directly on the ground.
Taczanowski's Ground Tyrant is typically diurnal, spending much of its day foraging on the ground or from low perches. It employs a 'sally-glean' foraging strategy, perching on rocks or small mounds, then darting to the ground to catch insects, or making short aerial sallies for flying prey. This...
Taczanowski's Ground Tyrant is endemic to the high Andes of South America, with its breeding range extending from central Peru south through western Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Specifically, it is found in the departments of Lima, Junín, Huancavelica, Ayacucho, Puno, and ...
Least Concern
- Taczanowski's Ground Tyrant is named after Władysław Taczanowski, a prominent 19th-century Polish zoologist and ornithologist who extensively studied South American birds. - This species is an expert high-altitude inhabitant, regularly found breeding at elevations exceeding 4,500 meters (14,700...