Ochre-naped Ground Tyrant

Yellow-naped ground tyrant painted by Pierre Émile Levasseur (1828-1911)

The Yellow-naped ground bully ( Muscisaxicola flavinucha ) is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family ( Tyrannidae ). The species has a large distribution area, which includes the countries of South America Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The stock is assessed by the IUCN as endangered not (Least Concern ).

Features

The Yellow-naped ground tyrant reaches a body length of about 20 centimeters. The top is mostly pale brown gray. The front crown and superciliary arches are white. The yellowish -brown to yellow spot at the back of the head falls in the field hardly noticeable. The relatively long wings are slightly darker, the elytra have bright edges. The tail is black, the outer feathers whitish. The white- gray underside is white on the belly. Young animals have no ocher stain at the back.

Distribution and habitat

The habitat of the birds are barren, rocky slopes with cliffs and boulders with little herbaceous vegetation. You see them often near watercourses and lakes. They usually move at altitudes 3000-4500 meters above sea level. During the breeding season can also be observed at altitudes between 500 and 1000 meters it on the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

Behavior

In particular, during the breeding season they move in small groups. Outside the breeding season they are also often combined with other basic tyrants go. The birds migrate depending on the season. Are they to be found in the austral summer in Chile and Argentina, as they pull in the southern winter to the north of Bolivia to La Libertad in Peru. Their nests they build in holes and crevices in the earth or in stone walls. They spend sitting motionless most of the time. Therefore they are called in Spanish the basic tyrant also dormilona ( = the sleeping one).

Vocalizations

Your call sounds like a high tseet and sometimes takes place in a series of repetitions.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies have been described which differ mainly in their coloring:

• Muscisaxicola flavinucha flavinucha Lafresnaye, 1855 The nominate form breeds in northern and central Chile in Antofagasta regions to the south of the province of Colchagua and in the west of Argentina in the province of Mendoza to Santa Cruz.
• Muscisaxicola flavinucha brevirostris Olrog, 1949. This subspecies breeds in the south of Chile and Argentina, especially in the southern part of Tierra del Fuego. It differs from the nominate by a smaller bill and shorter wings. The overall coloration of the plumage is slightly darker.

Etymology and History of Research

Frédéric de Lafresnaye had bought the type specimen of the Parisian kind dealer Émile Parzudaki. He already used the todays valid protonym In its first description.

The Latin epithet " flavinucha " consists of the words " flavus " for " yellow " and " nucha " together for " neck ". The " brevirostris " of subspecies is also of Latin origin and is composed of the words " brevis " for " short " and " rostrum " for " beak " together.

» Muscisaxicola " is a combination of the Latin words " Muscicapa " and " Saxicola ". » Muscicapa " ( = fly-papers) is in turn composed " musca " for " Fly " and " capere " for " catch " together. " Saxicola " is a word formations from » saxum " for " stone " and " colere " for " inhabit ".