Muscisaxicola albilora
The White-browed Ground Tyrant (Muscisaxicola albilora) is a striking, medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) in length and weighing around 20-30 grams. Its plumage is characterized by greyish-brown upperparts that fade to paler, whitish underparts, but its most distinctive feature is a prominent white supercilium or "eyebrow" that extends well behind the eye, contrasting sharply with a dark mask through the eye and a darker crown. Blackish wings with two faint pale...
Primarily found in open, arid or semi-arid, high-altitude grasslands, puna, barren rocky slopes, and sometimes high-elevation agricultural areas in the Andes, typically above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).
Almost exclusively insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of ground-dwelling and aerial invertebrates, including beetles, flies, ants, and caterpillars, captured by ground-gleaning or short sallies.
Diurnal in its activity, the White-browed Ground Tyrant often perches conspicuously on rocks, low bushes, or even fence posts, maintaining an alert, upright posture, often bobbing its tail. It employs a typical "ground tyrant" foraging strategy, making short, direct flights from its perch to capt...
The White-browed Ground Tyrant breeds exclusively in the high Andes of South America, with its primary breeding range extending from central Peru south through Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. These breeding grounds are typically found at impressive elevations, ranging from 3,000 to over 5,000 mete...
Least Concern
- The White-browed Ground Tyrant is renowned for its remarkable adaptation to extreme high-altitude environments, regularly breeding at elevations exceeding 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) where oxygen levels are significantly lower. - Despite its "tyrant" name, referring to its flycatcher family, its...